Reese Kaplan -- Many Former Mets are Struggling This Spring, Too

While there is no shortage of wordplay regarding the absence of offense on the Mets roster and their ongoing struggles to score runs, the fact is that the crew they have in-house isn't markedly better than the ones who left for greener pastures (or a greener salary).  In no particular order, let's have a look at some former Mets and see how they're doing in Spring Training while not calling Port St. Lucie their temporary home.

• While Joey Wendle hasn't exactly set the world on fire with his play for his new employer, his predecessor Luis Guillorme has only been up five times and is hitting an even poor for him .200.  While no one banks on Guillorme for his bat, you'd have to wonder if the man who is out of options might not be making the Peach Tree City his new home.  
• Recently the Mets saw former outfielder Mark Canha make a cameo appearance.  While he conducted himself as a true professional with an excellent batting eye, the fact is that for his new prospective employer he's only hitting 111.
• One time backup outfielder Jake Marisnick is not normally known for his hitting prowess, but thus far this Spring he's at an even .400.  Infielder Brandon Drury appears to be on track for his usual output hitting .267.
• For the folks who were all hot and bothered to get Justin Turner into a Mets reunion, he's starting out hitting just .222.  Now truth be told for veterans the Spring numbers aren't as important as they are for rookies and newcomers trying to make the team, but it's still a cold start.
• Big Daniel Vogelbach is only on a minor league deal this Spring and hitting .211 doesn't suggest he's making much of a case for himself to crack the major league roster going north.
• Perhaps the most disturbing one of all was ultimate nice guy but uneven performer Eduardo Escobar who, believe it or not, is hitting only  .074 this Spring.  Sometimes players fall apart sooner than later.
• Oddly, one guy who the Mets pretty much admitted was a bad draft choice is making himself known in the attempt to crack the major league roster.  Dom Smith is hitting a robust .455.  Unfortunately his teammate, Pete Crow-Armstrong, who everyone cites as a horrific traded asset is hitting just .160.
• The San Francisco Giants have a duo of former Mets doing quite well.  Former right fieler Michael Conforto is hitting an unrealistic .400 while the better contact hitter in Wilmer Flores is struggling at "just" .368.  Apparently you need to hit even higher than that as J.D. Davis was released while hitting .400 himself before taking a discount deal with Oakland on Friday.
• Another recent sighting was former shortstop Andres Gimenez  who is giving the Guardians a decent .261 average to accompany his usual stellar defense.
• Another reserve Met, Travis Blankenhorn, is hitting .250 which is not bad but not good enough to change a GM's mind on roster construction.
• Former reserve catcher Michael Perez at .235 is likely in the same boat as Blankenhorn.
• Now for a real shocker.  Speedster outfielder Tim Locastro is thus far hitting .462.  Obviously that can't keep up but for a AAAA fringe player that's the kind of Spring production you need to have to demonstrate you're worthy of the big club.
• The same, unfortunately, can't be said of catcher Kevin Plawecki who needs to rally big time to hit the Mendoza line while sporting a .091 average.
• Respectable spare outfielder Travis Jankowski is delivering a .250 average which might very well make him a 5th outfielder. 
• Another prospect the Mets sent packing was Jake Mangum who is hitting an unbelievable .429.
• Another spare outfielder no one missed very much is Kevin Pillar whose .214 batting average suggests he either needs a hot streak or a new profession.  Would be teammate Danny Mendick is struggling even more at .182.

So every time you see an anemic batting average in Florida for the Mets and wonder if injured players are fully recovered or if the Baby Mets aren't ready to abandon their training wheels, just remember...it could be even worse.