MLB.com has released its 2014 rankings of the top Second Base prospects and the Mets IF Wilmer Flores came in at #10. This is Flores' 2nd straight appearance on the list although he did fall down from his 7th spot last year. Dilson Herrera did not make an appearance on this year's list but did come in at #8 last season.
"Flores has a knack for putting the bat on the ball and is difficult to strike out as a result. He has begun to tap into his raw power as he has learned which pitches he can drive. His range isn't great at any position, but his strong arm and soft hands make him a decent defender. His bat is nearly ready if the Mets can find a spot for him."
14 comments:
I hope im wrong but ive been saying Flores is the 2nd coming of Fernando Martinez.
Well, Greg, in your defense, F-Mart made a lot of these ranking sheets also.
Save your excitement until this time next year... I want to see him make the top 1B list
I don't see the comparison to F-Mart who's inability to crack an MLB line-up had more to do with his health than his ability.
Before F-Mart kept constantly getting hurt, he was a 5 tool potential player....the next Carlos Beltran.
Flores has never been able to field and his best value position wise may be a position we have locked up in 3B.
There's really nothing else he can accomplish by being stuck in the minors again, where he just led the league in RBIs before his late call up. Unless they listen to Mack, and put him in Vegas to be the everyday first baseman.
Does anyone out there think that Flores can be a good (and satisfied) utility guy off the bench? I mean, if he doesn't strike out much, and his defensive inabilities is limited to a game at a time. .......
Here's the reality... in 2014.
He's not starting at third.
He's not playing short.
He's not starting at second.
And he won't play first until he learns the position.
So, you tell me what to do with him.
He can always borrow Lucas Duda's outfielders glove .......lol.
I think he should be our 2nd basemen. I think he offers more offensively then Murphy, while playing the same type of defense. I would trade Murphy and Duda to the Orioles for the pitching prospect Alderson wanted for Ike. I think that trade package is better than just Ike? And then it frees up money for Drew.
More offensively than Murphy? Murphy has been a Top 10 offense producing 2B for 3 years straight years.
You don't purposely take that out of your line-up and insert a rookie who hasn't proven to be able to handle MLB pitching.
Here are 2 different scenarios for yah, which would you prefer for 2014 Mets?
Murphy at 2nd, Tejada at short and a log jam at first.
Or
If the Orioles accept my trade offer Flores at 2nd, sign Drew for SS at a 2yr 22 million dollars deal, Tejada as our backup middle infielder, Ike as 1st basemen and another pitcher for our system (Edguardo Rodriguez from Baltimore for Murphy and Duda)?
I would prefer the latter scenario while spending an extra $2-3mill a yr for Drews contract compared to what Dida and Murphy would get this year. While also making our pitching corp that much better.
Between now and opening day either Murph or Ike will traded, and in Ike's case possibly released. That's my opinion.
Mack - I have a question on prospect grades. In the MLB.com ranking article it lists the tool grades for all of the top 2B prospects. Wilmer got a 60 Hit, 55 Power. Now is that relative to other second basemen? Or does it stand alone? For instance, if he was considered for the 1B prospect list would those numbers go down? Thanks.
-Justin M
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/det/kolten-wong-headlines-prospect-watchs-top-10-second-basemen?ymd=20140120&content_id=66871534&vkey=news_det
Justin -
Because neither of those numbers represent anything defenive, I can't see a change in any number
Thanks. The reason this stuck out to me is that Dominic Smith got the same 60/55 hit/power numbers on the mlb first basemen list. I know Smith's other numbers are better, but if they're on the same level at the plate I don't get why Flores isn't a bigger favorite to win the 1B job out of ST.
Justin -
It doesn't matter how well Flores can hit... this is the MAJOR LEAGUES... you can't send someone out to play a position without any experience or talent.
He needs at least a year to learn the position well enough to play it in Queens
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