The second baseman with the highest fWAR in back-to-back years in Mets history is 1999-2000 Edgardo Alfonzo. Next up is 2013-2014 Daniel Murphy. Now, the gap between first and second is huge and there are a few people close to Murphy. Still, he’s solidified what has been a troublesome spot throughout recent team history yet all we hear about him now is how we’re okay if we trade him and there’s no way we’ll even consider bringing him back once he reaches free agency.
The last five Opening Day second basemen before Murphy took over in 2012 were: Kazuo Matsui, Anderson Hernandez, Jose Valentin, Luis Castillo and Brad Emaus. With Castillo having three Opening Day starts for the Mets, this list goes back to 2005. In those seven years, the only time the Mets received a fWAR over 1.0 from their Opening Day second baseman was in 2009 when Luis Castillo posted a 1.6 mark. While many fans have fond memories of Valentin, when the Mets counted on him to be their second baseman in 2007, he responded with a 0.2 fWAR in an injury-plagued season.
Much like Valentin in 2006, Murphy was not the team’s Opening Day starter at second base in 2011 but he shifted to the position during the year and he put up a 2.8 fWAR before coming down with a season-ending injury. In the 2011-2014 seasons, Murphy has put up a combined total of 9.9 fWAR. That’s hardly superstar level but it’s the type of production that generally makes teams and fans happy.
Yet, Sandy Alderson recently gave Murphy a lukewarm response. ESPN’s Adam Rubin reported that the Mets are “not particularly interested” in signing Murphy to an extension and while they are not looking to trade him right now, if they “can get a high-powered bat at shortstop, their inclination to trade Murphy would dramatically increase.”
This reaction towards Murphy is understandable, even if it is unusually harsh for a guy who’s played his heart out for the team and been a productive player. After all, the Mets have a competent short-term solution in Wilmer Flores already on the roster and the long-term answer in Dilson Herrera came up and performed well late last year and should be ready to be the club’s Opening Day starter in 2016.
With the knowledge that Murphy’s days as a Met are limited and with the recognition that it’s even possible he’s played his last game in a Mets uniform, let’s remember his unusual career in Queens.
Murphy was a 13th-round draft pick in 2006. He came to the attention of the club because he played collegiately at Jacksonville University, which happened to be where the son of Mets Vice President Tony Bernazard played. Murphy did not distinguish himself in his professional debut, as he put up a .213/.312/.300 line while splitting time among all three of the club’s short-season teams.
But a funny thing happened in his time in the minors. Murphy hit better as he faced more advanced pitching. He put up a .768 OPS the following year in Hi-A and in Double-A he posted an .870 mark before earning a short-lived promotion to Triple-A and ultimately the majors.
Despite being in a race for the postseason, the Mets not only played Murphy when they promoted him in 2008, they stuck him in the outfield, a position he played all of four games in his professional career. A third baseman by trade, Murphy had little chance to play his natural position with David Wright on the team. Despite his less than ideal introduction to the show, Murphy put up an .871 OPS in 151 PA with the Mets in ’08.
That performance earned him the starting job in left field for the 2009 club. Early that season, he committed a few gaffes in the outfield and was dubbed unfit to play the position. It should be pointed out that he played 213.2 innings in left field that season and finished with a (-13.9) UZR/150. In 2013, newly-acquired Michael Cuddyer, who has played the outfield professionally since 2001, put up a (-18.9) UZR/150 in 992 outfield innings.
Those high-profile errors helped earn Murphy a seat on the bench. But for one of the rare times in his career with the Mets, Murphy caught a professional break. You undoubtedly recall that 2009 was the year that nearly every player on the team ended up on the disabled list. This included first baseman Carlos Delgado. So, despite having only played 13 games professionally at the position, Murphy took over at first.
The transition to first base saw Murphy go through an extended period where he just did not hit. But with all of the injuries, the Mets had little choice but to keep putting him out there. And then it finally clicked. Over his final 65 games of the year, Murphy put up an .833 OPS, with 35 extra-base hits in 238 ABs. Additionally, he proved to be a good fielder at first base, as he recorded an 8.8 UZR/150 in 849.1 innings at his new position.
It looked like Murphy would be the team’s starting first baseman for the next decade. Instead, the injury bug which claimed nearly every player in 2009 waited until 2010 to strike Murphy. He hurt his knee in Spring Training and opened the year on the DL. While he was out, Ike Davis came up and staked his claim to the first base job and Murphy was once again in search of a position.
