Now let's resume our discussion of Ben Zobrist

[Benjamin Grimm]

Mike Puma wrote: Ben Zobrist is clearly on the Mets� radar, and team officials plan to soon speak with the veteran utility man�s agent.

Mike Puma wrote: Whether the Mets pursue Zobrist will depend on Daniel Murphy�s situation. Murphy has until 5 p.m. on Friday to accept or reject the club�s qualifying offer of $15.8 million for next year. Murphy is expected to reject the offer to pursue a multi-year deal elsewhere, but the Mets hadn�t received an answer as of Thursday

Puma also says that the Mets may non-tender Ruben Tejada, which would save them about $2.5 million, and instead let Matt Reynolds replace him on the roster. (That gives me a sense of d�j� vu for some reason.)

Mike Puma wrote: Ruben Tejada is not a slam dunk to be tendered a contract as team officials consider the possibility of giving Matt Reynolds a shot at shortstop with Wilmer Flores if the Mets don�t acquire somebody.

[Zvon]

I like Zobrist. I'm going to wait til tomorrow night to comment, when I'm more emotionally unstable.

[Ceetar]

It'd be awkward when ambles across the field on Opening Day and gets a ring celebrating his current team's demise.

I assume he gets cheers in pregame roster announcements though right?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

One would imagine. After the first RBI gapper, there'll probably be a little less clapping, though.

A lot of interest here, from a lot of precincts. Think he goes much higher than 3/33 or thereabouts? Would you go much higher, if it meant much less spending in other need areas?

[Centerfield]

I view Zobrist as a better version of Daniel Murphy. Except more expensive, and a lot older. I guess the key questions will be how long is the deal, and how likely are we see a dropoff now that he is 35+.

I think you first have to resolve the Murphy situation (which we expect by 5 p.m. today). Then you have to see what he will cost you. Buzz around the league is that there are lots of teams bidding. Including the Royals, with whom he just won a championship.

And I think you also have to take into account Dilson Herrera.

The guy has hit at every level, and most in the organization say he has nothing more to prove in AAA. Good glove, pretty decent speed, and has already shown some pop in his limited time in the bigs. Last year, he put up a .677 OPS. You'd hope that would progress to the low (or even mid?) .700's in 2016.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=herrer000dil

If you sign Zobrist, you likely get better production for next year. (You'd think Zobrist would be high .700's, low .800) But you basically block Herrera for the length of the Zobrist contract.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Not necessarily. Zobrist plays virtually every position on the diamond, and defensively, he does corner outfield almost as well as he does the right side of the infield. Even in terms of versatility, he's one up on Murphy; he'll be able to get games in spelling Flores, Duda, Wright and Curtis/Conforto, along with any semi-regular second base gig.

Edited November 13, 2015 by Guest

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I can deal with Zobee. Depend on price as you noted.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I think I might rather have Murphy for one year than Zobrist for three.

I like the idea of Herrera at second base, but it's much easier to hand a starting job to a rookie in a season where you're more likely than not to finish with about 70 to 75 wins. In a year when you hope to win 95, you can't do that without a Plan B.

I really don't know what the best course of action is. Adding a bat to the outfield and leaving the middle infield to Flores, Tejada, Reynolds, and Herrera might actually be the best choice, but I'd be very reluctant to commit to that at this point.

[Centerfield]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Not necessarily. Zobrist plays virtually every position on the diamond, and defensively, he does corner outfield almost as well as he does the right side of the infield. Even in terms of versatility, he's one up on Murphy; he'll be able to get games in spelling Flores, Duda, Wright and Curtis/Conforto, along with any semi-regular second base gig.

Wow I'm just on fire lately.

Never mind. As you were.

[Ceetar]

I've always liked Zobrist. He's better than Murphy at basically everything except maybe baserunning, which in aggregate makes him much better.

Next season is his age 35 season. so three years is 35,36,37. Not horrible.

He only played 126 games this year, because he tore some cartilage in his knee sliding into a base in a game in KC. But he came back fine, played well. And other than that he's played a full slate of games every year since 2009. Seems durable.

Of course, age catches up with everyone in a hurry, but seems like as good a bet as anyone. I'd be willing to take on a 4th year, preferably option-based, but even so, for his age 38 season if that's what it takes. I think the ability to move him around the field to fill holes is underrated.

[Centerfield]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I think I might rather have Murphy for one year than Zobrist for three. I like the idea of Herrera at second base, but it's much easier to hand a starting job to a rookie in a season where you're more likely than not to finish with about 70 to 75 wins. In a year when you hope to win 95, you can't do that without a Plan B. I really don't know what the best course of action is. Adding a bat to the outfield and leaving the middle infield to Flores, Tejada, Reynolds, and Herrera might actually be the best choice, but I'd be very reluctant to commit to that at this point.

