For nearly two months now, Wilmer Flores has been one of the best hitters on the team. Since coming off the DL in late May and getting regular playing time, Flores has posted a .293/.346/.537 line in 136 PA. If I didn’t see it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it. No one will ever confuse me for being a Flores fan. But right now, the Mets need his bat in the lineup on a regular basis.
The question is where to play him. While his bat right now is an asset, he’ll never be described that way defensively. Monday night he saw time at 1B, with James Loney getting a night off with a lefty on the mound. There was a foul pop that Flores did not catch. It was not a routine play but one we would expect first basemen in the non-Ryan Howard division to catch.
Flores was seeing time at third base but since Jose Reyes arrived, the only game he started at third was the time Asdrubal Cabrera was a late scratch and Reyes played shortstop. He also saw one inning after Reyes left a game as part of a double switch. He’s played 15 innings all year at short, as Terry Collins has bent over backwards to not turn to his starter for most of the 2015 season when deciding who to play at SS.
That leaves second base. Neil Walker has been the starter there virtually every game this season. Walker had a tremendous April but hasn’t been very good since, posting a .221/.309/.341 line since May 1. Yet not only does he continue to play every day, he’s batting cleanup. Everyone knows that Collins prefers veterans. But even his old pal Jim Leyland must be shaking his head over Collins’ loyalty to a guy who just joined the team this year and has put up Ruben Tejada production for the past 79 days.
Perhaps Walker just needs a couple of days off.
Of all the infielders on the team active and not on the DL, Walker is probably my favorite. He’s been a reliable performer at the plate for many years and he seems to be a steady performer this year with the glove. But right now, he’s hurting the team with his bat and his manager’s insistence on batting him in the top half of the lineup.
The idea of taking out one of my favorites to put in Flores seems odd to me. But it’s lesson one that the name on the front of the jersey is more important than the name on the back. The Mets are trying to win games and Flores in the starting lineup gives them, in my opinion, their best chance right now to do that.
This doesn’t mean that Flores should be the starter the rest of the year. It doesn’t mean that he should be the starter the rest of the week. It means that as long as he’s hitting, he should be playing ahead of a guy who isn’t and who hasn’t for at least seven weeks.
Collins always is praised by the mainstream media for the way he handles his team. Right now he has a few big decisions that pit veterans against youngsters and involve asking players to put their ego aside and do what’s best for the club. In addition to the Flores-Walker decision, Collins will be judged on how he handles playing time in the outfield, too, where he has to find time for the youngest guy. He’ll need to ask veterans to play positions they’re either not used to or would prefer not to play anymore. Good luck to him with that.
And good luck to me, pulling for a starting infield that contains Loney, Flores, Reyes and Cabrera. Strange days, indeed.
Collins, aka “The Imbecile” is a one trick pony. Dumbest manager in all of baseball. Now that Conforto is back, he too should be playing a lot of games in RF instead of Granderson. But that makes too much sense for the Neandertal in the dugout.
Mr. Gomes, I wish you posted everyday! Nice to hear from you.
Mets should have left Flores alone at 3b. First,he has earned it. Second, he could very well be the 3baseman of the present and future with David out and his uncertainty going forward. Reyes is not the old Reyes. Good, but not “star good” as he once was. He is the one that should be on the bench, used in a pinch and as a spot starter at 3b, 2b, SS. Loney is enough at 1st, and Flores could spot him there also vs tough lefty. TC needs to get a hold of this soon. Nats are not going to let up. With all the injuries this year, it will be honestly tough to catch them, but no excuse for not making the WC. To not make the WC and let the Marlins pass them, would be a terrible disappointment this year, injuries or no injuries. Leave Flores alone at 3b and he will blossom like “Flowers” = Flores.
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Sorry, that is just way off IMO. Flores is capable of playing 3B or SS. He does not have any of the necessary skills to be on the left side. Reyes is much better at 3B. I like Flores at 2B, and if giving Walker a break is how to do it then fine. But Flores at 3B is a train wreck.
Metphin, when Reyes came up, he was to be the super sub. One day here, next day there; even in the outfield. Thus allowing all players to be fresh and rested. Did anyone tell this to Collins?
Baby steps Brian, baby steps. Is it too soon to offer a jersey?
Rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic again? Even with a healthy Duda and Wright the Mets have a starless infield. In fact Cespedes is the lone star in our lineup. Everyone else is okay to solid but streaky. Collins has no idea how to play the hot hand.
“For nearly two months now, Wilmer Flores has been one of the best hitters on the team”
The “for nearly 2 months part” not true.
In his first 2 weeks and 12 games he was super lucky as the hits kept falling in, and with a .500 BABIP he posted a .389/.450/.500 line
Then for about 3 weeks and 19 games, he went ice cold as the hits stopped falling in and he hit .158/.222/.281 with a .149 BABIP
Then the homers started to come in bunches (he apparently loves to hit Lester and Nicolino) and he hit 6 HRs in 10 games to bring in stats to where they are now.
I think Collins is playing him the correct way : only against lefties. Even after his hot stretch, for the season he is batting a meager .233/.293/.383 line against righties, which follows a just as weak .637 OPS split against rightes in 2015.
Flores against RHP since 5/29 has a .708 OPS. Even against same-sided pitchers, he’s better than Walker has been, who always has the platoon advantage.
I’ve been meaning to ask you where you can get those splits. I remember the site had texas something in its url?
The site you’re thinking of is Texas Leaguers but I did this by hand.