Second Base, 2014

[Edgy MD]

2013 Guys	Age in '14	Level	G at 2b	PA	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
Daniel Murphy	29	MLB	150	697	.286	.319	.415	.733	108
Jordany Valdespin	26	MLB	12	144	.188	.250	.316	.566	60
		AAA	14	67	.466	.537	.759	1.296	171
Justin Turner	29	MLB	12	214	.280	.319	.385	.704	100
		Rk	0	5	.000	.200	.000	.200	30
		SS A	1	12	.300	.417	.400	.817	125
		A+	1	1	.000	.000	.000	.000	0
		AA	2	17	.400	.471	.533	1.004	140
Eric Young, Jr.	29	MLB	3	598	.249	.310	.336	.646	79
Wilmer Flores	22	MLB	2	101	.211	.248	.295	.543	54
		AAA	79	463	.321	.357	.531	.888	117

2014 Leading Internal Candidates

Murphy

Turner

Young

Flores

Valdespin

2014 Potential Position Switchers	Age in '14	Level	PA	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
Ruben Tejada	24	MLB	227	.222	.259	.260	.519	49
		AAA	269	.288	.337	.379	.716	95
		RK	9	.333	.400	.444	.844	128
Omar Quintanilla	32	MLB	359	.222	.306	.283	.589	70
		AAA	148	.333	.419	.484	.903	119

2014 Fringey Internal Candidates	Age in '14	Level	G at 2b	PA	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
Wilfredo Tovar	22	MLB	0	19	.200	.294	.200	.494	45
		AA	4	486	.263	.323	.340	.663	92
Rylan Sandoval	26	AAA	12	119	.327	.378	.509	.887	117
	26	A+	1	247	.243	.303	.320	.629	90
Reese Havens	27	AAA	9	109	.237	.312	.330	.642	85
Daniel Muno	25	AA	115	561	.249	.384	.379	.762	106

You Snooze, You Lose	Age in '14	Level	G at 2b	PA	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	Signed By:	Years	$$	Note
Ben Zobrist	33	MLB	125	698	.275	.354	.402	.756	113	Rays	1	$7 million
Skip Schumaker	34	MLB	44	356	.263	.332	.332	.665	90	Reds	2	$4.5 million	$2 million option with $.5 millon buyout
Mark DeRosa	39	MLB	29	236	.235	.326	.407	.733	100	Retired

Remaining Free Agents	Age in '14	Level	G at 2b	PA	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	Note
Robinson Cano	31	MLB	153	681	.314	.383	.516	.899	145	Received Qualfying Offer
Omar Infante	32	MLB	118	476	.318	.345	.450	.795	113
		AAA	4	21	.211	.286	.211	.496	70
		A	1	6	.400	.500	.400	.900	128
Willie Bloomquist	36	MLB	15	150	.317	.360	.367	.727	101
		AAA	5	23	.429	.478	.524	1.002	133
Mark Ellis	37	MLB	119	480	.270	.323	.351	.674	92
		AA	2	5	.000	.200	.000	.200	29
Brian Roberts	36	MLB	60	296	.249	.312	.392	.704	89
		AAA	3	15	.231	.333	.308	.641	90
Ramon Santiago	34	MLB	33	234	.224	.298	.288	.586	60
		Rk	0	14	.500	.571	.583	1.155	165
Alexi Casilla	29	MLB	51	125	.214	.268	.295	.563	52
Jamey Carroll	40	MLB	18	249	.211	.267	.251	.518	45
Brandon Inge	37	MLB	13	110	.181	.204	.238	.442	26

[Lefty Specialist]

The scariest number there is that Omar Quintanilla had 359 plate appearances for the Mets in 2013.

[Frayed Knot]

Lefty Specialist wrote: The scariest number there is that Omar Quintanilla had 359 plate appearances for the Mets in 2013.

And that, for the most part, he got them because the other options were worse.

