He's ready to play...center field?
OK, this was the post where I was supposed to give you my uber-scientific projections about the Mets reserves – those lucky few who get to ride the bench, and fill in (sometimes permanently) for injured starters. But there were three problems.
- It was too depressing to project .230 batting averages (or less – I’m looking at you Mike Nickeas) for every player…
- Not enough readers probably care…
- And who knows exactly who will start the year on the bench?
So, instead of stat projections, let’s take a closer look at #3, and project who will actually fill a reserve role for the Mets (hitters, not pitchers). The candidates fall into several categories:
The Locks:
Will Make the Team Unless Rob Johnson or Lucas May Start Hitting Like Albert Pujols:
- Mike Nickeas
Will Make the Team as Long as He’s Healthy:
Will Make the Team as Long as Scott Hairston’s Not Healthy:
And yes, one of them will make the team anyway. Right now Baxter’s having the best spring.
Will Make the Team if He Can Play Center Field:
- Jordany Valdespin (he made 32 errors at SS last year – why not try him at a new position?)
- Adam Loewen
- Mike Baxter
- Lee Mazzilli
- Mookie Wilson
- Willie Mays
Will Make the Team if Andres Torres isn’t Ready on Opening Day:
- Matt den Dekker (he’ll be overmatched by MLB pitching, but he’s the best defensive center fielder – the Mets have said they want good defense in CF)
My prediction for Opening Day (assuming a 12-man pitching staff):
- Cedeno
- Turner
- Baxter
- Nickeas
- den Dekker
How about your predictions? Who do you think will be on the Mets bench on Opening Day?
34 comments
Stick
3/27/2012-1:09pm at 1:09 pm (UTC -4)
baxter will be the one guy.
And I think Torres may make it back. But if not, I am going out on a limb with a pick up from outside. Den Dekker is just way too not ready.
Valdespin has zero shot at making the team as a CF option. I think this was just an experiement to see if that might be a better LT plan for him, and if so, he could work on it in the minors.
I would give him a better shot to make the team as the 2B if Murphy can’t handle it.
MetsFan4Decades
3/27/2012-1:43pm at 1:43 pm (UTC -4)
Cedeno – need a SS backup
Nickeas – for lack of a better option
Turner – Although I really think we can do better than Turner.
Sounds like Hairston is ready to go so I’m thinking they’ll carry Baxter then.
den Dekker’s bat really not ready but oh does he look good patrolling out there in CF.
I really don’t want to see Valdespin in CF, especially with Duda in RF. Two rookie type OFs really playing out of position with not a whole lot of experience = recipe for disaster, IMO.
Ceetar
3/27/2012-2:15pm at 2:15 pm (UTC -4)
Logical choice is Turner, Cedeno, Nickeas, Baxter and Loewen/Hairston.
I see outside shot for May though, really Turner may be expendable for May.
Stick
3/27/2012-2:28pm at 2:28 pm (UTC -4)
A lot of it will come down to guys that are on MiL deals that they can send down. Always ends up being the tie breaker (if not more).
I agree that Turner may be on a short leash, or the odd man out if they end up needing someone that covers positionally better than he does. or if he just doesn’t hit.
saltygary
3/27/2012-2:39pm at 2:39 pm (UTC -4)
Ceetar, you went into the Shout Box aka the “temple of doom”. What are you doing to yourself man? Continue to be the smart one here and don’t look.
TRS86
3/27/2012-2:52pm at 2:52 pm (UTC -4)
Better known as THE FUMING PILE!!!
Ceetar
3/27/2012-2:53pm at 2:53 pm (UTC -4)
haha. popped over there to see if Coop posted anything about last night’s food tasting. Saw Alex’s wrong information and figured I’d laugh at him for being wrong.
TRS86
3/27/2012-2:58pm at 2:58 pm (UTC -4)
I can’t see it, give me a good laugh.
