What's on 2nd? ... I don't know (3rd base)

[Benjamin Grimm]

metsmarathon wrote: why are we assuming that arod would be the better third baseman, forcing wright to move to either first or second?

Another option (not that I'm endorsing it) would be to return Rodriguez to shortstop and put Reyes at second.

[Guest vtmet]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: ="metsmarathon"]why are we assuming that arod would be the better third baseman, forcing wright to move to either first or second? Another option (not that I'm endorsing it) would be to return Rodriguez to shortstop and put Reyes at second.

which I don't see happening or making sense...IMO, you would normally have the infielder with the weakest arm at 2B (of the 3 infielders that throw the ball as a normal part of their putout)...just like moving Reyes to 2nd for Matsui made no sense, moving Reyes to 2nd while keeping Wright at 3rd makes even less sense...Reyes has a howitzer, Wright has a BB gun...there have been numerous times where Wright just doesn't have the mustard to make a "3rd baseman's" throw...he's a fine athelete, and a fine fielder, just not a natural at 3rd base...and supposedly throughout Wright's early minor league career, there were doubts in the organization about whether Wright could handle 3B at the MLB level...I believe that in David's high school career, at least 2 of his seasons were played as a middle infielder...

[Vic Sage]

Reyes, if nothing else, is a GG shortstop. A-Rod has demonstrated that he is a better 3bman than Wright. So, in the fantasy world where the Mets get A-Rod, he plays 3b and Wright moves. But i wouldn't move him to 2b, where injury risk is greater than any position other than C. Wright has terrific quickness and great hands, but his arm (while strong) is a scattergun. So, he could fill the hole in RF. And with A-Rod at 3b, we could then afford to play anybody at 2b who can catch the ball.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Yah. If you move Wright, must be to 1B or maybe LF.

I'd like to see this team explore the possibility of upgrading at first base. I realize it would have created all kinds of havoc to try and cut Delgado loose on the fly, but its a shame we couldn't somehow get involved in the whole Texiera thing. The Braves now have a better first baseman than us, joining the Phillies.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I disagree that Wright has a "BB gun" and I'm unsure at what suggests that. He makes wreckless throws --- often when he has too much time to think --- but not weak ones.

[Guest vtmet]

Edgy DC wrote: I disagree that Wright has a "BB gun" and I'm unsure at what suggests that. He makes wreckless throws --- often when he has too much time to think --- but not weak ones.

I've been seeing a few "artificial turf" type of him purposely throwing the ball to first with a bounce towards the end of the season...I haven't seen that throw done on purpose since the 80's...

[Vic Sage]

i have no idea what sport you're watching, but Wright's arm is far from weak. His problem is innacuracy, not strength.

[Valadius]

David Wright becomes less valuable if you move him from third base. And let's not forget, he's still getting better defensively.

[Benjamin Grimm]

He only becomes less valuable off third base if you don't replace him with a quality offensive third baseman.

And, if you make him a second baseman, (and he's able to handle it) you actually make him more valuable.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

I would be very reluctant reluctant to make any trade that would require the Mets to move their best player, David Wright, to a new position. The team has enough holes to fill (SP, C, 2B, RF, and RP) already. I see no need to possibly create new ones by moving proven players to new positions in hopes of catching lightning in a bottle.

[smg58]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Yah. If you move Wright, must be to 1B or maybe LF. I'd like to see this team explore the possibility of upgrading at first base. I realize it would have created all kinds of havoc to try and cut Delgado loose on the fly, but its a shame we couldn't somehow get involved in the whole Texiera thing. The Braves now have a better first baseman than us, joining the Phillies.

The only thing I thought of there is seeing what the other pursuers of Teixeira (like the Angels) would have packaged for Delgado instead and then adding Martinez to that package and seeing if the Rangers would bite. I think a three-club deal is probably the only way you upgrade on Delgado at this point, and I'm not sure how likely that is. Our best hope then is that Delgado's .781 OPS after nine straight seasons above .900 was an aberration.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I guess it's possible that Delgado will have a bounceback year, but it's more likely that his season was due to aging and not aberrations.

[Guest vtmet]

the thing that worries me the most (about not signing ARod if he does indeed walk away from his contract) would be the Phillies signing him...The Phils have had an incredible offense, without having a 3rd baseman...They don't have a huge payroll, but at the same time, I don't see why they couldn't afford a big payroll...an infield of Howard/Utley/Rollins/AROD locked up for the next 5 years or so, makes them lethal regardless of what clowns they have in the OF and the pitching staff...

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

That's one reason why an emotionless approach to the offseason might include moving Wright to first base.

[Guest vtmet]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: That's one reason why an emotionless approach to the offseason might include moving Wright to first base.

Delgado walks into spring training only to find a catcher's glove, mask, shin guards and chest protector there...that's a scary but humerous thought...

[Guest Edgy DC]

(dumb thought)If the Mets get in a heated battle for the Rod, would Wright's offer to move nine months earlier get framed as tampering?(/dumb thought)

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

We could use a powerhitting lefty catcher...

