The New York Mets went into this offseason with a clear plan. They recognize their needs and have began to address them. They have mentioned a need for a short stop and an outfielder. The team made one move to fill these needs with the addition of Michael Cuddyer.
There are more moves to be made. Among these potential moves to be made was the possible trade of All-Star second baseman Daniel Murphy. They had been looking to deal him and after reaching out to multiple teams across the league, it seems as if the asking price may be a little too high.
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the team values Murphy a little higher than everyone else. He cites a poor glove, an inconsistent power bat and a hefty price tag as potential reasons.
If Sherman is right, and the market is dead on Murphy trade rumors, he should be staying for a while longer. This may turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the team, however. Three reasons suggest why; his positive example, a consistent batting season and veteran leadership.
First, Murphy is a great example. The 2014 season started with Murphy taking time off for the birth of his child. Despite some media uproar over it, he stuck to his guns and held his family as the higher priority. After all, there are things in life that are bigger than baseball.
He endured all the talk about his poor defense and worked hard to become serviceable at a position he never played. He endured multiple injuries in his career to earn his first All-Star appearance. He is a constant reminder and a true example to the sport and to the fans of what hard work can do
Secondly, he has a consistent bat. Despite his noted struggles in the field, Murphy has remained predictably consistent at the plate. He has averaged a .289 AVG over his career, a career .333 OBP and the same approximations of other stats across the board (doubles in the high 30’s every season, RBIs of 50 or more and around 170 hits or so, etc).
This is the type of bat that other hitters in the lineup need to depend on. He can extend innings and get himself in scoring situations for the heart of the order, both are important for a struggling offense. He has an ability to hit to the gaps and stretch hits into extra bases. These, also, are essential to an offense.
Finally, Murphy is a veteran in a clubhouse that may need one. Half of the projected lineup (Murphy, David Wright, Michael Cuddyer and Curtis Granderson) have several years of MLB experience. The other half are players that have been in the league for less than four years.
That is an additional presence that younger players like Travis d’Arnaud and Lucas Duda need. Whether he embraces the role of a veteran giving the youngsters hitting tips or he shows them how to handle adversity, his example to them is invaluable.
In closing, Murphy has shown his worth in so many ways that trading him would seem almost improbable. At this point, the team has elevated his value beyond the point of making a trade possible. That speaks more clearly to what their plans are with him on a long-term basis than it does for just this year.
They know what he means to this team. They’re making an decisive investment in him that they think will pay dividends. The question is if they are right. So far, they have been.
Frank, the veteran leadership and positive example are one and the same. Telling us that he went home to be there for the birth of his daughter is something every player knows to do. Come on. As far as doing whatever he had to do to stay in baseball, well other players have learned to be catchers and even Josh Satin learned to play the outfield.
Hard to believe that you missed the obvious #1 reason, or were you just testing us? The #1 reason Murphy should stay is David Wright. If Wright can’t stay healthy after not having surgery on his shoulder, Murphy is a passable substitute. He played a nice 3B last September and is the second best option in the third spot in the order. Murphy being on the team gives them a chance should Wright’s shoulder not hold up all year.
I think “Texas” is on to something in regards to Murphy’s ability to play 3B.
On the other hand, if Wright were hurt, wouldn’t they just play him anyway? Terry would “try” to rest him, talk about it with the press, ask for David’s permission, and then throw his hands up in the air with a “whaddaya gonna do” expression on his face.
I have to disagree that they are the same thing. I’ve heard players rave about what a great teacher a veteran can be to them but everyone else knows them to be private or even regarded as mean. There is something to be said for being a role model to the community at large that is different than being an influence at work.
However, your point about Wright is dead on. In that event, though, I think the team would most likely just give Campbell more playing time and hope for the best in regards to Wright.
The 3B situation would be fixed if we traded to get Tulo and Arenado from the Rockies. Move Wright to LF, where he is likely headed anyway. Murph is not the long-term solution to 3B, nor is he the long term solution to 2B. Keeping a 8M$ player around to be an emergency back up for an 18M$ player is pretty crazy in my eyes.
Hes fine and all that, but the team has ample veteran leadership, and while a slap-gap hitter is good, Id be happier if he was doing it from the 1 hole. However his lack of quality defense must be figured into. Its a big issue in my eyes.