[smg58]

I think it's either Murphy or Young, depending on whether Murphy could land us a better-hitting outfielder or something of similar worth. Young probably wouldn't be any worse defensively, and an OPS around .650 would look a lot better at second than in left.

[Ceetar]

Frayed Knot wrote: Lefty Specialist wrote: The scariest number there is that Omar Quintanilla had 359 plate appearances for the Mets in 2013. And that, for the most part, he got them because the other options were worse.

he got them because the Mets wanted an extra year of control for Ruben Tejada, so much so that he considered/is considering filing a grievance.



I mean, if Murphy is here it's his. I don't think I see anything crazy that involves him switching positions. And Murphy seems like the type of guy that's decent but not quite good enough to really net much in a trade so that it's better to keep him.

[Edgy MD]

If you missed Tejada playing himself out of a job, well, he played himself out of a job. How many Tejada starts were the difference between him being called up on September 1 and being called up when he did?

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: If you missed Tejada playing himself out of a job, well, he played himself out of a job. How many Tejada starts were the difference between him being called up on September 1 and being called up when he did?

Tejada should've been called up before 9/1.

There's every chance Tejada is playing on the Mets this year, while the chances that Quintanilla is extremely slim. There were a half dozen, at least, reasons to give Tejada those 100 PA.

[Frayed Knot]

Ceetar wrote: he got them because the Mets wanted an extra year of control for Ruben Tejada, so much so that he considered/is considering filing a grievance.

No, Quintanilla got the playing time because Tejada was first, injured, then second, sucked.
The grievance has to do with not being called up right after Sept 1 instead of ten days later and, even if that delay was because of playing time manipulation, all it means is that Quintanilla would have had more like 329 ABs instead of 359. But the May through August banishment was earned.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Getting back on topic, second base is where it can all happen.

I'd love to see the Mets sneak over the MFYs for Cano, then fill out the roster with whatever SS, P or SS help we could get by trading Muffy and/or Young Jr.

I know it's not likely, but it's one possible way to transform.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Getting back on topic, second base is where it can all happen. I'd love to see the Mets sneak over the MFYs for Cano, then fill out the roster with whatever SS, P or SS help we could get by trading Muffy and/or Young Jr. I know it's not likely, but it's one possible way to transform.

Cano's a great player. I don't even know what would be 'reasonable' for him anymore the way the market is going. (his 10/300 "demand" or whatever isn't) In terms of Yankee poaching, I think I'd rather Granderson, but I'd certainly be happy with Cano. With another great hitter like that, I think I'm pretty fine with our offense even if the only other upgrades are bringing in veteran types to round out platoon advantages and what not in the outfield.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

MFYs reportedly have him 7/160. That's not unbeatable

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: MFYs reportedly have him 7/160. That's not unbeatable

Don't really want to go 8, but 7/180? sure. Wonder if there is a reluctance to pay him/anyone more than Wright.

[Frayed Knot]

I think that whatever anyone else offers Cano (but especially the Mets) the Yanx will top it in a heartbeat. They're (reportedly) at 7/$160 now simply because they have no reason to go to 10/$310 (which was never anything other than an attention grabber to start with) until someone else gets into the game.
But unless someone gets into the Angels/Pujols kind of ridiculous range, they will go seriously north of $160 to keep him IMO.

[TransMonk]

Looking at the stats in the OP, I think it shows that we could do far worse than Muffy. Especially with limited funds and other spots to fill.

[Lefty Specialist]

Boy, I don't want to think about paying Cano $20 million or so when he's 37 or 38. That can only end badly. Someone else will jump in and force the Yanx to overpay. I'd rather it wasn't the Mets.

[metirish]

Frayed Knot wrote: I think that whatever anyone else offers Cano (but especially the Mets) the Yanx will top it in a heartbeat. They're (reportedly) at 7/$160 now simply because they have no reason to go to 10/$310 (which was never anything other than an attention grabber to start with) until someone else gets into the game. But unless someone gets into the Angels/Pujols kind of ridiculous range, they will go seriously north of $160 to keep him IMO.

his counter was $260 million....he ain't coming to the Mets....

