PART 1 Next Mets - The OF: LH Corner OF

A lot has been made of the New York Mets' outfield deficiencies heading into the 2013 season.  No major additions were made and there is no help coming up from the minors.  Personally, I could not care less as I've had my eye on 2014 as the year of expectations.  For this year, I'd like to see some of the players the team has showcase their skills to see exactly what value they have.  I'd like to see Lucas Duda hit well so he can be shopped as a potential 1B/DH next offseason.  I'd like to see Jordanny Valdespin display the speed and power combo he's capable of to also make him part of a trade package.     For Nieuwehuis, den Dekker, Cowgill, and Lagares I'd like to see if they have what it takes to sit the bench and backup for the Next Mets - I'm guessing on Nieuwenhuis and Lagares.

No, the outfield will be pieced together over the next year.  The Mets have to fill all three OF positions, 2 corner spots and the all-important CF.  As it stands, the Mets lineup next year will likely begin with:

1.
2.
3. 3B Wright
4.
5. 1B Davis
6. Ca d'Arnaud
7.
8. SS Tejada

The clean-up hitter will likely be RH as I can't see the team bat two LH hitters together in the middle of the lineup.  As CF and 2B rarely have the power needed to hit cleanup, we can deduce that the #4 hitter will likely be a RH corner OF.  In that case, the #3 (Wright) and #4 hitters will be RH, meaning that the #2 spot will be a LH hitter.  Since corner OF spots are usually the premiere offensive spots on teams, I'm going to assume also that the #2 hitter will be a LH corner OF.  So, we can assume that for balancing out the lineup, the Mets will add a LH corner OF and a RH corner OF.  In this post, I'll focus on the LH corner OF I think the Mets will look to acquire.

We can eliminate prospects at this point.  The best ones are either too far away from making an impact or will cost the Mets too much in trade.  I took a look at the best LH OF from 2011-12, and the best players who could be available are Nick Markakis, Alex Gordon, Jason Kubel, Shin-Soo Choo, and Andre Ethier.

Kubel and Choo will be free agents after the 2013 season.  Of the two, I think Choo is the superior player and would fit in very nicely in the #2 spot in the Mets lineup.  Kubel will be asking for too much money and I don't see the Mets signing him.  I never believed the Mets ever had any interest in trading for him this offseason, they won't be signing him next offseason.

Of the tradable options, Nick Markakis, Andre Ethier, and Alex Gordon appear to be the most attractive.  All three players play solid OF defense and would make very impressive #2 hitters in fron of David Wright, Ike Davis, and whomever else is acquired hit hit cleanup.  Of the 3, I think Ethier is the most likely to be traded due to the length of his contract.  However, it is that very contract that makes him the least likely for the Mets to pursue.  I could see them picking him up if the Dodgers look at an Ethier trade as a salary dump, however I don't see a deal materializing if any prospects of consequence are demanded of the Mets.  Markakis is signed through 2015 and would also fit well into the Mets lineup as well as play a solid RF.  There have been rumblings over the years that the Orioles might move him, however he is their 'face of the franchise' and would cost a lot in return.  I'd love to have him on the Mets, I just don't see it happening.  The last option, Alex Gordon, is the best and most likely.  He's signed through 2016 and at less per year than Markakis.  The Royals deemed him untouchable this offseason, but we know that there is not such thing in MLB personnel moves.  I found it very interesting that the Alderson FO came out to the press this winter that there was no way that they would trade Jon Niese for Alex Gordon.  This tells me that there is interest in Gordon on the Mets' part.  I believe that that interest will not dissipate over the coming year.  I also think that the Royals will be in a position to trade Gordon next winter.  They have gone all-in on this year; when that fails I believe they'll have a new front office and be willing to deal.  The Mets could part with some of their excess pitching to bring Gordon to Citifield.

In trying to project next year's outfield a year out, it looks like the Mets 2 best options for a LH corner OF are Shin-Soo Choo through free agency and Alex Gordon through trade.  My hope is that it's Gordon, shifting the lineup to:

1.
2. LF Gordon
3. 3B Wright
4.
5. 1B Davis
6. Ca d'Arnaud
7.
8. SS Tejada