Chris Young: The Next Generation

[Edgy MD]

If I was to think grandly, I'd think the plan was to go get Choo now and use the two of them, if not quite as a platoon, to provide some coverage for each. And heck, the platoon is a good fallback position if some of the Mets younger outfielders come quickly, or one or both of them absolutely tanks against same-side pitching.

[Lefty Specialist]

Dunno, I have a hard time getting excited about a career .235 hitter who hit .200 last year with a .280 obp, no matter how fast he is.

[Gwreck]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: $7.25 million dollars for a one-year deal.

This guy had a WAR of 0 last year.

(I do realize he did have 12.5 WAR for 2010-12).

[batmagadanleadoff]

It seems that the Mets plan for 2014 is to hope to catch four Marlon Byrd's in a bottle. What'll Howie Megdal write about this deal?

[Vic Sage]

I'm not averse to the signing. I've had my eye on this guy for years, because of his tools. And he's still only 30. But so far in his career, he's been mostly tools and not so much production. 2 decent years out of 8 is not something that makes one hopeful. But the upside on Young (without over-projecting) is a line of .250 /20hr /20sb /80r /80rbi, with a CF-caliber glove. Which, you know, doesn't suck. Of course, his downside is suckitude followed by the DL.

I think he could end up playing well enough to be worth something to somebody by the end of the season, but you generally don't want to spend this much when you're just taking a flyer on a guy. Still, he's better than what we have, with the talent to be MUCH better.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

At some point, the staying-healthy-thing becomes a characteristic, not bad luck, right?

As for the two CFs thing... I like it just fine. Can we play the two of them deep and keep Eric Young in, like, short center?

[ashie62]

The trend for Chris Young is rough..Oft injured and 4th of at best.

C-

[Frayed Knot]

So this gives the Mets (though not always at the same time):
- two Chris Youngs
- two Bob Millers
- two Bobby Jones
- two Mike Marshalls
- two Pedro Martinez
and probably a few others that I'm missing.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Bob Johnson

[Edgy MD]

Sandy Alomars.

[Centerfield]

They had two Ike Davises.

The good looking young player who hit for power and played great defense.

And the squinty suckass guy.

[Frayed Knot]

Shawn/Sean Green x 2

[Edgy MD]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: It's like getting the 1972 version of Tommie Agee. [fimg=333]http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3687/10997461183_78df5889ed_o.jpg[/fimg] It's like getting [crossout]the 1972 version of[/crossout]Tommie Agee coming off his 1972 season. [fimg=333]http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3687/10997461183_78df5889ed_o.jpg[/fimg]

Perhaps indeed, but a lot of those other guys did better after 29. Agee was starting to put on the weight and I wouldn't be surprised to read he was in the onset stages of diabetes.

[ashie62]

A starting OF of Young Jr. Lagares and Chris Young does little for me..

Now if they could get the Cruz fellow.

[Benjamin Grimm]

This is now official, as of yesterday. I know that batmagadanleadoff is delighted about this, but the rest of us, it seems, are rather lukewarm about it. Hopefully there are better announcements to come.

Mets press release wrote: METS SIGN OUTFIELDER CHRIS YOUNG The New York Mets today announced the club signed outfielder Chris Young to a one-year contract. Young, 30, appeared in 107 games with Oakland last season, hitting .200 (67-335) with 12 home runs and 40 RBI. The 6-2, 190-pound native of Houston, TX, who throws and bats right-handed, hit double-digit home runs for the seventh consecutive season in 2013. He finished with 33 extra-base hits, the second most in the American League among players with 335 at-bats or less. Originally selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 16th round of the 2001 First-Year Player Draft out of Bellaire High School in Houston, Young was traded to Arizona in 2005 as part of a deal for righthanded pitcher Javier Vazquez. He made his major league debut in 2006 with the Diamondbacks, and the next season, he hit 32 home runs and stole 27 bases to finish fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting. Young became the first rookie in major league history to hit 30 home runs and steal 25 bases in a season. He was an All-Star in 2010. The A's acquired him in 2012 for infielder Cliff Pennington and minor league infielder Yordy Cabrera. Young owns a .235 (825-3,508) lifetime average with 144 home runs and 122 stolen bases. He is one of 17 active major leaguers, along with teammate David Wright, to have at least 140 home runs and 120 stolen bases. His lifetime OPS against lefthanders is .838 (on-base percentage, .363; slugging percentage, .475).

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I kinda feel about Chris Young the way I did about Xavier Nady and also, Ryan Church. You know, a newly arriving, young-ish vet, corner outfielder who might be good. Or, might not. It's impossible to tell.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I kinda feel about Chris Young the way I did about Xavier Nady and also, Ryan Church. You know, a newly arriving, young-ish vet, corner outfielder who might be good. Or, might not. It's impossible to tell.

Chris Young is way better than those guys (although I still believe Church would've turned in some good years sans-concussion)

[MFS62]

There's been some form of announcement of this deal every day since November 22nd.
Memo to Sandy:
Announcing the signing of the same player for five straight days is not the same as signing five different players.

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

I have no problem with taking a flyer on a guy like him. My issue is that it's using up $7.25 million of the offseason budget. It remains to be seen how much that will handcuff the Mets from any future moves, but right now that's where my concern is.

[Ceetar]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I have no problem with taking a flyer on a guy like him. My issue is that it's using up $7.25 million of the offseason budget. It remains to be seen how much that will handcuff the Mets from any future moves, but right now that's where my concern is.

I mean, no one's aware of the budget more than the guys that signed him. They have a plan and he fit into it. It's not like they're walking down aisles "Ooh, Chris Young, put him in the cart!" and then get to the Granderson aisle and realize they can't afford it.

The interesting part is they insinuated to him that he might play CF. If anything, that indicates that we could see TWO more outfielders, not just pencil in Lagares as 2014's Rey Ordonez.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Ceetar wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I kinda feel about Chris Young the way I did about Xavier Nady and also, Ryan Church. You know, a newly arriving, young-ish vet, corner outfielder who might be good. Or, might not. It's impossible to tell. Chris Young is way better than those guys (although I still believe Church would've turned in some good years sans-concussion)

Don't get me wrong -- just comparing my feeeeeelings on Young to those on Nady and Church.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I kinda feel about Chris Young the way I did about Xavier Nady and also, Ryan Church. You know, a newly arriving, young-ish vet, corner outfielder who might be good. Or, might not. It's impossible to tell. Chris Young is way better than those guys (although I still believe Church would've turned in some good years sans-concussion) Don't get me wrong -- just comparing my feeeeeelings on Young to those on Nady and Church.

I don't even remember acquiring Nady myself. Just all of a sudden he was playing and it was like "Hey, he's doing pretty good ain't he? oh wait now he's a Pirate"

[Edgy MD]

I kinda wonder if giving up Cameron for Nady and half of Milledge for Church was just as big (and unpopular) of a commitment as giving up a chunk o' budget for Young. Both those trades turned out OK for the Mets though, even if both their Metly careers were cut short.

[ashie62]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I have no problem with taking a flyer on a guy like him. My issue is that it's using up $7.25 million of the offseason budget. It remains to be seen how much that will handcuff the Mets from any future moves, but right now that's where my concern is.

It's alot of money for a guy who will accept a minor league invite n two years...2007 &10 he was terrific..2012 & 13 he fell off the map.

Putting him in as a starting OF does not feel like an upgrade.

prove me Chris..

[Edgy MD]

Well, he ain't being paid for what he'll be in two yearsies.

The Mets went into the offseason aiming at two outfielders. The idea that we got the hopefully lesser one first shouldn't be color the view of it.