Ceetar
3/27/2012-3:11pm at 3:11 pm (UTC -4)
He was basically implying that the reason the Mets didn’t score against good pitchers is because the team philosophy of hitting is OBP first and that it seeps all aggressiveness out.
Stick
3/27/2012-3:16pm at 3:16 pm (UTC -4)
that bunch is very all or nothing. No shade of gray. They honestly seem to believe that the philosophy hudgens is preaching is for every hitter to become a more passive version of Castillo (if that is even possible). And that they don’t recognize and adjust to specific situations.
And the logic sometimes makes me feel like the AFLAC duck in the ad with Yogi.
kingman 26
3/27/2012-3:29pm at 3:29 pm (UTC -4)
No shade of intelligence really and even more glaring is their lack of even a remote shade of open-mindedness.
kingman 26
3/27/2012-3:34pm at 3:34 pm (UTC -4)
LOL!
They scored a “ton” of runs last season!
No, they didn’t.
They were 6th in runs in a 16 team league.
A ton might suggest they would have finished higher.
Ceetar, you COULD have made a better argument by stating the obvious—the fact that they DID finish 6th in the league in runs despite being 13th in HR was PRECISELY BECAUSE of their high OBP and having so many guys get on base.
Ah, Ceetar arguing with Alex.
This is Ali-Frazier.
Ceetar
3/27/2012-3:46pm at 3:46 pm (UTC -4)
yes, a ton is exaggeration. whatever.
They scored runs. a significant amount more than league average, and more than anyone else in the division.
And I wasn’t arguing with him, I was correcting him. Arguing implies that there is a debatable point, and there isn’t.
saltygary
3/27/2012-4:09pm at 4:09 pm (UTC -4)
There is no debate only argument.
The Mets did score a healthy amount of runs and it was the least of their issues.
saltygary
3/27/2012-2:34pm at 2:34 pm (UTC -4)
Holy crap TRDM “es on fuego”!
I’m fine with Jordany but I don’t think he is ready yet. Just don’t know his makeup enough. If he doesn’t get overwhelmed and can learn as he goes, then go for it. As long as he keeps hitting anyway.
Realistically Paul I think you are on spot.
Stickguy
3/27/2012-6:00pm at 6:00 pm (UTC -4)
OK< I gotta say (and damned near wrote a post just for it), but Duda is a beast.
who scoffed at my prediction about the triple crown (well, at least 2/3 of it)? Nova? Well, I want a piece of whoever it was!
and you people that didn't buy in 2 years back when I was touting hard, you know who you are.
Mr North Jersey
3/27/2012-6:59pm at 6:59 pm (UTC -4)
Easy young Padawan. The true test has yet to come.
darknova306
3/27/2012-7:18pm at 7:18 pm (UTC -4)
Hahahaha! Save the hand wringing for when something actually happens.
darknova306
3/27/2012-7:50pm at 7:50 pm (UTC -4)
Now, I do believe he’ll be a very productive major leaguer, but it’s gonna take more than a partial season and some good ST at-bats to cement him as the next Albert Pujols.
If he leads the NL in any one of the triple crown stats this year, I’ll be beyond astonished. I’ll drive down to Philly and buy you a round at one of those awesome beer bars you have down there.
You’re already in “I told you so” mode when he hasn’t actually done anything. Save it for the end of the season when/if he’s actually lived up to the ridiculous expectations you have.
Stickguy
3/27/2012-9:52pm at 9:52 pm (UTC -4)
I was in “I told you so” mode since last year, so no backing off now baby!
darknova306
3/27/2012-11:44pm at 11:44 pm (UTC -4)
Except you just upped the stakes by declaring a triple crown win, which is way more than just “I told you so” for declaring that he’s come up and be good. Now you’re already declaring him better than Pujols. He better back that up for you this year, or next offseason is gonna be fun for me.