This is exactly what I was thinking. And handing a job to a rookie is much more palatable when you have added Upton/Heyward to your lineup than if you have Gerardo Parra.

I think Herrera will do pretty good if given the chance. If not, I'd like to see them re-up Kelly Johnson as insurance/platoon partner. Kelly can also give David Wright a blow. Though you may have to pay extra for that.

[Benjamin Grimm]

That's why they have a BJ's Clubhouse!

[Centerfield]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: That's why they have a BJ's Clubhouse!

Yes. Discount BJ's. Typical Wilpons.

[Farmer Ted]

"Next season is his age 35 season. so three years is 35,36,37. Not horrible"

Michael Cuddyer, age 36 and 37 seasons. Jut sayin.

[Ceetar]

Farmer Ted wrote: "Next season is his age 35 season. so three years is 35,36,37. Not horrible" Michael Cuddyer, age 36 and 37 seasons. Jut sayin.

two different players. Not really a 'skill' but Zobrist has been healthy.

[Edgy MD]

Thing is, for the same reasons that the Mets can use Zobrist, 30 out of 30 teams can similarly use him. He'll come at a dear price (in $ and years) for a dude at the end of his career.

[seawolf17]

Let someone else overpay him -- he's one of those "fits everywhere" guys who someone will give way too much money to. And yes, he plays "everywhere," but nowhere particularly well, and played only four positions last year.

[dgwphotography]

Maybe if he was 30, but for what he'll cost at 35? Pass.

[Guest d'Kong76]

I'd be very disappointed if they go the aarp route again.

[Edgy MD]

Well, that's another reason folks trade. It's a rare bird that hits the free agent market on the bright side of 30.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Well, I've already said I'd trade The Harvester for the right young bird.

[Zvon]

I'm too emotionally unstable to comment tonight.

[MFS62]

Zobrist is a valuable asset to a contending team. Worth kicking the tires to see what he'd cost. As mentioned in this thread, length of contract (up to three years) shouldn't be a major factor at his age because speed is not a big part of his game.

Later

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Zobrist may be a bridge too far... financially, writes Kristie Ackert.

... a source who confirmed the Mets have reached out to the free agent cautioned that the market for the 34-year old utility man will be robust and may be too costly for the National League champions. An industry source said Monday they expect Zobrist, coming off a World Series championship with the Royals, could command at least a three- or four-year deal worth $40 to $50 million.

Well, you don't want to shop at the robust market, at least not on a Saturday or Sunday. Those checkout lines, they're murder.

(Were I Sandy, I'd JUMP at 3/40M for Zobrist. I'd do that WELL before I'd go, say, 5/110 on Cespedes.)

[Centerfield]

I guess on it's face it's disappointing, but I rarely see teams saying "Yes, Zobrist's initial demands fall squarely in our budget!"

I'll hope that this is posturing and that a reasonably priced Zobrist is a possibility, and that if they forego this, it's by choice and not by constraint.

[Fman99]

Very interested as per some Twitter hippie douche on the NY Times payroll.

[Benjamin Grimm]

On Mets Hot Stove today, David Lennon of Newsday said that Zobrist is the Mets number one free agent target.

[Edgy MD]

He was allowed to see the big whiteboard, was he?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Not any more, he isn't.

They'll need to splash the pot to get him in white-and-blue/grey-and-blue/blue alternates/blue alternate alternates, ah reckon. He just strikes me as the sort of guy, values-wise, who might not see playing/living in New York as value-added, exactly.

[Edgy MD]

While Zobrist may be the kind of guy every team needs, I tend to think of guys like him as the guy most teams can grow, given a little thoughtfulness and a little luck. Turner looked like it. He even was for a little bit. Then he got fat and atrophied. So they dumped him and looked to Satin. It didn't work out, and oh, shit, Turner DID work out for his next team. Well, let's look into what we overlooked earlier while we move on to Campbell. Shit, Campbell.

Not working out, yeah, but I always think there's a surfeit of guys who can hit .275 for you, give you good, battling at-bats, draw a few walks, and play multiple positions with competence. Identifying them is tricky, but maybe it's better to be disappointed in Campbell and moving on than to be disappointed in Campbell $10 million replacement.

It's hard to argue for, since the Mets have had only sporadic luck with such guys since hitting pay dirt twice in 2001 with McEwing and Relaford, but I tend think he's just floating out there for the taking. Maybe Alex Castellanos would have been that guy.