The Mets can make good decisions when they try.
According to Micahel Baron of MetsBlog, this afternoon at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Jerry Manuel told reporters Fernando Martinez and Jeff Francoeur will platoon with each other in right field.
In addition, Manuel said Ruben Tejada will become the everyday second baseman, with Luis Castillo heading to the bench.
Having Martinez and Francoeur platoon is a shockingly solid decision by the Mets.
Francoeur is batting .317 against left handed pitching with a .380 OBP and an .819 OPS in 41 games.
Martinez was batting .255 at Buffalo with a .321 OBP in 68 games. He is batting .234 against LHP throughout his minor league career and has struggled with a .689 OPS. He hasn’t shown any improvement against LHP in the last three seasons.
Frenchy will probably be non tendered after the season if he doesn’t get traded, but for now he’s the better choice against left handed pitching.
Giving Castillo’s job to Tejada is another good move. (Two good decisions in one day? Wow!)Offensively, there will not be much impact, but on the field Tejada has displayed superior range, soft hands and a strong arm.
In a limited trial earlier this season, Tejada showed remarkable poise in turning the double play, and even displayed a Jeter-esque ability to spin, jump and fire a ball from deep in the hole.
Tejada also elevated the energy and enthusiasm of the team when he last played with the Mets, and they were on a solid roll as a team. Once he was displaced by Castillo, the team hit the skids.
This might be a case of too little, too late, but it’s also a step in the right direction.