Stickguy
3/27/2012-6:01pm at 6:01 pm (UTC -4)
Also, I know that he would be a roller coaster ride in the majors this year 9with some real ugly stretches, ala Reyes at the beginning), but I am starting to think that maybe Valdespin should be on the team after all…
MetsFan4Decades
3/27/2012-8:01pm at 8:01 pm (UTC -4)
Here’s my thoughts on Valdespin: he’s a very nice talent and a natural athlete. But he’s not patient at the plate, even with the good bat. I’m just not sure how ‘teachable’ he is.
Saw him make a real lazy throw the other day over to first and barely got the runner. I hope I’m wrong but he’s a bit on the cocky side and could be trouble. He needs some of Murph’s work ethic to rub off on him.
Stickguy
3/27/2012-9:53pm at 9:53 pm (UTC -4)
Same with some pitchers. You really want to put the arm and natural talent that one guy is pissing away with the drive and brain of another guy to make the perfect pitcher.
gategem
3/27/2012-6:03pm at 6:03 pm (UTC -4)
Reserve Judgment…..Isn’t that what the Supreme Court is doing now?
I think the makeup of the bench crew will be liquid throughout the season and thus what Paul suggests is as good as any other suggestion.
Hazmet
3/27/2012-6:42pm at 6:42 pm (UTC -4)
FYI – Pagan under the mendoza line in SF and 0-23 last 23 AB’s.
Stickguy
3/27/2012-7:16pm at 7:16 pm (UTC -4)
this must be wrong. Go check your numbers.
after all, there is no chance that anything Sandy and the boys did that could possibly be a smart move, right?
Oh wait, I was channeling the core there for a minute. Never mind…
MetsFan4Decades
3/27/2012-7:56pm at 7:56 pm (UTC -4)
LOL.
I had no problem with that Pagan trade. His defense was awful last year and his bat not as good as 2010.
SpencerRealDirtyMets
3/27/2012-8:09pm at 8:09 pm (UTC -4)
I think Den Dekker can become a 1-2 WAR player if we don’t rush him, hopefully Sandy and Co put him back in the minors and let him develop. No reason to stunt his growth.
wanny
3/27/2012-10:15pm at 10:15 pm (UTC -4)
every one of these bench candidates sucks pretty bad. but an astounding lack of depth is what occurs when 3 players occupy such a large percentage of a team’s total salary.
Stickguy
3/27/2012-10:24pm at 10:24 pm (UTC -4)
suck pretty bad might be a little severe, but how many teams (certainly outside of the few that hang out around the luxury tax level) really have a bench that excites you? Most guys good enough to start are starting.
One thing though is this is another reason to support platoons. You usually end up with a better bench, since the guy not playing is going to be better (or should be!) than a guy that you are trying to hide because they aren’t good enough to actually play.
wanny
3/27/2012-10:50pm at 10:50 pm (UTC -4)
cedeno: .246 .286 .353
hairston;.244 .303 .437
nickeas: .237 .329 .342 (in the minors!)
turner: .249 .326 .340
i wont bother with loewen or baxter, who have no business on a major league roster. none of these guys have any ability to start on a regular basis if needed.
i stand by my opinion that they suck pretty bad.
For comparison’s sake here are the nationals likely reserves:
Flores: .253 .305 .394
Derosa: .272 .341 .416
Teahen: .264 .327 .409
Ankiel: .246 .309 .423
Michaels: .263 .335 .407
the first three are all capable starters if needed. the latter two are the equivalents to our backup outfielders.
another difference is that washington has young guys on the cusp of readiness like harper, marrero and lombardozzi while the mets have…?
SpencerRealDirtyMets
3/28/2012-12:07pm at 12:07 pm (UTC -4)
I wouldn’t say they suck, they’re replacement level players. Its harder to do much better than that on your bench.
Paul Festa
3/28/2012-12:12pm at 12:12 pm (UTC -4)
Looks like Hairston is healthy and starting today’s game.