Expectations of Eleven: Ruben Tejada

[Edgy MD]

Ruben Dario Tejada



Pos: SS, 2B; BR-TR.

Born: October 27, 1989 in Veraguas, Panama. (He'll be 21 in 2011.)

Birth Context Karma: Baseball resumed after a ten-day break following the Loma Prieta Earthquake, and game thre of the World Series finally took place.

Acquired: Signed by the New York Mets as a foreign amateur free agent July 11, 2006

Tm	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	Pos	BB-Ref WAR	FG WAR
Buffalo	IL (AAA)	65	244	218	25	61	11	0	1	16	1	3	14	36	.280	.329	.344	.673		75	9	3	7	2	2	ss, 2b
NYM	NL	78	255	216	28	46	12	0	1	15	2	2	22	38	.213	.305	.282	.588	62	61	2	8	6	3	3	2b, ss	-0.2 (-0.2 on off)	-0.4
Total	All	143	499	434	53	107	23	0	2	31	3	5	36	74	.247	.306	.313	.619		136	11	11	13	5	5

Number: 11. Frequently issued. Rarely distinguished.

Wife: Very sexy but just a kid.

Nickname: "Mr. Kinkaid."

Namesakes:
Officer Ruben Tejada, Seventh Precinct, Lower East Side:


Best Day in 2010: He was generally dreadful at the big league level in 2010, but he woke up with a crazy five-RBI day (along with his first --- and so far only --- big league homer) on September 5. Of course, being that it was an 18-5 brutalizing of the Pinalleless SeptemberCubs, it's not like it was a tough day for anybody else.

Last Word: Jerry says that he wants the guy (A) in Buffalo most (if not all) of the year, and ( playing shortstop.

What do you expect of Ruben Tejada in 2011?

[Ceetar]

Jerry? Why is Koosman commenting on Tejada?


So far he just doesn't seem to be very good, and at the very least needs some more work. There's a chance if Murphy absolutely tanks and he's lighting up Western New York, that he could take over in June but I think it's more likely he'll get no thing more than a cameo in late September.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

You said Jerry when you meant Terry

Jerry wants him playing 2B everyday.

I kinda think this guy has got the goods to be a decent big leaguer and in a Framptonian way comes alive in Buffalo and makes the eggheads in the front office think even harder about flipping Reyes.

[Edgy MD]

Jerry, Terry, Fred Berry. I don't know what I'm talking about most days.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

[Theoldmole]

Full season in the minors, playing every day, after which Mets decide whether to let Reyes walk.

[smg58]

TheOldMole wrote: Full season in the minors, playing every day, after which Mets decide whether to let Reyes walk.

Something like this.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I have a hard time believing that Ruben Tejada will replace Jose Reyes as the Mets everyday shortstop.

He seems more like a Teddy Martinez type, someone who can stick around for a while as a reserve player.

For 2011, I predict he'll get 500 or more at bats at Buffalo, perhaps interrupted once or twice by DL-related promotions to the Mets. If Jose gets dealt at the July 31 deadline, Tejada will get promoted and we'll see enough of him in August and September to prove that he's not the long term answer. And there will be buzz about signing Jimmy Rollins after the season, which will hopefully not happen.

[Frayed Knot]

Yeah, the same thing I said about Wilmer Flores goes for Tejada as well: whether the Mets re-sign Reyes is going to be determined by what they think of Reyes exclusively and almost certainly NOT be affected by potential SSs already in the system.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

??
See you... when the summer's through
??

Minors belong in the minors.

[ashie62]

150 AB'S 0 HR 10 RBI .240

[G-Fafif]

I expect to wish he was playing second to start 2011 and expect to hope he's not playing short to start 2012.

[Theoldmole]

Yeah, the same thing I said about Wilmer Flores goes for Tejada as well: whether the Mets re-sign Reyes is going to be determined by what they think of Reyes exclusively and almost certainly NOT be affected by potential SSs already in the system.

Disagree -- I think one of the main reasons for deciding to let a popular and proven veteran go is thinking you've got a better choice coming along.

[seawolf17]

TheOldMole wrote: Yeah, the same thing I said about Wilmer Flores goes for Tejada as well: whether the Mets re-sign Reyes is going to be determined by what they think of Reyes exclusively and almost certainly NOT be affected by potential SSs already in the system. Disagree -- I think one of the main reasons for deciding to let a popular and proven veteran go is thinking you've got a better choice coming along.

Right, but I think the point was that neither of these guys is exactly Cal Ripken.

[batmagadanleadoff]

I think that Prince hates Castillo.

[seawolf17]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: I think that Prince hates Castillo.

Everybody hates Castillo. He's the Oliver Perez of second basemen.

[G-Fafif]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: I think that Prince hates Castillo.

"I'm waiting to hear Luis is gone so I can drive him to the airport in my little red Corvette."

[batmagadanleadoff]

seawolf17 wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: I think that Prince hates Castillo. Everybody hates Castillo. He's the Oliver Perez of second basemen.

Maybe. But who was better?

[Edgy MD]

Yeah, I hate that Jerry benched him for lesser performers --- threw him in a deep, dark hole, really --- just when he started to hit like a big leaguer.

[Frayed Knot]

TheOldMole wrote: Yeah, the same thing I said about Wilmer Flores goes for Tejada as well: whether the Mets re-sign Reyes is going to be determined by what they think of Reyes exclusively and almost certainly NOT be affected by potential SSs already in the system. Disagree -- I think one of the main reasons for deciding to let a popular and proven veteran go is thinking you've got a better choice coming along.

Right, I just don't think either one of them are better choices.
Flores, even if the bat dreams come true, is almost certain to NEVER be a SS and I'm not convinced Tejada is going to be anything other than a good utility/lesser starter type.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Patrick Flood makes a nice case for Tejada as his favorite Met (and why he should be yours).

Tejada took two steps to his left, jumped off his right foot and snagged the ball at full extension, then tumbled into an accidental somersault, checking to make sure the ball was in his glove somewhere in the middle of the roll, and landed seated on the outfield grass. Still on the ground, he tossed the ball to Jose Reyes and flashed a sheepish, I-can�t-believe-I-just-did-that-in-the-majors grin. Tejada normally wears a serious face on the field, eyes narrowed, unsmiling, much like a little brother playing with the big boy and trying to act like he belongs. But that grin will peek out on occasion... He can look overmatched at times, especially last season, but it�s almost always a physical domination. He�s rarely appears fooled or unsure. He�s thinking right along with everyone else: A few weeks ago in Chicago, Tejada came to the plate with no outs and runners on first and second. Thinking the bunt might be on, the Cubs� pitcher threw to second base to see if Tejada would give it away. Ruben waited for the pitcher to throw the ball to second, then squared around as if to bunt. A deke. He dumped the first pitch into left field to load the bases, and the next batter brought in a run on a sacrifice fly. It was a little move � it forced the defense to guard against the bunt, increasing Tejada�s chances of getting a hit by maybe 1% � but it was a smart move. That�s what I like. Tejada is always looking for that little edge. Those wheels are always turning.