After free agent Ben Zobrist opted to sign with the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, the New York Mets moved quickly to other options to fill holes in their middle infield.
First, general manager Sandy Alderson dealt off one of his spare starting pitchers, Jonathon Niese, to the Pirates for Neil Walker. The seven-year veteran is a nice replacement for Daniel Murphy at second base, though Murphy’s explosive postseason made him look like a MVP-caliber hitter. Walker’s offensive numbers are quite similar and he’s a better defender at the position (though advanced metrics for last season disagree), which should provide more everyday value for the Mets.
Walker can also be a free agent after the season, which allows the Mets a year to further groom Dilson Herrera to take over in 2017 (or later in 2016, if needed). More importantly, the team can extend a qualifying offer to their new second baseman and collect a draft pick when he opts for the open market. Ideally, the Mets get a guy who wants to put up big numbers before free agency and benefit from that motivation. But at the very least, they have a veteran placeholder in whom there’s little investment if the team decides Herrera is ready.
Asdrubal Cabrera gets $18.5 million over two years (plus the team option) from the #Mets. Good job by @ChrisCotillo, who covers all 30.
— Ken Davidoff (@KenDavidoff) December 10, 2015
Perhaps the more surprising move was the one that followed hours later, signing Asdrubal Cabrera to a two-year, $18.5 million deal. The 30-year-old infielder had a fine year for the Tampa Bay Rays after struggling for the past two seasons, batting .265 with a .744 OPS, 28 doubles, 15 home runs and 58 RBI. That performance obviously factored into the deal he received from the Mets, who could use some pop in their middle infield.
Two seasons ago, Cabrera looked as if his days as an everyday shortstop might be over. He’d been supplanted by Jose Ramirez at the position and phenom Francisco Lindor was soon to arrive. After the Nationals acquired him at the trade deadline, Cabrera played exclusively at second base. But he was a full-time shortstop with the Rays last season (the opportunity to play the position is likely one reason he signed with Tampa Bay), and hit well enough to offset subpar defense. Cabrera compiled -7 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) last season and cost the Rays six more runs than an average shortstop.
While that sounds better, it’s actually better than the defense Wilmer Flores and Ruben Tejada played at shortstop last season. Flores was charged with -10 DRS and cost the Mets nearly three runs more than a replacement-level defender. And Tejada, generally viewed as the better glove, earned -15 DRS and was nearly six runs worse on defense than the average player at the position.
Neither player provides the offense that Cabrera did last season. Flores did arguably have a breakout season, slugging 16 home runs, but only posted a .295 on-base percentage. Even when Cabrera struggled as a hitter, at least he could still draw walks. That consistency is surely what the Mets are seeking from their shortstop next season.
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 31: Wilmer Flores #4 of the New York Mets makes a play at shortstop against the Kansas City Royals during Game Four of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field on October 31, 2015 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
But with the Mets’ middle infield now fully stocked with proven veterans for next season and Cabrera signed to a two-year deal, where does that leave Flores and Tejada? The natural impulse is to speculate that both players are now trade chips, but the team apparently intends to hold on to both players and maintain depth with two younger infielders capable of starting when needed, playing multiple positions, and giving a couple of 30-year-old veterans an occasional rest during the grind of a 162-game season.
“We said at the beginning that we’re trying to build a team with a lot of flexibility, versatility and depth,” assistant general manager John Ricco told Newsday’s Marc Carig. “And, so, that’s what we’re doing and we’re going to continue to do that.”
Flores, 23, played both shortstop and second base last season, and has even played some third base during his career. Had the rumored trade with the Brewers for Carlos Gomez gone through, it was expected that Flores would become Milwaukee’s full-time third baseman. So there is some belief that he’s capable of regularly playing that position and providing some offense. That could become rather important next year as David Wright continues to battle injuries and would surely benefit from time off the field throughout the season to keep him healthy.
Much the same applies to Tejada, 25, though he didn’t show the same power as Flores last season. His defense could be what keeps him on the roster. Tejada was the Mets’ starting shortstop going into the postseason based on his glovework, until Chase Utley’s takeout slide broke his leg and knocked him out for the rest of the year. The ability to play shortstop is key for a utility player, and the Mets now have the luxury of two such players on their bench.
Both right-handed hitters could also sub in for Walker or Cabrera against particularly tough left-handed pitching. That likely appeals to manager Terry Collins, who showed a preference for platooning his infielders after Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson were picked up at the trade deadline. The Mets now have a flexible, versatile lineup that can match up better against virtually any opponent, allow Collins to move pieces around to put the best lineup on the field, and keep the roster fresh throughout the year as they attempt to defend their NL East title and return to the World Series. With these moves and added depth, this already looks like a better team than last season.
