With the reluctance of Yoenis Cespedes to play center field citing the wear and tear on his legs and more specifically his strained quad, Terry Collins and the Mets find themselves in a bit of a conundrum.
The issue is that versus a right-handed pitcher, Collins prefers to have Cespedes, Michael Conforto and Curtis Granderson in the lineup and of the three, the team views Cespedes as their most optimal center fielder. That’s not to say he’s a great center fielder, he’s not.
As was reported yesterday, Michael Conforto practiced fielding fly-balls in center field before Monday’s game. Conforto has never played center during his three-year professional career, but Collins is willing to roll the dice.
“I think he’s a better outfielder than people give him credit for,” Collins said of Conforto. “And, we’ve got two veteran guys who are alongside him. I think they can help him.”
That said, Collins was initially planning on having Cespedes back in center field for tonight’s game against the Cubs. However, because Cespedes looked a bit sluggish in left field on Monday night, the Mets skipper may be scrapping that idea.
“I would say he’s probably being cautious a little bit,” Collins said. “I’m certainly going to talk to him in the morning when he gets here tomorrow.”
“We’re taxing his body pretty heavily by putting him in center field, and we need him to hit,” Collins explained. “I just think, if he’s in left field where he’s comfortable, and there’s not so much emphasis on the defensive side, that he’ll go back to being a big production guy.”
Additionally and way out of left field, David Lennon of Newsday reported that Jose Reyes got some pregame drills in center field this weekend and will continue getting more practice in center for the time being. Reyes has never played outfield in his major or minor league career.
However, when Adam Rubin asked Collins about it, he joked that Jose Reyes in CF is not an active consideration because “then I’ve got to have Michael take groundballs at third.”
According to one reporter’s speculation, all of this maneuvering could be signalling that the Mets are willing to let Cespedes play wherever he wants to facilitate a possible extension deal.
Cespedes did win a gold glove for his play in left field, and it wasn’t that long ago that GM Sandy Alderson referred to playing Cespedes in center field as trying to jam a square peg into a round hole. So if the Mets were to reach an agreement with Cespedes, it’s very likely he plays strictly in left. He’s in the midst of the best offensive season in his career.
Here’s what we do know… when Cespedes signed his deal with the Mets he said he would play wherever Collins wanted him. He now seems to be backing off that, telling reporters on a few occasions he wants to play in left for the rest of the season.
Conforto, on the other hand, genuinely wants to help anyway he can including playing in center – a position that is completely foreign to him.
Juan Lagares is the only true center fielder the Mets have on their roster and he’ll certainly be patrolling center whenever a left hander starts. The issue is when the Mets go up against a right-handed starter like Jake Arrieta tonight.
I suspect we’ll see Conforto making his professional debut in center field tonight when the Mets take the field… And I think the kid will be alright.