The Mets moved Murphy to second base during his rehab in the minors and his season ended when a dirty slide (combined with an inexperienced player’s inability to get out of the way) resulted in an MCL tear.
Healthy for the 2011 season, Murphy saw time all over the infield. While he did not start on Opening Day, he was the primary second baseman the first five weeks of the season. After Davis’ injury while colliding with Wright on an infield popup, Murphy returned to first base. After Wright went down with the stress fracture in his back, Murphy alternated between first and third. Despite all the shuffling around the diamond, Murphy was having a strong season and was third in the league in hitting.
On August 7, he entered the game as a pinch-hitter and went in to play second base. His season ended when Braves rookie Jose Constanza executed a slide that, while not dirty, will never be included in a “how to play better baseball” instructional video. For the second straight season, a torn MCL suffered while making the pivot at second base did Murphy in.
It looked like Murphy’s career as a second baseman was over before it really got a chance to begin. But Murphy showed no hesitation in returning to the position and put in a lot of work with Tim Teufel to improve his work at the pivot. And in one of the two best decisions in his managerial career with the Mets, the other being his patience with Juan Lagares in CF, Terry Collins stuck with Murphy as his second baseman.
Murphy did not have the offensive season he enjoyed in 2011, but he was able to play a full season in 2012. He improved defensively in 2013 and last year he was an All-Star. Now the fans are counting the days until he’s gone. Perhaps not as overtly as was done with Castillo but done nevertheless.
One of the criticisms directed towards me during my years writing for the site is how I don’t value the intangibles. And it’s a very valid criticism. Still, one has to wonder where these intangibles-lovers are when it comes to Murphy.
The guy has been the ultimate team player, moving positions numerous times without ever complaining. He’s sacrificed his body and put in as much rehab time as any player on the club. When the Mets have a rally that he’s not involved in, you always see Murphy on the top step of the dugout, leading the cheers for his teammates.
Murphy has been productive, hard-working and (seemingly) a good teammate. Let’s keep these things in mind before we indifferently pat him on the back and wish his way out of town. My preference is to see another season of Murphy with the Mets. The cold truth is that he won’t be on the club in 2016 because of his contract status and the presence of Herrera. My sincere hope is that Murphy gets to experience the playoffs with the Mets before he goes. It seems like he’s earned that right.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing this. I can’t tell you how nauseating the narrative is around Daniel Murphy by people who simply do not appreciate him. (There are two Murphy fans in my household, lol). Why fans aren’t more supportive of a guy who puts his heart and soul into every game, has done everything this team has asked him w/ no complaint or question, and a player that you typically know what you’re going to get (very consistent w/ few peaks and valleys), it’s mind boggling. I can only imagine what happens if Murphy goes to a small market team and becomes a superduperstar there, Mets fans and media will rationalize it as “well, he didn’t have a chance in NY, he’s a small market guy, blah blah blah.” The only problem that I see is that people don’t believe a good thing when they see it, and it’s hard for the fans to just fully appreciate a decent player. In the past, this type of player wouldn’t have had a chance and would’ve been traded in a heartbeat.
Anyway, this was great (lol). Appreciate the Murphy love.
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agreed. Murph is my favorite Met. He’s given his all for his team in everything they’ve asked him to do. Unfortunately it is time for him to move to other pastures given that we have a host of 2B prospects and he can be much more productive int he American league especially a team with a short porch in right field. i suspect that if the Mets trade for SS that Murph will be traded before ST and Flores gets the 2B job to hold until Herrera is ready. Or we start the season with Murph ride his FA year where you assume he’ll be super motivated to put up great numbers until july and trade him to a desperate team. and Herrera takes over.
Thanks Daniel for many years of guts and some glory. You will be missed
Murphy is an extremely solid (non-gaudy) professional hitter. The balance of his game is below average by virtually every observation….and that makes hiom very much similar to many good players—he has a strong suit and he’s worked the hell out of compensating for weaknesses.
Financial consideration will be an obvious driver for both the Mets and Murphy going forward.
The baseball considerations will be about the balance of players around Murphy. If Duda is at First Base with Flores at SS, joined by d’Arnaud at Catcher—that’s quite a minefield defensively. There isn’t a “playmaker” in the bunch….and that’s the top end projection!!!! With that assortment, it will be tough to hang on to a guy who is on schedule to gain a pretty good committed contract. If a Gold Glove appears at SS, it may change the outlook.
