The consensus around the Mets is that the current front runner for the Mets starting second base gig is Daniel Murphy, a guy who has never played a game at second base before last season. There are some other options, but are they really legitimate impact starting players at the Major League level? Some of the other players in the running include Brad Emaus, who the Mets picked up in the rule 5 draft from Toronto, Jordany Valdespin, Justin Turner, Reuben Tejada and of course Luis Castillo.
I think the starting second base job will come down to a competition between two players, Brad Emaus and Daniel Murphy with Castillo and Reuben Tejada being real long shots. Emaus hit .290 with 15 home runs and 75 RBI, while also swiping 13 bags between the double-A and triple-A affiliates for Toronto in 2010. He is said to have a good glove and so there is a real shot he could win this job with a strong performance in spring training. As far as Murphy goes, we all know it will not be his slick fielding glove that wins him this job. Murph will need to play a serviceable second base while showing patience at the plate and hitting for a high average. We all know Daniel Murphy can hit, which he showed back in 2008 when he burst onto the scene hitting .313 down the stretch. During his sophomore season he went through an adjustment period batting around .240 most of the season until a late surge rose his average to .266 with 12 home runs and 63 RBI's.
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