It was interesting reading about the value of lineup flexibility and also having various interchangeable parts on the bench who were versatile and provided a manager with the ability to maximize his strategic opportunities. That’s what Gil Hodges always said when talking about our miracle Mets.
With that on my mind I came across a familiar name this morning when MLB Trade Rumors reeled off some of the best non-tendered finds in recent years. First on their list was former Met Justin Turner who was released almost a year ago today.
Turner proved to be one of the most versatile and valuable utility players in the game this season, batting .340 with seven homers, 43 RBI, 21 doubles and 46 runs in only 288 plate appearances. The scrappy infielder posted a .404 on-base percentage, a .493 slugging percentage and a 155 OPS+.
Turner got even better in the second half when batted .388 with a .459 on-base percentage and finished the season with 16 hits in final 32 at-bats.
Oh and he batted .419 with runners in scoring position, going 26-for-62 with 33 RBI and a 1.028 OPS. How’s that for a right-handed bat off the bench?
Defensively, he played second, third, shortstop and some first base for the Dodgers, and just as he did when he was with the Mets, he became a fan favorite in Los Angeles who embraced him straight out of spring training.
While most admired Turner for his apparent hustle, work ethic, versatility, and his positive attitude in the clubhouse, surprisingly it was for his lack of those qualities the front office released him. He was set to earn $800 thousand in arbitration.
“Don’t assume every non-tender is a function of money,” Sandy Alderson said after one of his staff leaked that the team’s official pie-thrower was jettisoned because of “a lack of hustle.”
Anyway, it was nice to see Turner go out there and prove the Mets made a mistake in non-tendering him a year ago. He was – and still is – one of the good guys in the game.
