Havens was
drafted in the 1st round of the 2008 draft by the Mets. He signed days later
which included a $1.4mil signing bonus.
2009 was an
interesting year. On the down side, he only hit .247, but produced 14 home
runs, which tied him for 6th in the league. His .422 slugging percentage ranked
him 11th in the league and his .784 OPS put him in 10th place.
Forecast: Nothing but blue sky, now that he has changed
to second base. Havens goes from the 3rd, maybe 4th SS prospect, to the #1 slot
for 2B, and gives the Mets potential pop at that position. Look for some
additional errors this coming season in Binghamton, but, as long as the bat
produced, this will be your Mets second baseman in 2012.
2-1-10: - Reese Havens – most prospect pundits still
have Havens as the top second base prospect in the organization, but I need to
see one more season out of him before I place him higher on my list. So far, he
hasn’t hit for average, though he is showing potential pop. Also, a little more
defense won’t hurt either. His future as a Mets may be similar to guys like
Dustin Martin.
5-17-10: - Stock
up: Havens was promoted to Binghamton after Friday night’s game for St. Lucie.
The former first round draft pick is no longer kicking the ball around at short
and has become a full time second baseman, in hopes of getting to Queens after
Luis Castillo’s contract runs out after the 2011 season. No one is going to
ever award Havens a Gold Glove, but did play A+ this season with zero errors in
the field. In addition, his bat is coming around… at Lucy this year:
.281/.369/.509/.878, 3-HRs in 57-AB. Look, Havens should be at AA and the rest
of this season will be a good test for him. He also will fit in well with a
lineup of Nieuwenhuis, Evans, and Lutz. No pitching around here.
6-7-10: - Reese
Havens hit another home run Sunday, his sixth in in Binghamton and ninth for
the season. The 2011 battle for second base is starting to get very
interesting, especially if Ruben Tejada plays the position well in Queens
during the period he is there. I still think Tejada has a good shot at
replacing Jose Reyes at short, simply because 2011 is Reyes last year, the Mets
have an option to get out at 500K, and, most important, he’s one of the only
players on the team that could warrant a one-for-one trade for an Oswalt-type
starter. I’m not calling for a Reyes trade, but a team can’t win in this sport
without a dominant starting rotation. Santana and Pelfrey aren’t enough.
6-12-10: - Reese Havens was removed from the Binghamton
game last night in the second inning for "soreness"... manager Tim
Tuefel told a reporter that he's had this problem before, which makes one
wonder if this is related to him oblique strain that kept him out earlier this
season. Right now, he is listed day-to-day.
6-21-10: - Havens
was placed on the 7-day disabled list Sunday for soreness in his left oblique.
This is the same oblique that put him on the DL earlier this season, so it’s
obvious that things aren’t healed yet. I have been told that this new hiccup is
just that, a small set-back; however, I would hope that the Mets sit the boy
down until he is fully healed this time. This, of course, may not be the Mets
fault and the player could have sent the wrong signs to the trainer. It looks
like Havens has a bright future with the Mets and he’s not part of any trade
package, so let him heal, even if it takes the rest of the season.
8-31-10 - 2011
Forecast: - Look, whether this kid is playing or on the DL, he's the number one
prospect second baseman in the organization. Injuries are injuries. Some are
natural, and others happen when someone takes you out on a double play ball.
Just because Strasburg is being operated on, doesn't make him the best prospect
pitcher in baseball. That being said, it would be nice if Havens stopped trying
to be like F-Mart. Havens only had 125
at bats in 2010 (between St. Lucie and Binghamton), but they were impressive:
.312/.386/.592/.978, 9-HR, 19-RBI. Project those numbers over a full season and
you have an all-star. His latest injury is a nagging one, but shouldn't impede
his growth. I do expect him to play winter ball, probably Hawaii, and there's a
good chance he will compete for the Mets second base job, against Ruben Tejada,
in spring training. Otherwise, expect him in Buffalo in 2011.
2-14-11: - The
mystery of the disappearance of Reese Havens has finally been exposed by Adam
Rubin. Seems Havens had rib surgery about eight weeks ago. Dr. James Andrews
shaved some bone off of one rib that was irritating Reese’s oblique. Havens
says he’ll be ready for spring training. Remember, the only thing that is
preventing him from starting in Queens is his health. Trust me, if he plays big
in Buffalo this year, the Daniel Murphy experiment at second base could end
around September.
3-19-11: - Down:
- 2B – Reese Havens - word from the camp is that Havens has not played an
inning of spring training yet. This doesn’t fair well for his chances of
starting the season for Buffalo. This guy just doesn’t seem to heal well. Looks like Justin Turner, who has options
left, will start for the Bisons.
3-24-11: - Down:
- 2B - Reese Havens - word comes down from ST that Havens will not be assigned
to Binghamton come opening day. Instead, he will remain back in extended camp
still attempting to heal from last year's injuries. Not a great sign
6-4-11: - A real
good sign down in Binghamton is what 2B Reese Havens has been doing since
returning to the lineup this season. Last night, he went 3-5, raising his
Binghamton batting average to .292. There’s never been a question regarding
whether Havens can hit. He’s had a hard time staying healthy, but his injuries
have not been career threatening. I’d like to see him finish the season in
Buffalo so he can get on to Queens next year, but the most important thing is
for him to stay in the lineup.
8-6-11: - Stock
Up – I can’t seem to make up my mind about this guy. First, I hated the draft
pick then I fell in love with his game. Now, once or twice a year he gets hot
and I get excited, which is usually followed by some leg or back injury. He’s
on a tear again. Had three hits, home run, double last night. .351 in the last
10 days. Havens turns 25 in October. It’s time.
8-21-11: - Observation - #12 – Reese Havens – 2B – This is the closest
thing the Mets have to a marriage of the good parts of Ruben Tejada and Daniel
Murphy. He’s good enough in the field and is a professional bat. His only
problem has been staying healthy due to a series of unlucky field injures that have
left him with back/leg problems. He has only been cleared to play every day
this week and yet he’s still hitting around .300. My hope is they let him sit
through winter ball and place him on some lower body strengthening program.
Then, play him at second base in Buffalo and target him for 2013. I still
believe he’s the Mets best long term option at second. - ETA: Opening day, 2013
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