Let's talk about... Rafael Furcal?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Jorge Castillo, N.J. Star Ledger wrote: ...the Mets have contacted the veteran [Rafael] Furcal, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The person requested anonymity to speak freely on the matter. Furcal missed the entire 2013 season with the Cardinals after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March, but took part in fielding drills before Cardinals postseason games without noticeable hinderance. The Dominican turned 36 years old last month, which makes him a short-term option for a ballclub. But Furcal represents an upgrade at shortstop for the Mets, who had their shortstops post a .561 OPS in 2013, and he can double as a leadoff hitter, which the Mets could also use.

[metirish]

Furcal is only 36.....what's that in Dominican baseball age?

[Frayed Knot]

metirish wrote: Furcal is only 36.....what's that in Dominican baseball age?

IIRC, he's already had one age 'correction' since the beginning of his career -- so either his claimed age is the actual one, or it's at least closer to the actual one.

[Edgy MD]

That's pretty funny (though certainly potentially true) to claim that Furcal represents an upgrade. He gets no guaranteed money from me.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I wouldn't think he represents any kind of upgrade over Tejada at this point anyway.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Edgy MD wrote: He gets no guaranteed money from me.

Or perhaps very little. If this report is true, it sounds like the Mets are hedging their bets at shortstop. Sandy said recently that they may not be able to address each one of their weaknesses. If it turns out that Drew and Peralta are looking to be too expensive, the Mets may instead decide to throw Furcal into the Tejada/Quintanilla/whoever mix and spend their money at other positions.

I don't know who the "shortstop of the future" might be for the Mets, but it does at least look like Furcal is not likely to hold the position for them until a guy like Gavin Cecchini might be ready.

[Lefty Specialist]

Eh, for a one-year lo-ball deal, sure. Beats the hell out of any of our other options.

[Ceetar]

..the Mets have contacted the veteran [Rafael] Furcal, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The person requested anonymity to speak freely on the matter."

Yes, do elaborate. The Mets contacted an agent! They made a phone call!

wait, that's it?

Furcal is better than Quintanilla or Turner as a backup.

[metirish]

But he ain't coming here as a backup is he?

[Edgy MD]

It's anybody's guess whether he's coming at all.

ceetar wrote: Furcal is better than Quintanilla or Turner as a backup.

I'd say that's in the territory of conjecture. We have no idea if he's healthy enough to take the field in competition. Thirty-six-year-old shortstops are rare enough, even just counting the ones with intact elbows.

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: It's anybody's guess whether he's coming at all. ceetar wrote: Furcal is better than Quintanilla or Turner as a backup. I'd say that's in the territory of conjecture. We have no idea if he's healthy enough to take the field in competition. Thirty-six-year-old shortstops are rare enough, even just counting the ones with intact elbows.

fine, he's more talented than Omar or Justin.

but yes, his health is why signing Furcal could probably be construed as confidence in Ruben Tejada, because sooner or later he's going to the one playing.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I suppose you could interpret a move like this as "lighting a fire" beneath Tejada, but I can't imagine that's Plan A for the Mets wrt the shortstop position.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I suppose you could interpret a move like this as "lighting a fire" beneath Tejada, but I can't imagine that's Plan A for the Mets wrt the shortstop position.

I can't imagine Rafael Furcal is either though.

[Frayed Knot]

I wouldn't want Furball as the main SS, but I have no problem with them talking to him about some kind of job.

[seawolf17]

Pass.

[Edgy MD]

The world needs NRIs. Somebody's got to field those fungoes.

[metsmarathon]

i'm okay with the mets showing interest in furcal.

i'm not okay with the notion of furcal being the primary starting shortstop going into next year.

i think last year was not representative, necessarily, of what we should expect from tejada (the kid is only 24, damnit!). can he step forward, though? i don't really know. if furcal provides some insurance beyond turner and quintanilla, i suppose that's fine.

the last two seasons furcal was healthy, he OPS+ed at 80 & 85. in those same two seasons, tejada OPS+ed 97 & 91. last year's OPS+ of 49 was putrid, though. but it's reason enough to believe that tejada should be the (far) better option.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I certainly wouldn't ditch Tejada in favor of Furcal. But it's not a bad idea to add him to the mix so that we at least have an experienced alternative in the event that Tejada sucks as much in 2014 as he did in 2013.

I'd like a much bigger upgrade at shortstop than this would provide, but maybe the Mets will spend whatever money they have elsewhere.

[Zvon]

Like most, as a back-up, fine. Next season is T's last chance in my book. Give him the time to win or lose that position. Q is fine only if his offensive drop off is picked up by others and that's a lot of hopin and prayin there. But that's all I do anyway with the Mets last few. Hope and pray.

[ashie62]

No No and Noer

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Edgy MD wrote: The world needs NRIs. Somebody's got to field those fungoes.

Oh, this. Marlon Byrd was pretty useless, until, y'know, 20-some-odd home runs, a bunch of fun defense, and bringing back a shortstop prospect and flameboy Vic Black.

But, yeah, guaranteed money/major-league spot? Like, on paper, notarized and shi'? Oh, HELL no.

[MFS62]

This is a dilemma for me. The first internet baseball board I ever posted on was FASTBALL. com. (Its no longer around.) Fans of all teams posted there. I used to refer to him as "Fecal" just to tick off the Braves fans.
I have continued to refer to him that way, even though he turned out to be a pretty decent player.
If he were to come to the Mets, I might have to change my name for him. Or, depending on how he plays, maybe not.

Later

[Lefty Specialist]

We already have Fecal. Furcal could do no worse.

[Edgy MD]

Yeah, as a minor league signing, I think he could be a great move. All upside. Finding fruits that have totally rolled down the hillside is fun. That's surely what Byrdie was.

[ashie62]

With Stephen Drew turning down 14 million Furcal looks better every day.

I saw the Rangers put Andrus and Profar on the SS block...

[Edgy MD]

Yeah, Texas has youth and redundancy, and would certainly make an alluring trading partner.

[smg58]

Andrus might come cheap (players-wise) given the long-term deal and his underachievement last year.

Furcal had a lower OPS than Tejada in 2011 and 2012 and while Tejada wasn't any good last year, at least he suited up. Pass.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Joel Sherman, NY Post wrote: Furcal falls off Mets� radar for physical worries The Mets had begun the offseason intrigued about enlisting Rafael Furcal to play shortstop next year. Furcal missed all of last season for the Cardinals after needing Tommy John surgery last March. But the more the Mets researched the 36-year-old free agent, the greater their worry about his physical viability became, to the point that one executive said the switch-hitter no longer is a candidate for the Mets. Perhaps that is why general manager Sandy Alderson last week revived the possibility of going with Ruben Tejada shortly after Jhonny Peralta enlisted with St. Louis. Peralta was the Mets� main shortstop target, and Furcal was a lightning-in-a-bottle candidate. Officials who do not work for the Mets but have received progress reports from Furcal�s workouts in Miami expressed the same physical concerns. The plan was for Furcal to begin throwing in a more aggressive way this week.

With Drew likely too expensive, it's looking good, for the moment anyway, for Ruben Tejada. But I have to think there's another alternative out there, one not necessarily named "Quintanilla." Maybe a trade, or someone who gets released in spring training, or even possibly a Rule 5 pick.

[Guest 86-Dreamer]

Can Juan Uribe still play SS?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I can't believe these words are going to be formed by my brain and expressed to other people in an intelligible way, but for what he offers, um, I think Juan Uribe may be out of our price range.