One of the unsung heroes of Tuesday night’s 6-1 victory over the Phillies was second baseman Daniel Murphy who went 3-for-5 with a run, RBI and his sixth stolen base of the season.
“We’ve played well,” Murphy said. “This would be a good way to start the road trip.”
With the win the Mets are now four games over .500 for the first time since July 14, 2012, and their 15 wins in April are their most since 2007.
It was Murphy who put the Mets on the board when he delivered a two-out, RBI single to plate shortstop Ruben Tejada.
The three hits raised Murphy’s average to .304 for the season and extended his hitting streak to 10 games.
His stolen base extended his streak of consecutive successful steals to 28, only five away from matching Kevin McReynolds for the franchise record.
What is most surprising about Murphy is the job he’s done at second base. While he’ll never win a gold glove at the position, his range, glove work and instincts at second base have improved so much, it’s no longer the concern it used to be and I’d go as far as saying he’s transformed himself into an average defender.
Murphy is coming off a solid 2013 season that produced a .286 batting average, 38 doubles, 13 homers, 78 RBI, 92 runs scored and 23 stolen bases. He finished in the National League’s top ten in base hits, doubles, runs scored and even stolen bases.
Back in February, Murphy told reporters that he was open to signing a contract extension with the Mets.
“You see an organization heading in the direction that we’re heading, it’s an exciting time. So you always want to be a part of that. …But I do want to be a part of the solution.”
This past Winter, Murphy and the Mets avoided arbitration and agreed to a $5.7 million contract for the 2014 season.
However, with only one more year of arbitration left, Murphy becomes a free agent after next season.
What do you think? Should the Mets offer Murphy a three-year extension?
I love everything about Murphy; his intensity, his focus, his desire to win. He’s far from perfect, but he fits perfectly on this team. I wouldn’t be the least bit opposed to offering him a three-year deal in the $25-30 million range.