Without giving up Syndergaard, Plawecki, Conforto and probably deGrom too/ There is no way that the Mets would get Arenado and Tulowitzki. Why would the Rockies trade him anyway he plays gold glove defense provides good offense and he is still very cheap.
Also, I don’t think Wright is going anywhere near left field. First base would be more likely. The Mets have Lagares right now, who is not going to be on the bench unless he cannot hit the ball at all and Cuddyer and Granderson who are going to get playing time with those contracts. They also have Conforto and Nimmo on there way in to be starting in the majors soon.
When the Mets are looking to trade for a hitter, all we hear is how hitting is at such a premium now and that the pitchers the Mets offer aren’t good enough.
When the Mets look to trade a hitter (Murphy) all we hear is how he has no trade value.
Sure, he’s an impending free agent. He’s also undervalued for 2015. He’s produced in excess of $15 million the past two seasons and is likely to be paid less than $10 million this upcoming season.
So, hitting is at a premium and Murphy is a reliable hitter who produces excess value yet has no trade value.
Something doesn’t add up.
Presumably, the thinking is that Murphy would be swapped for another position player, in which the hitting is a premium argument wouldn’t apply
Now that they are out of the OF market, if they were to trade him you would expect it to be for prospects, which should be an entirely different beast.
Are we at that stage yet? Many still hope that Murphy can still be part of a trade package that brings back another hitter to the Mets.
And trading him for prospects is an entirely different question of whether you want to decrease your chances of competing this year for potential production down the road, or if you want to increase your chances of competing this year while potentially sacrificing future production.
The only position that they would trade for at the MLB level would be SS. They’re not going to pull the trigger on Tulo and it’s hard to imagine that the Red Sox, Mariners, Cubs or D’Backs would want him. Possibly the Blue Jays but I can’t believe Sandy would want Reyes’ contract. Rangers don’t need another infielder. Who else has an MLB-ready SS that would be an upgrade?
What really doesn’t make sense is that either sign him to a long term contract or trade him! Just letting him ealk at the end of the year is just plain stupid! His value is at an all time high! If we wait to july to trade him firstly he can get injured, and even if not- every other team will know were desperate to trade him and his value will be even lower.
If the Mets were in a rebuilding phase, trading Murphy would make sense. However, he is a decent second baseman, and has a solid bat. It seems the Mets are set on contending next season, and it makes no sense to get rid of Murphy. Herrera showed signs that he can be a major league player, and in time, he will. As of now, I keep Murphy, because I don’t see a replacement the Mets have that could fill his shoes.
And when the Mets let him walk as a free agent? What happens then Frank? You get nothing in return. Surely the Mets are not going to give him a qualifying offer?
I agree with you. If the market has dried up on him, they need to either ink him long-term or reevaluate his worth and drop their price. Otherwise, it will be Jose Reyes all over again to a degree.
You get a year’s worth of production from Murphy, which has value
I like Murphy, but when you exhaust all possibilities, he probably needs to go in a package deal with pitching to get a SS. The only team I can see that really makes sense in that scenario is Texas, and we’d get Profar in return. However, Profar has shoulder issues, and still hasn’t proven a major league player. Is that the best value we can get?
Keeping Murphy does guarantee a consistent offensive player for 2015 but it means that $8m is tied up in salary for 2015 and at the end of the year he walks without compensation.
If hitting is at a premium, and teams are also looking for a second baseman or a third baseman, how hard is it to move Murphy? Is it because the asking price is too high? Was Ike Davis asking price too high? It would be nice to bring in a similar salaried major league RHB outfielder for Murphy. If that can’t be found it would be better to trade Murphy for prospects that could solidify the farm system and allocate that $8m toward a shortstop and move Flores to second base and improve the middle defense?
I am for trading Murphy, letting Flores and Herrera compete for the second base job, and getting anyone of Castro, Miller, Lowrie, Ramirez or Drew to play SS.
Am I wrong? Murphy’s bat is needed in 2015… get a real defensive shortstop without giving up a top 4 pitcher, and it will be a good year! A lineup with Lagares, Murphy, Wright, Duda, Cuddyer, Granderson, and D’Arnaud can carry a weak hitting SS. Long term, Murphy is probably an AL DH, and Flores and other prospects will only get better going into 2016 and beyond.
It’s time to think big. 6-8 players, 3 teams. The little bits and bobs don’t match up well enough.
Murph needs to move while we can extract value. We’ll all get over it.