Juan Lagares has certainly been showing Terry Collins and Sandy Alderson that he deserves to be playing every day and that his permanent spot in the lineup should remain unchanged when Chris Young is ready to come off the disabled list.
Yes, it is still early in the season and it’s still a small sample size – but at this point, he has been the Mets best everyday player.
We all know about his stellar defense and few now doubt that Lagares is indeed the best center fielder in the game. Additionally, we’re also seeing more and more baserunners holding back on the basepaths for fear of being gunned down at second, third or home.
Lagares leads Mets in these categories:
- Batting Average – .319
- On-Base Percentage – .353
- Runs Batted In – 7
- Base Hits – 15
- Slugging Percentage – .468
- Total Bases – 22
Thoughts from Joe D.
It blows my mind that there are still those who doubt Juan Lagares. Despite his stellar performance in Winter Ball, followed by a solid showing in Spring Training, and now an incredible start to this season. we still have doubters who say his performance is the result of sheer luck. He doesn’t walk enough… He strikes out too much… It’s hilarious… Maybe we should just bring Andres Torres and Collin Cowgill back…
I’ve been believing in Lagares since the 2011 season. I called him the best defensive player in our organization two years before he actually came up and proved it.
Offensively, I’ve always had Lagares ranked ahead of Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Matt den Dekker. He makes solid contact and can drive the ball to all fields, He pairs that with a deceptive power/speed combination. Lagares is a hard worker who continues to improve. Is he going to keep hitting .320? No, of course not, but he certainly can hit .280 and given the total package that makes him a valuable asset and everyday player.
The problem, as I see it, is that I’m not sure Terry Collins understands that. On Saturday, he still referred to Lagares as “a hacker” and said “he is what he is”. That was his assessment last September as well. Considering the strides he’s made since then, and that Lagares has personally put three “W’s” in Collins’ pocket this season already, you would think he’d be more appreciative of his talents…
Sorry Terry, but this kid is a lot more than a hacker…
Collins also told reporters this weekend, that the activation of Chris Young will usher in a three-man platoon in the outfield. Really? Because that’s worked out so well at first base…
Once again I call on the Mets GM to take this decision out of the manager’s hands and say officially that Juan Lagares is the Mets’ everyday center fielder.
It should be a matter of fact just like David Wright is at third base. The job should be Lagares’ to lose. Period.
