Half 14 in a sequence concerning the New York Mets.
The Mets’ seek for a middle area improve final offseason ended the place so many others have lately — and not using a clear decision.
Starling Marte’s identify was among the many highest on the Mets’ reasonable want checklist, however these commerce talks with the Pirates died shortly after the winter conferences. Mookie Betts was at all times an extended shot, and the Mets ought to in all probability be grateful they by no means acquired shut with the Pink Sox on a bundle for the previous MVP, who's headed to free company after this season, whether or not it’s performed or not.
It left the Mets with Jake Marisnick as their finest hope of upgrading the place, as a part of a tandem with Brandon Nimmo. The 29-year-old Marisnick, identified for his protection, arrived in a December commerce with the Astros for minor leaguers Kenedy Corona and Blake Taylor.
Marisnick basically changed Juan Lagares, a right-handed bat who performed on a part-time foundation and wasn’t re-signed after a lackluster 2019. Marisnick hit .233/.289/.411 with 10 homers and 34 RBIs in 292 at-bats final season for the Astros.
“Good defender, good athlete, beneath common bat,” a significant league expertise evaluator stated, referring to Marisnick. “Higher participant than Lagares as a result of he’s acquired a greater probability to do one thing with the bat than Lagares did. I assumed Lagares was method overrated. An excellent defender, however I simply couldn’t purchase the concept that a beginning middle fielder couldn’t do something offensively and actually couldn’t make changes. [Lagares] simply stored making the identical errors. Nearly as good an athlete he's he simply couldn’t make any changes on the plate.
“I feel Marisnick will certainly be an improve, however I don’t assume you're going from a .220 hitter to a .290 hitter. I feel he shall be a .250 hitter with a few extra house runs than Lagares, play in all probability a lesser protection, however general be a greater participant.”
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Marisnick can function a late-inning defensive substitute, permitting Nimmo to shift to left area for J.D. Davis, Dominic Smith and maybe Yoenis Cespedes. Michael Conforto additionally has expertise taking part in middle area, however the Mets’ desire is to maintain him in proper, the place he appeared to discover a house final season.
Marisnick was chosen within the third spherical of the 2009 draft by the Blue Jays, however earlier than reaching the main leagues he was dealt to the Marlins as a part of a large commerce that introduced Jose Reyes to Toronto. On the commerce deadline in 2014, Marisnick was despatched to the Astros, for whom he received a tainted World Sequence title three years later. In his first interview session with reporters in spring coaching this 12 months, Marisnick apologized for the Astros’ unlawful sign-stealing scheme through which digital surveillance was utilized.
“There was a line and it was positively crossed, and I need to apologize to the followers, Main League Baseball, my friends and anyone else who was affected by this,” Marisnick stated. “Once I are available in right here I don’t need to be a distraction to the Mets clubhouse.”
Marisnick, Nimmo, Davis and Smith will give the Mets stable platoon choices in left and middle area. A lot of the eye shall be on the newcomer Marisnick.
“It’s not a foul mixture,” the expertise evaluator stated. “You lose a little bit defensively with Nimmo, however offensively he's good, so there are worse combos on the market which are going to play. I feel it makes you, ultimately, it in all probability makes you common in middle area.
“The opposite guys, for those who platoon them, you've got an opportunity to get one thing out of them. You maximize it each methods, so I feel they have an opportunity to get one thing out of these guys.”
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