Mets Spring Training Question 16: Centerfield
With 16 days before pitchers and Molinas report, let’s consider Mets question #16 for the spring: who will handle centerfield?
Last year’s regular centerfielder Angel Pagan was dealt to San Francisco for a package of players that included another centerfielder in Andres Torres. However, I don’t see Torres as an everyday player – rather, as a fourth (some say fifth) outfielder who could see time in a platoon situation. Of course, what I see is not necessarily what the Mets brass and Terry Collins see – maybe they are confident Torres can be “the guy” patrolling the middle of the Mets outfield.
But if Torres is not the full-time answer in center, then what is? Is it a platoon between Torres and, say, Scott Hairston? Like Pagan, Torres is a switch-hitter who tends to hit better from the left side. If not Hairston, would prospect Kirk Nieuwenhuis have a chance to make the club if he has a hot spring? Alternatively, will we see Jason Bay get reps in center during ST games, with the idea that he’ll be used there in the regular season? It’s not completely crazy, since Bay played the position frequently while in Pittsburgh. And of course, there is still time for the Mets to add a free-agent centerfielder – names such as Rick Ankiel and Kosuke Fukudome are still on the market (has Gary Matthews, Jr., officially retired yet?).
What do you think? Is center field up for audition in the spring? Or is it Andres Torres’ job to lose? Who do you see challenging for the position? How do you think it will shake out? Answer in the comments.
Hairston is cheap and has a bit of power. You need someone on the roster with that. If you wanted to keep Pridie, you would need to find space for him. Who do you want out? Torres provides defense, some speed and team presence. And, isn’t expensive.
As to the “fifth outfielder’ bit … he played over 100 games last year. Strange stat for one. I’m with Neil, at least for the first half of the season, on him. He might be a 4th on some good team, but on the Mets, for the time being, he’s the best option. They might sign a bat and if you platoon him with that guy or give Hairston some time too, fine. Torres is going to be there most of the time.
-Who leads off is a HUGE quandry. Torress when he plays. But when he sits?
if not, give Kirk a chance with a hot spring
Torres is a #4
Torres was a well-above-average MLB hitter in 740 PAs from 2009-2010, so he deserves a serious shot.
My impression is that between injury and over-extending, Torres simply got himself out last year, and he’s proven he’s capable of not doing that.
Not that the same couldn’t be said for Pagan. I’m not saying Torres is a safe bet. I’m just saying that, as gambles go, he’s not a particularly bad one.
Yes, I do believe it could have taken that long for the league to adjust to Torres, because he wasn’t playing every day in 2009 and was barely an everyday player in 2010 and it can take a while for scouting reports to catch up to someone when the scouts don’t have a chance to see the player in various situations.
More toward the point: maybe Torres hit as well as he did in 2009 and 2010 because Bruce Bochy put him into situations to succeed, and limited his exposure. Valent played well in 2004 because he wasn’t exposed; after that year, he never had a similar opportunity at the MLB level in terms of PAs, so we’ll never know if he would have continued that pace through 700+ PAs.
I’m not arguing whether Torres is a good or bad gamble for a team that has money. The Mets, however, have none, and considering their situation I don’t believe the little upside they might get out of Torres is worth the difference between $2.7M and $500K. With or without Torres the Mets are finishing last, so why not save $2.2M and maybe find out that the 28-year-old Pridie has some value?
Eh, doesn’t matter. The Mets have Torres and that’s that.
I don’t buy the “over-exposed” logic. If a guy can’t hit lefties or curveballs, then that is what it is, but in general, playing more regularly makes it easier to hit, not harder. As for Torres, his LH/RH splits are pretty even (and I have no idea about his curveball hitting).
That said, I’m with you on shooting for someone with higher upside. I don’t think Pridie is it, though — in 1150 AAA PAs, .300 OBP. I guess it depends; what would you spend the $2.2M savings on?
Given how the closer market panned out, Francisco looks like an overpay too.
For instance, Todd Coffey / closer. Who knows if a better closer would WANT to come to the Mets (doubt it) and the Mets unsurprisingly wanted to do something after Reyes left, not wait and wait to see if a somewhat better reliever would come along.
And, Torres. Who knows if he won’t fall somewhere between 2010 and 2011 PLUS provide defense PLUS provide some team presence, which the team really needs these days. But, no, he’s just a 5th outfielder & Pridie, who is at best a crapshoot very well might be a better option.
The NYG was convincingly said to be a 8-8 team back last summer. Not saying the Mets will go to the playoffs. The starting pitching is mediocre. And, yeah the ownership stinks. You need to say that to defend yourself against being a suck-up. But, it is not just some dark hole and it is not like things were so much better when spent fifty mil. more to win 70 games.
On paper the Mets look to be the worst team in the NL East. Given that, every win this year is important. 78 wins will be much better than 65. Coming in 3rd with 81 wins could be a big accomplishment and will set the table far better for the future than 5th with 98 losses. I hope Collins and Alderson feel the same way. Mediocore or not I want to see this team battle each and every day and finish as high as possible, wherever that may be in the standings.