Mets Notes: Turner In The Outfield, Broxton Not An Option, Murphy At Second

Here’s a few Mets items that are making the rounds this morning.

According to a team source who spoke to Mike Puma, the Mets have already figured out what life will be in a post-Reyes era. To begin, Daniel Murphy will become the everyday second baseman with Ruben Tejada taking over full-time duties at shortstop. In this scenario, second baseman Justin Turner will be used in a super-utility role and will start getting reps at both corner outfield positions and get significant playing time rotating between second and third base as well as the outfield. Is it me, or do we spend an inordinate amount of time having players learn a new position at the major league level? Feels like we’ve been doing this going all the way back to the eighties.
According to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York, Wally Backman will be introduced as manager of the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons this Thursday. Backman recently made the decision to remain with the organization after receiving an offer from Davey Johnson to be his bench coach or the Washington Nationals.
Rubin also gives some helpful advice on how to preserve your sanity this offseason. “Assume Jose Reyes will sign elsewhere and that Ruben Tejada is your 2012 Opening Day shortstop. That should allow you to withstand every report suggesting Reyes imminently is out the door without getting worked up. Amid the latest report Reyes is on the verge of signing with the Miami Marlins, Chris Leible, who is one of Reyes’ agents, and the godfather to two of Reyes’ children, tweeted: “Won a softball dh today, clinched 1st seed (22-2) Enjoying the #nfl. Not much else going on #verynormalsunday.”
Yesterday, SiriusXM Radio’s resident wacko Dino Costa, tweeted that Jose Reyes had agreed to sign with the Miami Marlins. He later revised his story that to say it was pending the okay by Hanley Ramirez to agree to move to third base. Many other mainstream media outlets quickly extinguished the rumor and Costa was hammered unmercifully (rightfully so) for creating a big fuss over nothing. Costa, you may remember, also announced that the Mets had agreed to a deal with outfielder Matt Holliday during the 2009 offseason.
Jerry Crasnick says that reliever Jonathan Broxton is not in the mix for the New York Mets. “Free agent Jonathan Broxton, seven weeks removed from minor elbow surgery, is lifting weights and plans to start throwing in two weeks. The Blue Jays among are six to eight clubs that have shown interest and asked for his medical records.The Mets, surprisingly, are not among that group. Broxton is probably looking at a one-year deal to rebuild his value and go out on the market next winter.”