[Guest vtmet]

Edgy DC wrote: (dumb thought)If the Mets get in a heated battle for the Rod, would Wright's offer to move nine months earlier get framed as tampering?(/dumb thought)

that's kind of a grey area there...If management had stated that if AROD was available, that they would love to have him, that is tampering...If DW had called AROD and told him, "dude, nix your contract and I'll move for you", that is probably tampering...if a newspaper reporter asks a player, would you change your position if the Mets signed a guy that is projected to hit 800 HRs and also plays your position; is it tampering to answer the question honestly and elaborate on your answer?

[Guest Edgy DC]

I don't want to make much of it, as I'm certain it'll come to nothing, but tampering accusations have been stirred by press quotes in the past.

[Benjamin Grimm]

How much do the tampering rules apply to players?

I remember Darryl Strawberry getting in a little hot water because he telegraphed his intentions to go to Los Angeles while he was still playing for the Mets. But in that case, it was a player sending a signal to a future employer.

David Wright can't negotiate on behalf of the Mets. (At least not until he's granted Al Leiter powers!) So nothing he says would be interpreted as a signal to Rodriguez that the Mets were interested in him.

[Centerfield]

How about picking up that clutch-hitting second baseman for the Rockies? I hear he's a free agent...

[Guest vtmet]

Centerfield wrote: How about picking up that clutch-hitting second baseman for the Rockies? I hear he's a free agent...

lol...I said the same thing last week elsewhere, and not a soul took me seriously...the pre-Rox version of Kaz was a nightmare, but the version that is playing in the NL Playoffs could be an ideal leadoff hitter and 2nd baseman for the '08 Mets...but I think that this bridge has been burned...

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'd be okay with a return by Kaz. I don't know if he's the BEST option, but he's probably not the worst either. (I'm more interested in giving Barfield a shot.)

But I do like your point about a second baseman who can bat leadoff. I hope that whoever we get can be a candidate for that spot in the lineup. I'd like a fallback in case Jose Reyes needs to spend some time further down in the lineup. (If he's still popping up all the time I'd consider moving him down to 7th or 8th.)

[Guest Edgy DC]

Only thing Matsui has in Colorado that he didn't have in New York is consistent physical well-being, and, less relevantly, the support of his team's fans.

OPS+ by year:

2004 88
2005 72
2006 76
2007 87

[smg58]

="Edgy DC"]Only thing Matsui has in Colorado that he didn't have in New York is consistent physical well-being, and, less relevantly, the support of his team's fans. OPS+ by year: 2004 88 2005 72 2006 76 2007 87

His .638 OPS outside of Coors this year leaves a little to be desired, and Hurdle didn't trust him against left-handed pitching (only 70 AB). But he can look real good for short stretches of time, and he was hot last week.

[Guest vtmet]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: I'd be okay with a return by Kaz. I don't know if he's the BEST option, but he's probably not the worst either. (I'm more interested in giving Barfield a shot.) But I do like your point about a second baseman who can bat leadoff. I hope that whoever we get can be a candidate for that spot in the lineup. I'd like a fallback in case Jose Reyes needs to spend some time further down in the lineup. (If he's still popping up all the time I'd consider moving him down to 7th or 8th.)

I'm sure that there are a lot of people that would disagree with me on this, but I think part of Reyes' struggles is because he's trying to hard to be a leadoff hitter and not letting his natural ability take care of things...while he's the guy most likely to score and to cause havoc, IMO, he'd be a much better #2 hitter than leadoff hitter (which is the opposite of what I believed back when Kaz was batting leadoff and Reyes was hitting behind him)... I know that it has it's own thread but I think that Reyes allowed success and too much thinking to ruin his 2nd half of this season (in a similar sense to DW losing all his power after the HR derby last season...it took a while for DW to get his swing back)....Did worrying about working the count instead of pouncing on his pitches mess him up? Did pitchers work him differently (he started to get a lot more walks with runners in scoring position)...Did Rollins/Hanley Ramirez's success play head games with him?

I just think that his approach could improve by being the #2 guy with a fast guy in front of him and Wright/Beltran immediately after him...you know that Willie doesn't want either Wright or Beltran batting 2nd (which makes sense since they are the 2 best RBI guys), but if they could find someone to bat ahead of Reyes, why not have a Reyes/Wright/Beltran combo in the lineup? Makes things tougher on the opposing pitching scheme in the fact that both Reyes/Wright are tough on lefties but at the same time, they all can do serious damage against RH pitching as well...

[metirish]

Found this in the Philadelphia Inquirer , from the 24th.

] Sources say the Phillies reached out to Tadahito Iguchi about re-signing to play third base. Iguchi told the team he preferred to sign elsewhere as a second baseman. . . .

[smg58]

It's tough to get a read on Tad. His best was only pretty good, and he appears to be on the decline. He's not somebody I'd commit to starting ahead of Gotay against right-handed pitching. If he's willing to come and platoon and try to work his way into more playing time (and be paid as somebody not guaranteed a full-time spot), I'd take a look.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Padres are releasing Marcus Giles.

I was interested in him last year.

Not so much this year.

[Elster88]

I used to think he was a stud. Back in the day I was very jealous of Atlanta.