The balance of his game is below average only if you go by biased subjective analysis. Objective measures of his total contributions — hitting, fielding, baserunning — show him as an above-average player.
Brian, I receognize the value of Stats—you need to recognize the limitations of stats.
Murphy is a below average fielder….he’s “survivable” if the surrounding cast and his bat defeat his deficits. His baserunning is Tragic. He’s an out-giver on both of those counts.
I’m a Murph fan, but I see flaws.
You’re wrong about the baserunning.
Brian, great post. I am a lover of intangibles, and a big supporter of Murphy. With the Mets hopefully shifting emphasis to winning baseball games, I sincerely hope Murphy is kept around as part of the solution. We need more players like Murphy on this major league roster.
For several years I barely accepted Murphy. It wasn’t the playing shallow right field because of his lack of range, or his penchant for looking like a fool on the bases more than once a year. My problem was that he was very satisfied with just putting the bat on the ball and hitting a pop up to left center field. Every time I wrote a comment on Murphy last year I recommended he lift weights to whip the bat through the zone faster.
This year, I saw more drive upon his at bats, I noticed him turn on inside fastballs. It is my perception that he can be a very, very good third baseman. He went there after years of not playing there and made barehanded plays and moved around very well, a natural. On a team like the Red Sox with that Yazstremski approach to left center and a short way to right field, Murphy would be awesome. Plus, he is Irish.
If the Mets keep him, his best position would be everywhere. But, we are hurting him. He can be great in Beantown. They say if you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you, it’s yours. The time has come to let Murphy go where he can fully bloom. We have Wright, behind him Flores, behind him Murphy. That’s too far back.
I now feel that Murphy should be here when (if) this team becomes a winner. But, are we willing to make him a Ben Zobrist type playing everywhere on the infield and is our manger savvy enough to make it work?
I will miss him, but I understand that he cannot fully be appreciated here. If the Yankees had half a brain, he would have replaced Cano and hit third for them. I hope he goes to Boston and is a 5 WAR player.
I guess Im an “intangibles person,” however mysterious of a word that seems to be. Murph has been a wonderful player for this team, indeed, playing his heart out. He plays the game “the right way.” So far it seems he’s been a solid clubhouse guy from all we can tell. It was nice to read your full-throated defense of his play as a Met.
One thing I was talking about with a great friend (and long-time Mets fan) of mine the other day is how easy it is for us to forget that this sport is about the name on the front of the jersey, not the name on the back. With so little reason to love the name on the front (given our collective hatred for the owners) in recent memory, we have relished in the accomplishments of the names on the back…Johan throws a no-no (sort of!), RA wins a CY award, Matt Harvey became “The Dark Knight”, Lagares has a glove spun of gold, and deGrom made other Rookies look like rookies. None of these scream Mets, but all scream as individual accomplishments (its not true of course, but they are all singular accolades). And so it is with Murph. We love him.
However, we need to all accept that building a winning team, a team headed to a world series means we need to recognize opportunities may arise to acquire talent if the right deal comes. We have our “Mets guy” — this is David Wright’s team and Im good with that. But the team cant me made of all David Wright’s. Murph has put 11 WAR in his pro career all on offense as he is negative on defense. But his offense is not like its off the charts good by any means. Is he worth something like 4/40? I suppose compared to Cuddyer or Grandy Id say yes, but this FO doesnt seem to be buying that for some reason. Does Murph bring X factor? Well he has a lot of fans, myself included. Unfortunately, it hasnt so far. Anyway, SA seems to not really like Murph, and at the same time is not parting for anything less than a king’s ransom. He may have played his last game as a Met (I doubt that myself), but his days as a Met do seem to be heading for a sunset. But lets remember, its about the Mets not the name on the back.
Your second paragraph is why I scoff at the people who claim it’s so hard to be a Mets fan the last few years. We’ve witnessed some tremendous individual performances even if the team success hasn’t been there.
Chris, if I were a GM, I’d give Murphy 4/52. On WAR alone, he’s worth almost $15-$17 per year. If Peralta got that contract, Murphy is worth it twice over. As a hitter he is better; as a fielder he is even. Plus, he’s young and brings more to the table offensively, with speed and much more average.
I think the best teams for Murphy, in order, are: Boston, NYY, Baltimore, Oakland, and LAD.
