Shortstop

[TransMonk]

Jose Reyes is going to be sidelined for what looks to be at least the month of April. There are 3 shortstops vying for his starting job this spring:

2009 Stats:

Russ Adams (AAA): 207 AB, 59 H, 31 R, 14 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 21 RBI, .285/.343/.411/.754
Russ Adams (MLB): 20 AB, 4 H, 2 R, .200/.238/.200/.438

Alex Cora (MLB): 271 AB, 68 H, 31 R, 11 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 18 RBI, .251/.320/.310/.630

Ruben Tejada (AA): 488 AB, 141 H, 59 R, 24 2B, 3 3B, 5 HR, 46 RBI, .289/.351/.381/.732

Spring Stats (through 03/11/10):

Russ Adams: 10 AB, 6 H, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .600/.636/1.100/1.736

Alex Cora: 13 AB, 5 H, 2 R, 1 RBI, .385/.385/.385/.770

Ruben Tejada: 22 AB, 8 H, 5 R, 1 2B, 3 RBI, .364/.440/.409/.849

This can be a "floating" poll, meaning you should change your vote if your opinion changes. I will keep the spring stats updated on business days throughout the spring.

Defense needs to be included as well. Anyone who knows more about defensive stats can argue their merit and provide what they know about each players ability.

[Guest Edgy DC]

It's hard to provide a meaningful vote, with so much left to shake out. There's certainly merit in calling up Tejada with him knowing that he doesn't have to keep the job. But he's 160 pounds.

[TransMonk]

It's hard to provide a meaningful vote, with so much left to shake out.[/quote:1ob4rsdb]

Like I said, with the new board's technology, your vote can change. I'm just asking what the gut of the forum says day by day or week by week. Obviously, the closer we get to opening day, the more meaningful the vote tally will be.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I apparently lack guts, as I've areadly changed my vote twice.

I wanted to try a little David Wright at short last year during Reyes' extended absence, and I kinda still do.

[Guest attgig]

there's no reason to rush tejada, and potentially screw up his development. he's what... 20 years old? Mets have been rushing all their prospects as it is... there's no reason to screw him up even more royally.

oh, and like omar said, that's why he pays cora the 2mil.

[TransMonk]

Edgy, you don't lack guts, maybe you're just a little nauseous?

[Benjamin Grimm]

I wanted to try a little David Wright at short last year during Reyes' extended absence, and I kinda still do.[/quote:36i6teke]

Who would you put at third base in that scenario?

[metirish]

Edgy always ruining other peoples polls.

[Guest attgig]

from espn tmi:
http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/tmi-mlb/post?id=760

BP: The Jose Reyes "solution" By Kevin Goldstein, Baseball Prospectus People love ripping on the New York Mets these days, and let's face it, in some ways they've earned it with back-to-back September swoons in 2007 and 2008, and a 2009 season that was arguably baseball's biggest nightmare of the decade. So far this spring, things are no better, and if anything, a little weirder. Now shortstop Jose Reyes, who had a miserable 2009 due to a recurring hamstring problem, has been diagnosed with a thyroid issue that will keep him off the baseball field for somewhere between two weeks and two months. That's a crazy big window thanks to a condition that's hard to predict, but even the Mets are making every indication that Reyes won't be at shortstop on Opening Day. And as the club learned last year, he's tough to replace. But there is a decent short-term answer, and it's not the one you think. The man who is supposed to fill in for Reyes is Alex Cora, a journeyman who hit .251/.320/.310 last year as Reyes' back-up. With that kind of line, it's only makes sense for the Mets to start considering other options. One name that is getting tossed around inside their offices is Ruben Tejada, the club's top shortstop prospect. Now the first reaction is to laugh this off as the worst idea ever (hey, it is the Mets), as we're talking about a 20 year-old who played at Double-A last year and while solid, didn't exactly light things up with a batting line of .289/.351/.381 for Binghamton. Thing is, giving Tejada the job, at least temporarily, might not be such a bad idea. When one thinks of a Latin American shortstop (Tejada is Panamanian), the expectation is a raw athlete oozing with tools -- but Tejada is the exact opposite. He has a near-zero chance of ever being a star, but at the same time, he's one of the most fundamentally sound 20-year-olds you'll ever see. He works the count, makes consistent contact (59 strikeouts in 553 plate appearances last year), and while his range at the position is merely average, he makes the plays on the balls he gets to. Strikeouts and out-of-control fielding are the things that usually spell doom for a rookie, but Tejada has both of those bases covered, so as long as Reyes is out, why not see what the young player can do? This wouldn't be another case of the Mets curbing the development of some high-ceiling prospect by rushing him to the majors; Tejada is pretty much all he's ever going to be right now, and he's certainly not going to be worse than Cora.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I wanted to try a little David Wright at short last year during Reyes' extended absence, and I kinda still do.[/quote:2jioprs7]

Who would you put at third base in that scenario?[/quote:2jioprs7]
Last year, it would have been Daniel Murphy. This year, maybe some combination of Murphy and Hessman.