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I'm with Ceetar; I could see and appreciate the Flushingers splashing the pot and develop/bargain hunt to fill the rest of it.

Worst-case (and most likely) scenario? You're just price-enforcing for the Big Timers cross-town.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Not suggesting that Cano's people would do something dumb like leave $$ on the table, but maybe there's an opening in the notion that the MFYs disrespected Cano and his new representatives by barely meeting his outrageous demands halfway.

[Vic Sage]

Lefty Specialist wrote: Boy, I don't want to think about paying Cano $20 million or so when he's 37 or 38. That can only end badly. Someone else will jump in and force the Yanx to overpay. I'd rather it wasn't the Mets.

this. preeecisely this.

Cano strikes me as the kind of guy who will age badly. his doughy body and suspect work ethic make me think a long-term huge$$ contract for him is going to end up in the A-Rod/Pujols level of mistakes. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow... but soon and for the rest of our lives.

[Frayed Knot]

metirish wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: I think that whatever anyone else offers Cano (but especially the Mets) the Yanx will top it in a heartbeat. They're (reportedly) at 7/$160 now simply because they have no reason to go to 10/$310 (which was never anything other than an attention grabber to start with) until someone else gets into the game. But unless someone gets into the Angels/Pujols kind of ridiculous range, they will go seriously north of $160 to keep him IMO. his counter was $260 million....he ain't coming to the Mets....

He can counter with whatever he wants, that doesn't mean someone is going to pay it as there are still plenty of numbers between 160 & 260 (right about 100 of them in fact - at least there were that many when I went to school although, admittedly, that was a while ago).

My point about the Yanx is that, if pushed, I think they'll go to just about anything short of stupid numbers in order to retain him and they may even go to stupid. So while I'd love to "steal" him for 161 that ain't happening. I also get the opinion that this negotiation is as much about Jay-Z as it is about Cano. Mr. Z seems out to prove that he can swim with the big boys in this arena too and not just in the 'image is everything' theaters that he's been successful at to date.

[Ceetar]

From what I can see (especially if A-Rod misses games) the Yankees aren't making the playoffs with or without Cano the way the team is shaping up. It'll be interesting to see if they have the guts to move on from Cano. Of course, it takes less guts with the DH because you can nurse him through some of the later years.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I do find it interesting that, given unimaginable wealth and worldwide fame and endless freedom to do whatever his heart desires, whatever he feels called to do, whatever he thinks humanity needs from him... Jay Z chooses to become a sports agent. Sure, his job may be composing fashion-designer-namedrop-filled rhymes and selling evocative colognes and creating a brand... but his vocation is haggling over vesting terms with the Steinbrenners and apologizing publicly for other millionaires and managing other people's brands.

[ashie62]

The Baltimore Sun saying if the Mets really want that hard throwing Rodriguez Danny Murphy might work..

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-where-does-the-orioles-offseason-go-from-here-20140103,0,7064557.story

[Guest sharpie]

The way I read that Sun article was that Murphy would not net Rodriguez.

[ashie62]

I took it as the Mets would not lol..Hey..its a slow COLD day..

[Frayed Knot]

I know the Mets were shot down in a Davis-for-Rodriguez suggestion; not sure if they ever offered Murphy.

Eduardo Rodriguez

BA lists Rodriguez 3rd on the list of Baltimore prospects, but their # 1 & 2 are recent high draft picks Kevin Gausman (4th overall 2012) & Dylan Bundy (4th overall 2011) so he's probably higher than most #3's would be on these type of lists even if he is technically Baltimore's 3rd best pitching prospect.
Only 20 y/o but already a partial season (11 starts - 60 innings) of AA time under his belt with decent stats. Not surprising that the O's would be holding out for somebody more reliable than Ike.