Mets Merized Online - A Mets Blog For Real Mets Fans!

I don’t think I was the only Mets fan that was disappointed when we heard that Jose Valentin would be our starting second baseman in 2007. We had off-season dreams of Alfonso Soriano, Julio Lugo or Marcus Giles wearing the orange and blue. We even hoped that Anderson Hernandez could turn his winter ball success at the plate into a decent batting average in the majors. But no one gave Valentin much credit for being a solid second baseman, not even me.
 
When you have a 37 year old second baseman struggling at the plate the first 3 weeks of the season, questions arise as to whether or not he is worth keeping on as a starter, especially when reserves Damion Easley and Dave Newhan are capable of playing the position, and 24 year old Hernandez waits in the minors. I used to be a big advocate for playing Hernandez, figuring the defense he provided would make up for a batting average that hovered around the .150 mark. (Plus I really wanted to see the crazy dances he and Reyes came up with.)
 
Then I saw the plays Valentin was making. 16 games into the season and “The Stache” has yet to make an error. He has 41 put outs, 51 assists and has helped produce 16 double plays, many of which were game saving plays. To say his defense has been exceptional is an understatement.
 
The stats that show up on the scorecard don’t say enough about what Valentin does on the field. He’s been a mentor to Reyes and has the ability to change the momentum of the game with his glove. On a team with 3 young starters, having Jose, Jose and Carlos up the middle gives the kids breathing room and confidence on the mound. Great defense can also make an average pitching staff look good, or a good pitching staff look great, which could be one reason the Mets have one of the lowest team ERA’s in baseball. These are the things that don’t show up on the box score, but are essential to having a winning team.
 
In his 2nd season as the everyday second baseman, Valentin has shown signs of improvement. He had a good year defensively in 2006, committing only 6 errors. (I just have to point out here- Jeter has 6 already!)  He now has the experience to know where to play, and how to adjust to different batters and runners. His hands look quicker, his footwork looks better and he has become a potential gold-glove caliber second baseman. His contributions on the field definitely offset his lack of production at the plate so far this year. The bat will come around eventually, but for now, the Mets need the glove more.
 
Just for the record, however, Valentin might not be batting as poorly as you thought. Production has never been overwhelming from the 8th place batter on any team, but just take a look around the National League and see what other players batting 8th are doing at the plate. It’s not pretty. In fact, as of Saturday, Valentin leads the pack in RBI’s, is 3rd in doubles, 3rd in hits, 4th in on base percentage and 4th in slugging percentage. So next time you go to complain about Valentin striking out again, just remember it could be a lot worse!