Will Juan Lagares lose time in center field to Chris Young?
Check out this post by Mike Kerwick of The Record who writes that newly acquired Chris Young has a list of three expectations that he shared with reporters yesterday.
- He wants substantial playing time.
- He wants that playing time to be in center field.
- And he wants the Mets to make his contract (one year, $7.25 million) the first of several moves designed to improve a franchise that has endured five straight losing seasons.
Kerwick adds that Sandy Alderson made it clear that Young will be competing with Juan Lagares for time in center field.
I’m not sure I like the sound of that…
“Center field is definitely what I’d like to look forward to,” Young said, “but I’m open to every option. Whatever option helps the team, I’ll be there for them.”
I can’t see why Lagares, who emerged as one of the top defensive canter fielders in the game, would lose any playing time to Young unless he gets into a prolonged slump on the scale of… well Young’s season long slump last season.
On the plus side, Lagares is absolutely ripping the cover off the ball in the DWL yielding a .395 batting average and an OBP over .400 .
