Tender's Not the Flo

[G-Fafif]

Puma of the Post reports Tabloid Cover Derby favorite Wilmer Flores will not be tendered. D'Arnaud said to be tendered.

[seawolf17]

brb going to citi field to flip some tables

[Benjamin Grimm]

G-Fafif wrote: Puma of the Post reports Tabloid Cover Derby favorite Wilmer Flores will not be tendered. D'Arnaud said to be tendered.

Poor Wilmer. I suppose his knee issues were a factor in this, along with the possibility that his role can be taken by Jeff McNeil and/or T.J. Rivera.

And speaking of the Tabloid Cover Derby, Wilmer has two covers still in the running, and they're both good ones. He may not be going to Port St. Lucie, but his photo may be going to Stockholm.

[Mex17]

This is idiotic. What if Alonso does not make the team out of Spring Training? Then you are left only with Smith as a viable option to play first base.

[Guest sharpie]

Frazier can play first.

[Benjamin Grimm]

It's not even December yet. We don't know what the roster will look like.

Also, Cano can play first base. And TJ Rivera. And Jeff McNeil in a pinch.

[RealityChuck]

Much as I love Wilmer, his knee problems make him a real risk.

[Zvon]

[fimg=500:2j8qh8sj]https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/47078589_2303877363268973_5142930205442048000_n.png?_nc_cat=100&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=f5c3680ae35b8d0b152e29b418a84971&oe=5C6596FD[/fimg:2j8qh8sj]

[Frayed Knot]

RealityChuck wrote: Much as I love Wilmer, his knee problems make him a real risk.

As does his low OBA (.303 career), poor (read: non-existent) speed, bad defense, and middling at best power for the one position (1B) where that glove is easiest to hide and where he'd be easiest to replace.
He's been relatively fun to have around but his upside is limited and you can't count on his 'walk-off magic' to continue forever.

I suspect they asked around about trading him but the fact(?) that they're non-tendering him instead indicates that they didn't think their chances were very good on a guy who'll get 3rd-year arb money this
season and be a FA next.
btw, between 2013 & 2018 Wilmer has accumulated five seasons plus three days of ML service time which is what will make him eligible for FA-gency next season rather than in the winter of 2020/21

[MFS62]

Wilmer was not loved. He was Beloved. And it is the rare player who elicits that emotion.

Later

[Centerfield]

Can we still sign him for less?

I guess the arthritis thing must be bad.

Love Wilmer. But, you know, this is business.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Sad day in Metviile for me.

[Frayed Knot]

I liked Wilmer. He was often fun even though occasionally exasperating and I completely understand this move even if it wasn't one I was looking forward to.
And I think 'beloved' is far too strong. Your mileage, of course, may vary.

[MFS62]

Frayed Knot wrote: And I think 'beloved' is far too strong. Your mileage, of course, may vary.

When he cried (because he thought the Mets were trading him), I cried.
And that defines it for my mileage.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

A nice moment, in my view, but not a lifetime pass.

[smg58]

My heart and my head are in different places with Wilmer. He was as likable as any Met I've watched, but he seemed to regress last year when we needed him to step forward, and his arthritis won't just go away. I might consider signing him for half what he would have gotten in arbitration, but even that would depend on a fair assessment of TJ Rivera's health.

[seawolf17]

30 years/$45M for Wilmer. He's on the payroll in perpetuity, either as a player, coach, broadcaster, or spiritual advisor.

[G-Fafif]

Came across this nugget while researching this piece: Wilmer Flores -- who one doesn't think of as a prototypical "cursed with versatility" utility guy -- was the only Met to have played at least 100 games apiece at all four infield positions. Nobody else played thirty games apiece at all four infield positions.

You can't keep a good bat down.

[Edgy MD]

#2 was ... Super Joe McEwing?

[Guest d'Kong76]

G-Fafif wrote: was the only Met to have played at least 100 games apiece at all four infield positions. Nobody else played thirty games apiece at all four infield positions.

That's not a nugget, that's a small boulder!

[G-Fafif]

Edgy MD wrote: #2 was ... Super Joe McEwing?

The three besides Wilmer who did as many as 20+ at 1B, 2B, SS, 3B were Joe McEwing, Justin Turner and -- I would not have guessed this one -- Tim Bogar. Each of them played at least one game in the OF, which Flores (despite some Spring Training happy talk) never did.

[seawolf17]

G-Fafif wrote: I would not have guessed this one

[Edgy MD]

Bogar had the same ticket to first that McEwing did: an inexperienced starting firstbaseman whose footwork didn't fill his manager with confidence, so each used a middle infielder as a late-inning replacement. Said middle infielders in each case didn't have a lot of cold corner experience either, but at least they brought their nimble little feet to the task.

McEwing was carrying Piazza's glove, and Bogar was subbing in for Huskey.

[G-Fafif]

1B
Flores 117
Bogar 56
McEwing 39
Turner 26

2B
McEwing 123
Turner 108
Flores 101
Bogar 22

SS
Flores 162
Bogar 119
McEwing 92
Turner 29

3B
Flores 143
Bogar 79
Turner 71
McEwing 57

Flores was a Met for parts of six seasons; McEwing five seasons; Bogar and Turner four seasons each.

[nymr83]

Sad to see him go. He crushed lefties and belonged as a starter against them.