Few things surprise me in baseball, mostly because in my 40 years of watching the game I’ve learned that almost everyday something happens that has never happened before. Baseball is a sport that loves its records and everyday it seems new ones are set and old ones are broken.
Nothing is ever what it seems. A team can win 105 games in a season and then get knocked off by a wild card team that won 88 games that goes on to win the World Series. Yes, few things surprise me in baseball… And then there’s Justin Turner.
From ESPN New York: A Mets official finally offered a reason for Justin Turner’s non-tender. He said that Turner’s propensity for not running hard irked the front office, which had finally seen enough. Turner, arbitration-eligible, likely was due to make less than $1 million in 2014.
When I first reported on that three years ago I remember being both stunned and angry.
Stunned because anyone who has ever seen Justin Turner play would never accuse him of being lazy and not running hard.
Angry because I knew the Wilpons were up to their old tricks, and putting down a player on his way out no matter how good he was or how beloved he was by the fans. The practice has been a hallmark of theirs since assuming full control of the team.
Let’s be honest. Justin Turner was no great shakes during his time with the Mets, posting a cumulative line of .265/.326/.370 during his four years with New York.
But he did have his good points.
1. For one, he was the most versatile player the Mets have had over the last 10 years. In 2013, he played all four infield positions as well as logging time in left field.
2. It’s amazing how many hits that tied the game or put the Mets in front he had, particularly for a part-time player. He seemed to possess that clutch gene. To this day, I still don’t know how Baseball Reference calculates leverage, but regardless check this out:
High Leverage: .318 BA, .856 OPS
Med Leverage: .283 BA, .800 OPS
Low Leverage: .265 BA, .747 OPS
3. There were signs Turner was improving and evolving as a hitter. In 2013, his last with the Mets, Turner posted his highest batting average (.280) as a Met and for the first time in his career he had an OPS+ of 100 after posting a 94 in 2011 and 97 in 2012.
4. His enthusiasm and big smile was infectious. Before Nimmo there was Turner. He was a positive influence in the club house, and he had the best relationship with fans on social media as I’ve ever seen before and the fans loved him. He’d make a routine of mingling with fans and signing autographs before each and every home game.
So exit Justin Turner and enter Eric Campbell. Life goes on… Except for the fact I can’t stop gawking at all the never-ending Justin Turner highlight videos on MLB Network and ESPN, and then coming across an article today entitled: The Cardinals Should Bid Big On Justin Turner.
That kind of summed it all up for me.
And truth be told, who would you rather have at third base for the Mets next season, Justin Turner or any of our current options?
Let me see… 34 doubles, 27 home runs, 90 RBI, a 5.6 fWAR which is almost double that of Yoenis Cespedes, yeah, that’s a tough decision.
As for that Cardinals article, he’s in for some bad news as I don’t see Turner going anywhere. Pretty sure the Dodgers will re-sign him.
Anyway – like I said – few things shock me in baseball these days. But what Justin Turner has become is an absolute mind-blower. Never in my wildest dreams did I see this coming. Good for him, it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.
