Before Friday night’s 3-0 win over the Washington Nationals, New York Mets manager Mickey Callaway spoke, quite frankly in fact, about his, and presumably, the organization’s plan to play career outfielder Jay Bruce at first base for the remainder of the season and possibly next year as well.
That is a mistake. This is a ballplayer who has played in over 1,400 games in his eleven-year career. Entering Friday night, he’s made exactly 16 starts at first base.
He’s said publicly that he’s not exactly enthused with the idea of making the move, but has since appeared to buy into the Mets train of thought. That is one bright spot in this scenario and, to be honest, all we could ask of Bruce.
Oh, and to start hitting more. That too.
After slashing .254/.324/.508 last season, split between the Mets and the Cleveland Indians, with 36 homers, 101 runs batted in, 29 doubles, and a 117 OPS+ in 146 games, the Mets brought him back into the fold on a three-year, $39 million deal.
This season, the inaugural year of that contract, has been an absolute nightmare for the 31-year-old Texan.
While dealing with injuries (foot and hip), Bruce has hit .213/.292/.333 in 216 at-bats, with four homers, 19 RBI, and twelve doubles. His current 76 OPS+ would be a career-low.
Priority number one should be getting Bruce back on track at the plate. Adding the burden of learning a new position on the fly, no less at the major league level and while assuredly playing at less than 100 percent, will only exasperate the issues in this writer’s opinion.
So while the Mets hand the keys at first base over to Bruce, who, again, is a career-outfielder, they have a surplus of MLB-caliber players who can all man the position, waiting here in limbo.
Wilmer Flores, who took over the starting spot when the team released Adrian Gonzalez in May, has played very well, on both sides of the chalk.
In 342 at-bats this season, the 27-year-old his hitting .278/.331/.444 with a 117 OPS+. Though, swinging the bat well has never been Wilmer’s problem.
In 67 starts at first base, as per Fangraphs, Flores has a -1 defensive runs saved rating and a -0.8 ultimate zone rating.
Among MLB first basemen with over 550 innings played this season, Flores’ UZR places him 17th and his DRS ranks 16th. Flores is arbitration eligible through next season, as per Spotrac.
So even if the team doesn’t have plans to keep him in the mix after he hits free agency, wouldn’t they at least want to showcase his skills whenever possible to up his trade value?
If that were the only other option for the Mets, easing Bruce into the position as a platoon guy would be a viable option. But, as many of us know quite well, there are other factors that come into play.
One of those factors is the team’s former first-round draft pick (2013), Dominic Smith. A first baseman by trade, the organization has now begun playing him in the outfield this season with hopes of diversifying him as a player.
As Kevin Kernan of the New York Post noted earlier this week in his article highlighting the play of Jeff McNeil, as per a scout, the Mets have a tendency to “jerk players around”.
Smith could rightfully be considered one of those players. Granted, he’s only 23-years-old, and he hasn’t shown much at the MLB level in limited opportunity (.197/.225/.377, 71 OPS+ in 244 career at-bats), this up-and-down stuff has to be wearing on him, mentally.
In an article in the Post (Fred Kerber) this week, Smith exuded a ton of confidence in himself and his ability to turn things around.
“I’m going to go and turn myself into the best player I can be. Get into better shape, lift weights and get stronger, get faster, steal bases,” he said. “I want to put a lot of pressure on them. I want them to have to make tough decisions when I come into camp.”
That sounds like a player with a mission who’s willing to do whatever it takes to realize his goal, and it’s truly encouraging.
Plus, Smith figures to be around for a while considering he’s arbitration eligible through the 2023 season. The willingness to adapt is an underrated quality in athletes and it seems that Smith checks that box off.
And lest we forget about leveler of worlds, Mets first-base prospect Peter Alonso.
Alonso, 23, has been on the rampage this season. After starting the season with Double-A Binghamton (.314/.440/.573, 15 homers, 52 RBI in 65 games), the Florida native was promoted to Triple-A Las Vegas on June 14.
After a hot start to his Triple-A career (.333/.438/.704 in his first 27 at-bats), El Pow cooled off a bit, hitting just .100/.238/.271 over his next 19 games (70 at-bats).
That cold snap ended on June 18. Since June 19, Alonso is slashing .304/.386/.664 with 11 home runs, 34 RBI, and 10 doubles in 125 at-bats.
His defense has been scoffed at by many, but, as we’ve seen, average play at the position will certainly do; especially with this type of offensive production on the other side of the coin.
Bottom line, by giving Jay Bruce the inside track to a position that he’s never played, nor wants to play, is virtually blocking off the development of three players, two of whom are under the age of 25 and have shown varying degrees of potential.
Dom Smith needs to show whether he can hack it at the position, or any position for that matter, at the highest level. He’s a gosh darn first-round draft pick, for crying out loud.
Wilmer Flores is a proven MLB-level hitter and has played the position admirably. Even if he’s not in the Mets’ long-term plans, he should be getting more time than Bruce at first base.
And, of course, there’s Peter Alonso, who, by all accounts, is a major league hitter just waiting for his opportunity.
With Jay Bruce being used as a stick in the spokes of these players’ respective developments (yes, even Flores), the ramifications of a move like this could ultimately prove to be downright detrimental.
