Here’s a couple of new Mets links I dug up… Jim Bowden of ESPN ran down all 30 MLB teams and points out what he see’s as each team’s missing link.
“The Mets are satisfied with Wilmer Flores as their Opening Day starter at shortstop despite his lack of range and slow feet. Flores should hit better than most people think, but playing next to another below-average defender in Daniel Murphy isn’t the best formula for getting to the postseason.”
“Ruben Tejada will probably get the starts when ground ball pitchers such as Jon Niese take the mound, but for the Mets to get to October baseball, they’ll need a longer-term solution at short.”
He lists the following eight players as potential solutions for the Mets either now or down the road: Troy Tulowitzki, Erick Aybar, Starlin Castro, Addison Russell, Elvis Andrus, Yunel Escobar, Ian Desmond, and Jean Segura.
Meanwhile over at SB Nation, Grant Brisbee says the Mets had the most baffling offseason in baseball.
“The offseason started in an unusual fashion. The Mets stood on a mountaintop and screamed that they wanted a player. ..This was new. This was exciting. The Mets were spending again. Forget that the player in question was Michael Cuddyer, who is one of the worst defensive players in baseball, and has been for years. Forget that he’ll be 36 when the season starts (red flag) and missed most of last season with an injury (red flaaaaaaaag). Forget that Baseball-Reference tells us he hasn’t been worth two wins above replacement since 2009, and that the Steamer projection system suggests he’ll have a .315 on-base percentage for the Mets. Forget that they had to give up the #15 overall pick in the 2015 Draft to get him.”
“Forget about all that. The Mets were active. Right away, they made a statement. Don’t sleep on the Mets. They have the pitching. They have a plan. Then they sat the rest of the offseason out.”
Brisbee doesn’t sound like a very big Michael Cuddyer fan, does he? Agree? Disagree? Discuss it among yourselves.