It would only be for a handful of games when the time is ripe and we'd like to get another bat in the lineup, but Mike Schmidt slid over to short when the Phillies needed him to, and George Brett covered for the Royals in a pinch.

I think that the 24-hour screaming fan media has made managers less likely to try that sort of thing. I find little in the game more enjoyable.

[TransMonk]

...and he's certainly not going to be worse than Cora.[/quote:rjlxp8cs]
This may be the best arguement for Tejada.

[Guest Edgy DC]

...and he's certainly not going to be worse than Cora.[/quote:14r7f5ly]
This may be the best arguement for Tejada.[/quote:14r7f5ly]
But it's not necessarily true, nor even probably true. The guy spent all of 2008 in St. Lucie and went .229 / .293 / .296 // .588, so he's already taking some punches from being rushed. If he's in the mix, fine, bring him into the mix, but folks need to down that mix with a few calm-down cocktails.

[Guest Edgy DC]

[quote name=Kevin Goldstein, Baseball Prospectus]...and a 2009 season that was arguably baseball's biggest nightmare of the decade.

[Guest attgig]

[quote name=Kevin Goldstein, Baseball Prospectus]...and a 2009 season that was arguably baseball's biggest nightmare of the decade.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I don't either, but my point is --- by stating that as a premise to an argument --- you can get people to buy an awful lot of snake oil.

I realize nobody wants to get sidetracked into an argument about the 2003 Tigers, or the 2004 Diamondbacks or anything, but that's just weak. I know the freshest wound is the most troubling, but it's easily arguable that it wasn't even the worst Mets nightmare of the decade. BP writers should know better.

[ashie62]

Tejada for Governor

[MFS62]

Looks like I'm the only one who has voted for Adams. Shocker, eh?

A few years ago, Adams was the starting shortstop for the Blue Jays. Since then he has been injured. If healthy, and Tejada shows he needs more seasoning, I think Adams should start the season at short.

I think he is better than A. Hernandez (not in the poll) and should make the team anyhow.

BTW- who is this guy L. Hernandez who has played some games at short for the Mets this spring? And he's done it in games in which A. Hernndez has played, so I'm pretty sure it wasn't a misprint. I hope its not Livan trying for another comeback.

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

I've voted for all three.

[TransMonk]

If there is clamoring to add either Hernandez to this poll I will. Personally, I don't see why anyone would choose an* Hernandez over any of the 3 choices above.

*completely fruity NTTAWWT

[MFS62]

If there is clamoring to add either Hernandez to this poll I will. Personally, I don't see why anyone would choose an* Hernandez over any of the 3 choices above.

*completely fruity NTTAWWT

[ashie62]

I didn't pick Russ.

I didn't want anyone from the Adams Family to scare the women & children

[smg58]

It's a hard call. My instincts say don't rush Tejada, but the truth is he may already be better than Alex Cora.

[Fman99]

Can I pick "not Alex Cora"?

[MFS62]

Can I pick "not Alex Cora"?[/quote:37hw3xmc]

That's a surprise.
I thought you were going to pick "Anybody but Alex Fucking Cora".
Care to change your vote?

Later

[nymr83]

I prefer to try Tejada out if its more than a couple of weeks, but for less than that I'd go with Adams.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I'm with Namor, moreorless-- Tejada if it looks like a month-plus (and I bet it will be so), Adams/Cora pu-pu platter if it's a lesser engagement.

[TransMonk]

Spring Stats (through 03/14/10):

Russ Adams: 12 AB, 6 H, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .500/.538/.917/1.455

Alex Cora: 17 AB, 6 H, 3 R, 1 RBI, .353/.389/.412/.801

Ruben Tejada: 28 AB, 10 H, 6 R, 1 2B, 4 RBI, .357/.419/.393/.812

[metirish]

From Ken Davidoff in Newsday

4. Who are the injury fill-ins for Reyes and Carlos Beltran? Heyman reports that Tejada will likely join Davis at Buffalo. This would be a mistake, IMO. Tejada would provide at least steady glovework if he starts in the big leagues, and maybe he could even provide an offensive lift of some sort with his speed. Alex Cora won't embarrass the team most days; he just won't help it, either.

[Chad ochoseis]

For those of us who are too lazy to look up such things, how does bringing Tejada up to the bigs for a month (or possibly longer) affect his future options?

[TransMonk]

Anyone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe Tejada will be out of options until next season which will be his 5th as a professional.