Friday, August 28, 2009

Fixing the Mets, Part 4

Outfield
Seeing as Carlos Beltran could miss a lot of next year with recovery from micro fracture surgery, the Mets will need to find someone to play centerfield. Angel Pagan, despite filling in nicely, has just a .335 OBP (though he does have a .492 slugging). One thing that worries me about Pagan is his .327 BABIP, which is well above the .302 league average, and above his career norm, .310. That might have to do with his 17.0% Line Drive%, or his 43.6% Groundball percentage (because he's fast, he can get infield singles). However, seeing as he has a 5.6 IFH%, I don't think that's it. Pagan is a useful Endy Chavez type 4th outfielder, who could get exposed playing every day for 162 games. One option is Matt Murton, who has just been DFA'ed by the Rockies. Murton is a career .287/.353/.438 hitter, and would be a better option offensively than Francoeur. Free agents that could be cheap for 2010 include Xavier Nady, Mike Cameron and Rick Ankiel. Nady would provide a little better league average offense, and could be had for $7 million, due to the fact he is coming back from injury. Jason Bay could also be signed, but seeing as he is coming off of a 4 year, $18.5 million dollar contract, he would most likely cost money the Wilpons could not afford. It would be interesting to see if the Mets could trade for Carl Crawford, seeing as he is a free agent after the 2010 season. Crawford makes $10 million next year, and would be worth it. Another free agent after 2010 who I would love to sign is Adam Dunn. He should've been signed before this year, and despite bad defense makes up for it by posting .900 OPS and hitting 40 homers consitently. He would provide the Mets with power, somthing they need. Also, someone who will be in the Majors and should be prodcuing by 2011 is Fernando Martinez. In fact, he might be starting in 2010. Another player is Jeff Francoeur, though he will be payed $5 million next year. I am going to go out on a limb and say they could sign Francoeur to platoon him, seeing as he hits lefties very well, to a tune of .292/.335/.476, a 102 point increase on his OPS against righties. However I do not want Francoeur over Murton especially seeing as Murton will be much cheaper than Francoeur, and better.
Outfield: 2010
LF: Murton
CF: Beltran/Pagan (If Beltran is out for a while)
RF: Nady, 1 year/$7 million
OF:Pagan and Fernando Martinez
Outfield 2011
LF: Dunn
CF:Beltran
RF: Murton
OF: Pagan and F-Mart.
Depending on how well Martinez does in 2010 could make it so that the Mets do not need to sign Dunn for 2011.

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