Jarod Alley - Prepping For A New Future

          It's curious that Wilmer Flores would be taking ground balls from a short distance while down on his knees. To me it reads as though the Mets are preparing him for David Wright's soon to be possible vacancy at 3rd base. I say the sooner the better. With an uncertain  situation looming int he expiring contract of our homegrown star it seems only fitting that the team mentors his replacement early. It's been said for years that Flores doesn't have the build to stay at SS and who could blame anyone for saying so. He's a behemoth, of Miguel Cabrera build there is no way he could have played up the middle. Who knows maybe he won't be able to stick at the hot corner either.

           Maybe it's not as pressing a need as some in the organization may think considering Daniel Murphy and Justin Turner can both play the position adequately enough until Wilmer is ready. As it is throughout his minor league career Wilmer is just an average fielder at best posting up fielding percentages ranging from .952 to .974. Having posted his best fielding year in his first full season in A ball with Savannah. It's possible those numbers could get better by limiting the range he would have to cover by sticking him at 3rd. What matters most though is his ability to crush the ball, so far his skills at the plate have been progressing nicely though a slip last year puts more focus on the upcoming season.

         Still the more pressing issues is what this year and possible next holds for the Mets. If Wright gets traded mid-season or if they keep him and decline his option at the end of the year the hole the club faces is going to be hard to fill. The only Free Agent 3B that you might consider in 2013 are Kevin Youkilis and Mark Reynolds. Neither of those two guys is what you would call a long term solution. In fact they represent the same band-aid signings that got the Minaya regime in hot water with the fans. A more reasonable solution might be signing someone to man 2B and moving Murphy over to third. Brandon Philips for 2 or 3 years might be a win win. Serviceable defense and a good bat keeping the position warm until our non-injury plagued 2B prospects get some seasoning under their belt.

         No matter what its all about giving the Met kids some time to prepare themselves mentally, physically and defensively for the big show. It all boils down to management and whether they realize what they have in the minors and what they should avoid in the free agent market in the next two years. Patience fans patience, Alderson knows what it takes and it looks like it's showing all around the club. In a few days I will be hopefully helping to post a series of photographs that my brother Jeremiah took while on the field at spring training. A small preview you can see above which helped tell this story. The others you can see soon and take from them what you will. I can tell you what I've taken from them thus far, this year IT IS a team. Whether they will surprise people is yet to be seen but from the images I like the camaraderie I see.