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It's not like left field has been pretty either

Edgy DC Sep 03 2010 10:44 AM

It struck me today in thinking about right field that the Mets haven't gotten too many seasons out of leftfielders in recent history that can be fairly termed complete. Personally I think it's defensible to not treat the corners as a high priority, as the supply of decent major league hitters who can play corner outfield is not tight, but the Mets have run through their share of failures while coming up with decent fill-in jobs from an Agbayani, a Valent, or a Tatis. Year Opening Day Dude Games in LF What Happened Most Prolific Dude Games in LF 2010 Jason Bay 93 Concussion on top of a slumpy season. Jason Bay 93 2009 Daniel Murphy 27 Played his way out of the job with bad defense. Gary Sheffield 46 2008 Angel Pagan 21 Was just playing there in place of Moises Alou, who missed the start of the season after hernia surgery. Pagan would himself end his season with a spectacular play running into the wall (I think in Dodger Stadium) to catch a foul ball. Fernando Tatis 51 2007 Moises Alou 84 Knocked out from May until August with a torn quadracep. Moises Alou. 84 2006 Cliff Floyd 92 Sprained ankle and achillies tendonitis. Cliff Floyd 92 2005 Cliff Floyd 150 Nothing! Cliff Floyd 150 2004 Cliff Floyd 106 Strained right quad. Cliff Floyd 106 2003 Cliff Floyd 95 Achilles tendon soreness. Cliff Floyd 95 2002 Roger Cedeņo 132 Hung in there, but played very poorly on defense. Roger Cedeņo 132 2001 Benny Agbayani 84 Slumped his way out of everyday status. Benny Agbayani 84 2000 Rickey Henderson 29 Productivity deflated and attitude inflated. Benny Agbayani 102 That's two complete seasons, and the Cedeņo one is hard to term a success. The tough part ist hat they've failed even when they have treated the positions as a priority --- with Floyd, Alou, and Bay. Maybe a key is that, when you do get a solid fill-in season, don't bank too optimistically on a repeat from the same guy. You like to think the Agbayanis can hold the fort while you develop the guy you really want there, but development hasn't happened for the corner outfielders either. Not since the calendar stopped starting with 19.

Ceetar Sep 03 2010 10:53 AM Re: It's not like left field has been pretty either

Well, I think they started with the not a high priority thing. Alou wasn't exactly making billions and was a one year deal. They've actually run through dozens of corner outfielders of various failure and injury even on the backup front from Ben Johnson and David Newhan to shawn Green. I think Bay was an attempt to identify a longer term solution that would be semi-complete and satisfying. We will probably get there next year. you'd hope. It'll be interesting though. Assuming that guys that are here are here, both corner positions are pretty set next year in Bay and Pagan. Not that anything ever seems to work out as it's assumed.

Gwreck Sep 03 2010 11:06 AM Re: It's not like left field has been pretty either

Alou was a 1 year deal with an option. In 2007, when he was on the field, he was fantastic. .916 OPS in 360 plate appearances. They then exercised the option for 2008 and got a grand total of 54 PAs that year.

Ashie62 Sep 03 2010 11:12 AM Re: It's not like left field has been pretty either

"Bay, concussion on top of a slumpy season" That almost seems kind. I didn't realize what a black hole LF had been for the decade. To think that Bay was the cure for this. I guess he still may be, but it is hard to feel it. This is off topic but in the OF I find myself wondering when the Mets go all in and throw Fernando Martinez into the deep end of the pool or wish him well in another organization. I know he is young but I don't see that much more time in the minors will benefit him.

Ceetar Sep 03 2010 11:18 AM Re: It's not like left field has been pretty either

Ashie62 wrote: This is off topic but in the OF I find myself wondering when the Mets go all in and throw Fernando Martinez into the deep end of the pool or wish him well in another organization. I know he is young but I don't see that much more time in the minors will benefit him. Eh, in the "long term solution in the outfield" it does sorta fit the topic. I don't think players need to dominate the minors before being 'ready'. I'm not willing to roll with F-Mart right now (Bay-Beltran-Pagan atm anyway) as I think the Mets need to be a little more serious than that. Unless we're somehow sure Ike will have a good year and we're not going with a hole like Tejada at 2B I don't think the Mets should roll the dice with another rookie. Martinez will definitely be part of the 'creative' problems the Mets have this offseason involving how to treat the outfield(ers).

Edgy DC Sep 03 2010 11:20 AM Re: It's not like left field has been pretty either

I didn't mean to imply it was a black hole. More that things haven't regularly worked out.