Corner Outfielders, 2009

[Guest Edgy DC]

Ryan Church, on allegedly disliking playing in Nueva York:

]"I say just [to] consider the source. I never said anything like that, never thought anything like that. With all that happened [his concussions and the extended absence they caused], I really enjoyed my time playing. And when I finally got back, the way I was received [at Shea Stadium Aug. 22], it was great. I love it there. I want to play there, I want to finish [his career] there."

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

I like Church. I hope he is fully recovered and able to again be a solid contributor for the team. If Church is able to return and take care of RF, then the Mets can really concentrate on locking down an everyday player for LF.

I would love to see Murphy get a good look at second base in the spring to see whether or not he can handle it defensively to an adequate level.

[Gwreck]

Can you give a link to the article? I missed this one apparently.

[smg58]

I think Ryan Church staying healthy for a whole season would be all the upgrading our outfield needs.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Gwreck wrote: Can you give a link to the article? I missed this one apparently.

http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081104&content_id=3663242&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nym

The Mets have a real problem here in that they have no idea what they'll have in Church next year. They have to have an insurance policy firmly in place.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I agree with that.

If he plays all of 2009 like he did the first six weeks or so of the 2008 season, they'll be strong at the position.

And while that's a possibility, I'm not sure of how likely it is.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

In that sense Ibanez makes some sense. I know we're already loaded with LH hitting corner OFs but maybe some redundancy there is a good thing. If we woind up overloaded with guys there someone could be traded.

Ibanez also has some good reviews, I think, in the Character and Veteran Leadership departments (not that its terribly important), and is a native NYer.

[Guest Edgy DC]

This fits Met Reference Hell tabloid fodder so nicely.

Omar is obsessed with getting...

...Latinos

Wilpon is obsessed with getting...
...native New yorkers

Ths stupid Mets is obsessed with getting...
...good clubhouse guys.

There should be an Ibanez watch in every paper.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

...lefthanded hitting corner outfielders

[metirish]

From Ken Davidoff....

] The Mets enjoy a strong relationship with brothers Sam and Seth Levinson, Iba�ez's agents, and they have heard strong endorsements from some of their current players for Iba�ez. Carlos Beltran played alongside Iba�ez for three years in Kansas City, and Johan Santana knows Iba�ez from years of playing against him in American League action and speaks highly of him, as well. Yet it's telling that the Mets have contacted Iba�ez but not other prime position-player free agents such as outfielders Pat Burrell and Adam Dunn or second baseman Orlando Hudson. Likewise, they have minimal interest in Boras client Manny Ramirez, for now.

Davidoff also says that Raul is hardly a great fit with the Mets who are he says trying to get younger and righthanded.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I think it's too early to be "telling" if the Mets haven't contacted someone.

Just because they haven't expressed public interest by November 5 doesn't mean that they're not going to consider any of those players.

[Guest attgig]

This may be coming out of left field, but I'd like to see Pagan given a chance to play. I think in the few short weeks he was the regular starter, he showed enough to me to think he could handle an everyday job. + he's still young.

move murphy to 2b. pagan/tatis/church platoon in the corners.

spend money on pen and SP.

my $.02

[G-Fafif]

attgig wrote: This may be coming out of left field...

Then the corner outfielder thread is the perfect place for it.

[Guest Edgy DC]

If Pagan wants that job, he's going to have to take it.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I'm all for bringing Pagan back as a reservist. This season his whole career could be on the line; if he's healthy I suspect we might gert something out of him.

[Farmer Ted]

I guess Alou is completely out of the picture? That's too bad. I really enjoyed watching him in those 15 games last season.

FREE ENDY NOW!!

[nymr83]

Alou was a good gamble that didn't pay off in 2008, but to bring him back for 2009 he'd need to accept that he's not option A (because there'd better be a better option in place) and that his playing time won't depend only on his own health but on the health and production of the guy(s) in front of him. He'd also need to accept an appropriate salary for that role. He probably has more to offer a small-market team that sees some upside in a small investment and can offer a starting job because its worth the risk to them.