Reese Kaplan - Closing In On 2 Weeks of Treading Water

There are a great many things wrong with our favorite team, not the least of which are the people running it.  Whether or not the Wilpons choose to spend money to address what ails the long-suffering fans, there are still some approaches that can be tried until better solutions (or better finances) make themselves available.

First Base

Neither Ike Davis nor Lucas Duda has shown that he is reliable enough in the role as primary first baseman to take the position and run with it.  Davis had his moments in the sun – a pinch grand slam and a 2 hit performance after that on Sunday, but anyone watching had to be more alarmed by the late inning weak swing at a pitch nearly in the dirt that was all too reminiscent of the prolonged slumping Davis than the highlight reel one.  Lucas Duda has never shown the consistency that had been hoped with his .290 freshman campaign, and his swing for the fences approach nowadays only serves to exacerbate his vulnerability to the strikeout.  Josh Satin is a bench player, so you have a situation unresolved.

As much as he doesn’t profile as a classic slugging first baseman, Daniel Murphy actually played his best defense there when he manned the position for a season.  This out-of-the-box thinking would open up a hole at 2B but you have two built-in options for that role – Terry Collins’ favorite, Eric Young, Jr. would likely get the nod.  He can remain the incompetent leadoff hitter that somehow Collins overlooks, while opening up left field for Chris Young upon his return.  That change would solve the outfield dilemma as well.  Murphy will give you a .280 average, a modest amount of power, a modest amount of speed and when he’s hot he’s on fire.  Of course, it shouldn’t take long for even the often clueless Collins to observe that Eric Young, Jr. provides very little.  Unfortunately the preferable alternative – Wilmer Flores – is perhaps struggling with his bat while feeling pressure to learn once again to play shortstop.  Flores can hit – there’s no question about it.  For those people who need a reminder, go back and look up his start in the majors last year before his ankles gave out on him – 9 RBIs in his first 27 ABs!  Lest you think that performance was a fluke, he hit .321 while leading the PCL in RBIs in 2013.  Most teams would try to find a place for a competent hitter to play and teams that struggle for offense you’d think would be doubly anxious to do so.  Then again, we’re talking about the Mets – the team that gave ABs ad nauseum to the likes of Rick Ankiel.  It comes down to what provides you with the most offensive bang – Chris Young+Wilmer Flores+Daniel Murphy or Eric Young+Daniel Murphy+The Three Headed Incumbent First Baseman?

Shortstop

This one is the trickier issue to solve.  Assuming Wilmer Flores is not the answer due to his lack of range for the position, there’s no one knocking on the door from the lower levels to help.  Consequently you have to look outside the organization.  With Didi Gregorius and Nick Franklin banished to the minors, you have a couple of low cost options to pursue.  You also have other teams with high level prospects in the minors who might make either them or the incumbents available, including the Indians, A’s and Cubs.  With all five starters healthy, maybe it’s time to consider moving one of them with both Daisuke Matsuzaka and Rafael Montero ready to move up the chain?  Throw in an excess first baseman or two and you might have the makings of a deal.

Outfield

Mercifully for Terry Collins’ blood pressure, he’s been spared the decision making required on how to juggle four outfielders into three slots when Chris Young turned up lame before even making this first plate appearance for the team.  Juan Lagares has been the team’s most pleasant offensive surprise thus far and Curtis Granderson is going to play because they invested so much in his Bay-like contract.  Of course, the Oakland A’s just realized that despite his hefty payday, it wasn’t sensible to keep their new closer in his projected role and demoted him to the minors.  Imagine what would have happened in Mets history had they embraced a similar sense of accountability?

Pitching

While no one other than John Lannan is seemingly on the bubble right now, there are the intriguing options in AAA that should perhaps serve both to motivate the incumbents and to serve as replacements should the small samples of incompetency stretch into intolerability.  Of course, being the Mets they will likely once again let years of incompetence occur before finally doing something (Oliver Perez, Jason Bay and Luis Castillo come to mind!)

What Might Have Been

Just a short look at players who some of the fans wanted to see in orange and blue but were deemed too risky due to their lack of history in the big leagues or injury histories or other excuses:

• Jose Abreu, 1B, Chicago White Sox – leading the league in RBIs, 4 HRs and batting .300
• Masahiro Tanaka, SP, NY Yankees – 18 Ks in 14 IPs, 3.21 ERA
•  Grady Sizemore, OF, Boston Red Sox – hitting .308
•  Emilio Bonifacio, 2B, Chicago Cubs – hitting .472 and leading the league in SBs
•  Mark Trumbo – RF, Arizona Diamondbacks – 5 HRs and 13 RBI

Instead we invested in sure things like Curtis Granderson.  Like I said, it’s early, but we’ll make excuses for a David Wright as he’s shown competence playing for the Mets and a slow start can be written off as just that.  Other who have no Mets track record won’t be granted nearly as much benefit of doubt.