The New York Mets are expected to make the one-year, $15.8 million qualifying offer to free agent Daniel Murphy by the deadline on Friday. Murphy is expected to decline the offer and look for a multi-year deal as a free agent, thus ending their nine year relationship. However, in return the Mets will receive a first round compensation pick.
“Murph has been a great player for us over the years. He’s been a Met over his entire career. So we’re going to make that decision a little later this week,” Alderson said regarding his decision to wait until Friday’s qualifying offer deadline.
Alderson called second base prospect Dilson Herrera “a viable alternative from within the organization” to take over for Murphy at second base. With Murphy’s possible departure, the Mets are planning to use a middle-infield combination of Wilmer Flores, Ruben Tejada and the 21-year old Herrera next season.
Thoughts from Joe D.
The Mets have looked to Herrera as their second baseman of the future ever since he was acquired in 2013 from the Pirates in a deal that sent Marlon Byrd and John Buck to Pittsburgh for Herrera and reliever Vic Black.
Herrera batted .323 with a .379 OBP and .479 slugging last season for Single-A St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton Mets. In 587 plate appearances he had 33 doubles, five triples, 13 home runs, 71 RBI and 23 stolen bases. It earned him a promotion and he made his MLB debut on August 29th, 2014 as the youngest player in the National League.
This season, Herrera was assigned to Triple-A Las Vegas where he slashed at .327/.381/.511 for the 51’s in 364 plate appearances. He scored 63 runs and collected 23 doubles, 11 homers, 50 RBI and 13 stolen bases while playing in just 81 games – or half a season.
While he’s been a little overwhelmed at times in his two cups of coffee in the majors, he has shown some flashes of power hitting six home runs in 149 at-bats, and his short compact swing has drawn the praise of his manager at Las Vegas, Wally Backman.
“For Dilson, it’s just a matter of working in all aspects of the game. He shows lots and lots of promise. Just the energy he brings to the game, the way he plays the game, the nice swing. He’s just a kid still. I know other people have said it — and I believe it, too — I think the kid, at some point in time, can be an All-Star.”
Asked if he’ll be ready the next time the Mets come calling, Herrera told the Las Vegas Review in July, “I’m ready for everything. I’ll wait for the opportunity again. Sometimes we have bad moments, and you’ve got to take them. I am trying to do my best and do what I’ve got to do.”
He wasn’t kidding. In his only start after being called up in September, Herrera showed why the organization is so high on him., going 3-for-4 with a single, a double, a two-run homer and a walk. The kid’s legit.
