Nick FranklinWhile every baseball fan across America sits in complete shock about the Robinson Cano signing, Mets fans should care more about the excess infielders in Seattle: Nick Franklin and Brad Miller. Before the signing, Miller and Franklin were slated to be the middle infield for the future and both had above-average power with pretty solid defensive skills- Miller having the obvious upper hand with the glove. During the season, Franklin was moved to the right side of the infield because he was clearly more solid on second. Miller was slated as the starting shortstop by the end of the season and actually had a good season. Franklin and Miller are both great options to slide in at shortstop for next season and the Mets shouldn’t have a problem landing one of the two.

Franklin is clearly the player that the Mariners covet and is probably the one with more raw talent. He actually has been moved over to the right side of the infield for the most part. Franklin was one of the most hyped middle-infielders coming into the season and many consider his performance in 2013 to be a disappointment. Considering it was his rookie year and he hit a respectful 12 homers as switch hitter in the toughest pitchers park in the AL, it’s actually relatively impressive. He put up very solid defensive numbers at second base with a 0.7 dWAR and a .975 Fielding Percentage. The Mets could theoretically grab him from the Mariners in exchange for a mid-level pitching prospect and an outfielder or first baseman.

Miller is very versatile due to his ability to play solid defense all over the infeld. He can put up very solid defensive numbers at all three positions while playing most of his time at shortstop. He posted very legitimate offensive numbers with a 110 OPS+ and eight homers and the biggest numbers that stood out was his .293/.345/.415 slash line at home. In many ways this is to the Mets’ advantage; the Mariners have a similar stadium to the Mets and with the space comes more hits. He would probably require less to obtain than Franklin, but in the end he would be the better choice.

Both these players have a tremendous amount of talent with the glove and the bat and it would be a shame if they weren’t even explored by Alderson. Clearly, Amed Rosario is the future at shortstop for the Mets and for the next 3-5 years the Mets need a good shortstop. Miller and Franklin are good options in the short-term and possibly long-term and won’t require much return- making them good targets in the winter meetings and into January.

15 comments on “Brad Miller or Nick Franklin: The best SS options for the Mets

  • Name

    I think you are vastly underrating both player’s trade value and what the Mariners need. They are clearly going for broke this offseason so I don’t think they are looking to deal either for more prospects (I would classify both closer to prospects than regulars at this point in their career). Franklin is a guy who is being talked about as a potential chip for Price. I’d like either of those guys, but I don’t see any straight up matches between the Mariners and Mets. The only way the Mets will be able to business with them is if they get a 3rd team involved.

    PS. Ackley is also interesting. If they have given up on him I’d gladly take a shot on him if the price wasn’t one of our young pitching studs.

    • Jerry Grote

      Agreed. You aren’t getting either one unless you give something up of substance, especially Franklin (but to be fair he was teamed up with their uber pitching prospect to get Price).

      I don’t quite understand the attraction to Ackley. Apparently the Mets have asked about him, prolly just because “Name” likes him :).

      I mean, yeah, he’s a good player. but …What are we doing with another 2B turned into CF?

      • since68

        Yes, but don’t the Rays have a glut of middle infielders also. They may not be the right match for Price either.
        But Lagares may be a fit.

      • Name

        I tried to think this out as much as possible

        Mets get: Miller, Ackley
        Seattle gets: Price, Davis, Escobar, Parnell
        Rays gets: Paxton, Franklin, Jeses Montero, med-prospect from Mets

        If you only wanted to look at it from the Mets perspective, its Davis, Parnell + a med-prospect for Miller and Ackley. It also saves the Mets around 5 million as Parnell/Ike will get around 7 mil combined and Ackley is 1.4 million next year

        Seattle gets Price without having to give up Walker. They also get a closer as Wilhelmsen fell apart last year, a proven SS, and hope for a rebound on Ike. They give up Paxton, Miller, Franklin, Ackley. They’d be taking on the most money 25-30 million but considering they are going for broke that shouldn’t be a problem.

        Rays get to shed 20 million in payroll while getting a really good pitching prospect and middle infield prospect, a buy-low on Montero and some prospect from the Mets. I guess they might want a little more in terms of major league talent though.

        Almost fair?

        • TexasGusCC

          Name, I don’t know how to say no fast enough. Parnell, Davis and say Tapia for Miller and Ackley? Ackley is a throw in, Mets don’t need this guy. Why are we giving up so much for Miller? Seriously dude? The Mariners make out like bandits in this deal. Reconsider.

          • Jerry Grote

            Mariners … too much? LOL.

            We’re giving up a broken 1B, a closer that may never play again, and a A+ pitcher – the riskiest proposition of all –

            and we get back a double play combination, that can play cost controlled until a child leaving elementary school will be enrolling in college. The SS looks like he’ll be easily better than Castro or Escobar.

            Oh yeah, and we don’t give up Murphy. *We’re* getting ripped off? Each his own, Tex.

    • GD

      Mariners are in WIN NOW mode, so any of these guys will be moved ONLY for top tier “proven” MLB talent (ie: Price, Stanton, etc). Stanton is supposedly unavailable, but I think everyone has a price. Seattle is one of 3 teams that actually could offer the best package for Stanton “if” he turned up available.

      • Julian McCarthy

        I have to disagree that they are in win-now mode. Even with the big contracts- and more to probably come- they want some of their prospects to develop one more year and then they are in win-now mode

    • pointsette

      I don’t believe that Miller had an upper hand on the defensive glove than Franklin. Miller had less stat chances, played less games and his defensive stat was worse.

  • steevy

    Well,Trumbo is off the table.( if he was ever on it)

    • Chris F

      That was an opportunity lost IMO

      • point2bac

        we already have Davis and duda, why would we need another guy like them?

  • Chris F

    Rosario the clear future? His numbers look a bit shady for Kport.

  • Patrick Albanesius

    So we’ll taken any infielder Seattle has, is basically what we’re saying.

    • Julian McCarthy

      Except Cano

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