Reese Kaplan - Building a Better Bench

While there are some positive signs for the majority of the starting offensive players on the Mets, there are bench pieces that perhaps could be improved upon in-house without having to import talent from other organizations. 

Let’s start with Josh Satin.  He’s a seemingly nice guy who started off positively in his big league career and filled in admirably when Ike Davis was injured, but just as Ike Davis never rediscovered his swing, the same can be said of Josh Satin. 

He reminds me a lot of Nick Evans, a player whose departure from the Mets was met with almost universal gasps of “What are they thinking to let him go?”  Their career numbers are scarily similar and Evans has gone onto a starting role with the Reno Aces, AAA affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks.  To me, that speaks volumes – if you can’t crack the roster of the hapless Snakes, then perhaps it’s time to explore other career options. 

The same fate seems to be awaiting Mr. Satin.  Thanks for the memories, but it’s time for you and your eyebrows to go.  You have Eric Campbell and Zach Lutz both tearing it up in AAA who provide a higher average, more power,  higher OBP and fewer strikeouts/AB.  In the case of Campbell, you also gain more positional versatility.  They are your right handed options available.

Wilmer Flores is presenting the Mets with something of a dilemma.  Does he play shortstop?  Can he not handle the position?  Slick glove man Didi Gregorius only has one fewer error than does Flores yet Wilmer is the one constantly slammed for his defense. 

Suppose he can’t play SS.  If the Mets feel he’s incapable of shortstop, why is he playing there?  Where then is his future?  2B and 3B are covered unless there is a Daniel Murphy move afoot.   Given his nearly $6 million salary, it’s entirely possible that there could be a trade come July. 

Some folks say he should be at 1^st base instead.  There’s some merit to it.  He’s probably a 15-20 HR type of guy who drives in a lot of runs – not a classic bopper, but still competent enough with the bat to handle what’s more often an offensive-oriented position.  The problem now is the Mets have gone on record saying that Lucas Duda is their man.  What would it say to the big guy if you suddenly bring in a young hot shot to push for more playing time?  They’re so protective of his fragile psyche that the harm wrought by such a move could cause irreparable damage….or so goes the theory, anyway.    Still, without getting reps at 1B it’s not likely they will want him to learn at the major league level.

Instead, the Mets are handling Wilmer Flores as they do most of their obvious problems – by doing nothing.  Ike Davis and Lucas Duda were sharing one spot for parts of multiple seasons.  Ruben Tejada wore out his welcome a long time ago.  No lefty relievers were brought in to take the burden off Scott Rice.  (John Lannan doesn’t count – he wasn’t a reliever).  Instead of finding a manager who could motivate players to win, they just kept the one with three straight losing seasons.  It’s easier to do nothing, apparently – the path of least resistance.

Speaking of Ruben Tejada, when will we have we seen enough of him as a starting player?  With Wilmer Flores on fire in AAA, Matt Reynolds and Wilfredo Tovar both surprisingly hot in AA, it’s time for the merry-go-round to spin.  Which place everyone lands is up in the air, but changes can be made.  Let’s suppose they feel Flores’ defense is so awful that no amount of offense could ever compensate.  If so, you could bring up Tovar who is already on the 40-man roster and create a spot in AA for Dilson Herrera to ascend to the next level. 

With just a five-man bench, is a dedicated pinch hitter the best use of the roster?  Witness a recent Bobby Abreu pinch hitting appearance where he was supplanted at 1^st base by pinch runner Eric Young, Jr.  You’ve burned two players for one at-bat.  Personally, I don’t think you have the luxury to do so.  Either your left handed pinch hitter should be able to play the field and run the bases, or you have to have more people on the bench.  Right now you have just Omar Quintanilla and Eric Young, Jr. who can hit from the left side, with Josh Satin and Anthony Recker from the right.  It’s understandable wanting a lefty slugger but is it the best composition of the roster to have one who is strictly one dimensional?

Remember Anthony Seratelli, the feel-good story of the spring who could play all over the field, providing both power and speed for a utility guy?  He was given pretty much every chance to succeed in spring training and fell flat on his face.  Well, quietly he’s putting together a solid start to his Las Vegas career, batting .333 playing about half-time.  Might the diminutive switch hitter be a better option off the bench than Omar Quintanilla?  He’s got a .500 OBP, too. 

First baseman Allan Dykstra continues to play well, but he’s a Lucas Duda clone and we already have one of them here.  He could possibly serve the Abreu role, but he only plays one position (and not terribly well) and has no speed whatsoever.  Consequently promoting him accomplishes very little.  Say what you will about Abreu, but at this advanced stage of his career he knows what’s expected of him. 

An unrelated but warranted mini-rant about Terry Collins’ and his big mouth that is always foot-ready.  This week it concerned the on-again/off-again outfield rotation question.  First it was on, then it was Lagares’ job to lose.  Then after making that declaration, he opted to bench him and start Eric Young on Sunday before the batting cage incident shelved him.  Now he’s on record saying Lagares has earned the right to play every day.  Of course, tomorrow that will change again.