The Edge of Seventeen: Juan Lagares

[Edgy MD]

I can go get it with the best of them, when healthy. I charge the ball so hard and so well that I stop baserunners like a man with twice my throwing ability. When I'm healthy.

I honestly probably have more offense than I've shown. And I aim to show it. When I'm healthy.

I'm Juan Lagares, and I'm the Mets fourth or fifth outfielder. The problem is that by the time a job opens up due to injury, I'm hurt too. I'm no goldbricker. I play hurt. But I have to acknowledge I'm not much of an asset when I do.

Can I turn the corner this year? That's what I'm asking.

[fimg=338:3b8o51c1]https://cdn.thinglink.me/api/image/703985211796357120/1240/10/scaletowidth[/fimg:3b8o51c1] [fimg=362:3b8o51c1]http://risingapple.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/3/files/2013/12/7704100.jpg[/fimg:3b8o51c1]
[fimg=367:3b8o51c1]http://metsmerizedonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/juan-lagares-e1464398922852.jpg?x22250[/fimg:3b8o51c1] [fimg=343:3b8o51c1]http://metsmerizedonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/juan-lagares-catch.jpg?x22250[/fimg:3b8o51c1]

[smg58]

I'm still bullish. I'll say .270/.340/.410 over 400 ABs. Gets steadily more playing time as the season moves on.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Man, these guys are hard to predict.

I'm kinda down on Lagares as an offensive weapon and worry that amid all the other righty bats on the bench and all the outfielders, and all the shitty centerfielders, even a Gold Glover will be hard to slot in.

220 PA, 6-26 250/300/375 . Might wind up accumulating some of that for Pittsburgh, Baltimore or Cincinnati, not clear on those deets tho.

[Centerfield]

Those stills make him look a bit spastic and awkward.

[MFS62]

Centerfield wrote: Those stills make him look a bit spastic and awkward.

And ugly, too. But, like the A-10 Warthog ground attack aircraft, he gets the job done in the field.
And he fields better than any other Mets outfielder. They're not trading him, or the pitching staff would riot.
His arm bothered him last year, and his throwing suffered. I think it affected hit hitting, too. He'll be better this year.

.280/ .340/ .430. 8- 60 in 400 AB.

Later

[Edgy MD]

Centerfield wrote: Those stills make him look a bit spastic and awkward.

I think that's somewhat correct. His game is sort of about unleashing chaos and trying to control it. I think similar is true about Céspedes. Some guys are more like football players out there.

[Benjamin Grimm]

He's the right-handed-hitting outfielder who isn't Yoenis Cespedes. I have no idea how much playing time he'll get. I imagine that Granderson will be rested more often than he has been in past years, so Lagares may get most of his starts in center field against lefties, but may not necessarily start in most games that the Mets play against lefties.

I suspect that he'll be in more games as a pinch-hitter or for late-inning defense than he will as a starter.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Start once or twice a week, echo the pinch hitting/defense thing...

[seawolf17]

.260/.320/.360 in 300 AB.

[ashie62]

Ends up working more at Grandy's expense. 450 pa's

[Ceetar]

I wrote a whole post advocating for Lagares as the 'regular' Centerfielder.

His numbers last year, though in a smallish 160PA sample, were encouraging. More BB, less K, more power. (though the league as a whole improved this way too)

6.1 BB%, 17.5 K%, .141 ISO. .262/.331/.411 for a 95 wRC+ over 380 PA that gets him a 3.8 fWAR.

Especially if Duda is healthy and Wright is not, I think he finds himself in most/every game a lefty starts.

He'll do a stint on the DL but it'll be minor and he'll be right back.