link - Beltran was booed at Citi Field last night, as he rounded the bases after hitting a two-run homer, his third of the season. Here’s the problem the way I see it. This perception of how the Mets mistreat their stars has been growing for a few years now. And regardless of whether it’s true or not, the perception is very real and it’s out there. I have to believe that this is why the Mets are always overpaying for players either in money, years, or both. It’s all they could do to get quality players to come here, and even so many a free agent have still opted for lesser contracts rather than play for the Mets.
link - His role as the Mets primary catcher has stabilized. So this past week, Josh Thole decided not to return to the Venezuelan Winter League for a second season. His health was too important to risk. “I’m getting my innings in behind the plate here,” Thole said. I need to come in and I need to be healthy. That’s the bottom line. I’ve got to come in fully strong, ready to go. There can’t be any doubt, any question in my mind.”
Lucas Duda:
link - With the expensive and fragile Jason Bay in and out of action and the accursed Jeff Fracouer now shuffled off to Texas, rookie outfielder Lucas Duda should get some long looks from the Mets this month. Duda, a 2007 Mets draftee, hit .304 with 23 homers across two levels of play this year, including a tidy 1.000 OPS in AAA Buffalo. Duda is a well rounded contact hitter with emerging power, and if he can show even average pop this fall, he could play his way onto a retooling Mets lineup for 2011.
link - Murph has done everything the team has asked of him, with moves from left field to first base on his resume already. Might he move to second base? He had two games at the position of his eight total games at Triple-A this year, and the team could definitely use his bat at the position if the glove can fit. A career .275/.331/.437 line would play much better at second base and that above-average isolated power (.161) probably represents the most power they could get from the candidates. The question his glove represents is a tough one to answer. Total Zone numbers had him as a scratch defender at third base in the minor leagues, and small samples in the major leagues have shown him to be a good first baseman and a poor outfielder. Even if it seems unlikely that he would be a good defender at second base, it’s worth remembering back to his days as a third baseman before counting him out completely. He’ll have the AFL to show he can be a decent second baseman, and if answers that in the affirmative, he might actually be the front runner in the spring.
link - Johan Santana’s recovery from surgery to repair the anterior capsule of his shoulder, may not go as smoothly as some have suggested. Comparisons were made to position players like Jorge Posada of the Yankees who had the same surgery and recovered just fine. But comparing a position player to a pitcher when it comes to shoulder surgery, is not a very good comparison in my opinion. An average starting pitcher throws a pitch at full strength about 5,000 – 6,000 times in one season counting warm-ups, spring training and bullpens. Comparing that kind of stress and workload on a shoulder to that of a catcher or first baseman is really an unfair comparison. It’s like comparing apples to oranges.
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