Here is an offensive player at a time when offense is what people are searching for.
unfortunately he plays a premium defensive position, where he is below replacement every year. I think 4/52 is insane for a guy producing <2 WAR a year. Anyway, the WAR value alone does not do enough for me to handle defense. Given the cash strapped story of the Mets, and a cheap, apparently strong, guy who plays 2B on the rise, I imagine he will be traded and that 40M$ used elsewhere.
He has been 2.5 and 2.7 these last two years.
Not according to B-R. He reached 2 this year but otherwise 1.5. It would kill me to pay him >10M$.
I just looked it up on Fangraphs, that’s what I always use. He was 3.0 in 2013 and 2.8 in 2014. That’s pretty good. I’m surprised B-R had it lower in 2013 than 2014 because Murphy was healthy and productive all year in 2013 with the 24 straight steals…
I like Murphy but this love fest with him is a little much. We don’t owe Murphy anything this guy was a nothing prospect and this organization(mostly due to Omar’s lack of depth ) gave him opportunity after opportunity to play everyday. Not too many teams would have given a guy drafted out of the 13th rnd after one yr w/ a 265 average with 10 hrs and awful defense followed by an entirely lost injured yr another chance to succeed. He’s been a nice story but he’ll be 30 this season and he doesn’t fit with this org anymore plain and simple.
Every organization gives multiple tries to every guy they draft who isn’t a screw-up. And even the screw-ups get multiple shots if they show any promise at all. It’s not like the Mets gave Murphy any special privilege that no other organization would have given him.
It’s been to the great benefit of the Mets that Murphy has had the career that he’s had. They’ve received close to 500% of the value that they’ve paid him in his career. There’s simply no way to describe him other than a fabulous success story for everyone in the organization — from scouting to development to his major league coaches.
As a fan, I appreciate everything that Murphy has been through and done. Everyone realizes that he’s no longer a value and they’ve got kids who look like they can get the job done. I think it’s fine for management to rub their hands together and chuckle with beady eyes and a creepy grin over the fact that they can ditch a worker and replace him with someone cheaper. Forgive me if I don’t join in that.
Well that’s sports bud, we’re essentially rooting for laundry sentimentality got the last gm in trouble. I’m sure your admiration for murph would quickly evaporate if say Sandy extended him 4 yrs and he became an oft injured, under performing player whose defense became even more egregious than it is now.
Strawman.
I’m don’t know how anyone could dislike Murphy as a ballplayer…. unless you only like “perfect players”.
He’s a nice hitter…..he’ll play anywhere you ask—and he plays hard. He has balls to play the game to win.
If you don;t like Dan Murphy then you just don’t like “A Ballplayer”!
Because he has many flaws and it’s annoying when a certain contingent of met fans overrate him. He’s an awful defender, he doesn’t work counts, he never walks, he mostly hits singles and is either stranded on first because he’s slow or is thrown out trying to steal because again, he’s slow. He’s also missed significant time in three of his 5 yrs in the majors and one of the seasons he didn’t get hurt he still missed the entire spring training with injuries. Plus he’s got just one yr left and we have plenty of in house options can we just close this chapter and move on?
You’re the one who keeps replying. If you don’t want to talk about Murphy – perhaps you could stop talking about Murphy.
You can rag on him being too much of a slap singles hitter and subpar defender (though he’s been improving), but bad baserunning and missing significant time?
You do realize he ripped off 28 straight steals from June13-Apr14? Yea, 5 straight months were he averaged 5+ per month and zero caught stealing.
And let’s totally ignore that Fangraphs has Murphy has the 20th best base runner in the past 2 years.
143+ games in 4 out of the 6 seasons. Most of the time missed was due to him having to learn a new position on the fly and as a result of his lack of experience, got hurt in a takeout slide.
Since 2011, he’s 41st in games played. He’s hasn’t had many “self-inflicted” injuries other than the calf issue this September.
Get your facts straight before you badmouth someone.
You can use whatever arbitrary timeline u want to spin his durability, fact: he missed all of 2010 from two self induced injuries, sprained a knee ligament running in st and same injury again misplacing second later that yr in the minors. He missed the final two months of 11′ from again mis playing second base. He missed all of spring training in 13 with an oblique strain and he missed a month last yr from a calf strain. All of which occurred in his 20’s, So stop with the iron man stuff. I’d hate to see how often he stays healthy in his thirties! And in between your once again arbitrary CS % time frame he never stole more than single digit bases along with bad CS %.
