Reese Kaplan - The Mets and the One Trick Pony

During Terry Collins’ tenure at the helm the Mets are conjuring up images of Earl Weaver, not for the fiery personality (and certainly not for the job he does motivating and managing his personnel).  No, it’s that Earl Weaver once famously said, “The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers.”

Now when you look at the motley crew that passes itself off as a major league baseball team you see a lot of managing for the latter out of necessity because of the lack of the former.  This team is comprised of a number of one dimensional players who offer a single skill which, when working, is a good thing, but when not working is detrimental to the probability of winning. 

Take Ruben Tejada, for example.  Even prior to this season’s series of defensive lapses, his glove work was probably best described as solid but unspectacular.  He has no power whatsoever and no base running ability.  What he can do is work deep counts and get a lot of singles.  In the past two seasons he’s posted batting averages of .284 and .289 while amassing a combined RBI total of 61 spread over that two-year period.  Is that what you want from a shortstop – no highlight reel defense, no stolen bases and no run-producing productivity with the bat?

Daniel Murphy is another one.  He’s the kind of player who could awaken from a coma and line a double between the outfielders, yet he’s another player with a high average but no power, no baserunning ability and, in his case, sub-par defense.  The gap power does result in driving in more runs than his double play partner, but is he the long term answer at second base?

Then there’s Ike Davis.  When he’s on he can hit the ball as far as anyone but his slumps are becoming legendary.  Even during his “hot” period last year the power was there but he was batting a modest .255 while driving the ball over the fence.  Is he merely a left handed Dave Kingman?  Granted, he’s better with the glove but lesser on the basepaths. 

The only outfielder who plays pretty much every day is Lucas Duda.  See Ike Davis.  He runs deeper counts which perhaps results in a somewhat better batting average by not swinging at bad pitches, yet power is really his only attribute.  The big guy can’t run a lick and, like the late Michael Jackson, wears a glove for no apparent reason. 

Given these one-dimensional ballplayers, it sometimes seems the only thing Collins can do is hope for the three-run homer.  So far this year the Mets have shown better than average home run power, but on the nights when the ball stays in the yard they seem at a loss for how to score runs.  That’s what makes last night’s victory so unusual.  They laid down a sacrifice bunt to set up a runner in scoring position and Mike Baxter was able to deliver a timely single to right field to win the game.  It stood out so much because it was such an unusual sight. 

Granted, you can’t put execution on the manager.  If players fail to get the bunt down or don’t read the pitcher properly on a stolen base attempt, you can’t fault Terry Collins.  However, you have to wonder about a front office content to fill a roster with players who do just one thing rather than looking for more well rounded guys who can run, field, hit for average and hit for power.  The Andrew McCutcheons of this world are few and far between, but in the past you had weapons like Kevin McReynolds, though reviled by Mets fans, he could do a little bit of everything and beat you different ways. 

Going forward the front office needs to decide if the current roster contains a core on which to build or if they are merely placeholders.  Could Wilmer Flores supplant Daniel Murphy?  Do they need to source a shortstop since none close to the majors are an improvement?  Do you fish or cut bait on the two lefty sluggers?  It should be an interesting off-season with Santana and Bay money off the books.