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No one is suggesting he’s HOF quality. No one is suggesting he’s iron man. No one is suggesting he’s as fast as Usain Bolt. No one is subjecting Murphy to these crazy high standards except you.
If you can’t see how he’s been an above average player, a great team player, and a great teammate all these years, it’s your loss.
Everything I just wrote was a specific response to something someone had wrote to me so stop making me out to be a Daniel Murphy hate mongerer over here I like him as a player and person I’m just not propping him up like a lot of met fans do
“stop making me out to be a Daniel Murphy hate mongerer over here”
Oh? Then what’s this?
“He’s an awful defender, he doesn’t work counts, he never walks, he mostly hits singles and is either stranded on first because he’s slow or is thrown out trying to steal because again, he’s slow.”
Unlike what you claim, no one is elevating Murphy to an excessive level.
However, you are degrading him to a point way below what he is actually worth.
Sorry but everything I said is absolutely true. Murphy is an ok player that played his career on a bad team so it makes those ok numbers look even better.
Terry – when you are in a hole and want to get out, the best thing you can do is to stop digging
If this is how you react to players that you like, I’d hate to see how you treat ones you dislike.
Catching up with my Mets360 reading, so I’m late to this article.
I appreciate the Murph appreciation, Brian! Murph has been one of the most consistently bright spots in a disappointingly long stretch of gloom in Flushing. I think you’re correct in anticipating that he’ll be playing somewhere else in the near, or at least not too distant, future, and I will wish him well wherever he ends up.
Perhaps one day fans will look back at Murph’s career as a Met with the same fondness, gratitude and respect that most now do when recalling John Sterns.
Excellent article. You’re preaching to the choir as far as I’m concerned. Murphy is one of those players that I just gush about despite his flaws.. Going in to next year, It’s safe to say all Mets fans know exactly what they are going to get; oddly, we can’t even say that about Wright or Granderson.
I remember when he was in Binghamton. Every day I used to check the minor league report and be like “Who the hell is this Murphy guy?” I’ve followed him close ever since. I remember Mike Carp and Nick Evans had big seasons too with Murphy upstate.
He’s become a polarizing figure in MetsNation, but he shouldn’t be.
162 game average per Baseball Reference:
Billy Butler: .295, 38 doubles, 1 triple, 18 homeruns, 87 rbi, 70 runs, 59 bb, 97 K’s = $10MM per year, while trending down and not even owning a glove.
Daniel Murphy: .290, 40 doubles, 4 triples, 10 homeruns, 77 runs, 69 rbi, 12 steals, 39 bb, 84 K’s = ?? while trending up and playing serviceable defense at second and third.
I see Murphy getting 4/$50 next year. He definitely has value.
Murphy is a consummate team player and your article correctly explained why he should be appreciated. I am a Murphy fan but I am a Met fan first. If they do not trade him this winter, then the Mets lose an asset for nothing. It is too big of a public relations risk to trade him this summer if the team is within playoff contention as expected. The Mets have cheaper and younger options internally available so an extension should not be considered. Sandy should upgrade SS and let Flores and Herrera compete for 2B. This is strictly a business decision.
Does no one like draft picks any longer?
But if the Mets give the QO to Murphy, he’s likely to take it. They won’t run that risk.
If Murphy plays at the same level as he has for the past few seasons, i see no reason why he can’t match Butler’s 3/30 deal, and if he can do that, i don’t think he’ll accept the QO. Aaron Hill also extended for 3/35.
Also, would he be willing to be the first player to accept one?
It’s a tough call, but i’d be willing to gamble that Murphy has a good season (and help the Mets reach the playoffs) and would reject the QO.
Well, Cuddyer would have accepted if the Mets didn’t give him two years.
Are RH power bats now a hot, in demand thing? Cuddyer and Butler at least offer the promise of 20 HR (Butler hit 29 in 2012) and they were among the first to sign.
Regardless, do you really think the Wilpon Mets are going to make a $15 million-plus gamble that Murphy doesn’t take the QO? Perhaps the Yankees make that move but I don’t see the Mets doing it unless Flores flops, Herrera gets hurt and Mazzilli doesn’t develop.
“…but I don’t see the Mets doing it unless Flores flops, Herrera gets hurt and Mazzilli doesn’t develop.”
The worst case trifecta! If any team can pull it off, the Mets can!
I forgot — they can still play Campbell at 2B!