Today’s multiple projection piece focuses on infielders, with a look at David Wright, Jose Reyes and Wilmer Flores. Lucas Duda may figure in here, too, but the idea was to hold him off for last to see if we can learn anything about his ability to play during Spring Training. We seemingly get daily updates on Wright but Duda information hasn’t been quite as available.

Wright seems able to bend but not throw, there are rumors of Reyes in the outfield and there’s talk of Flores filling in at three infield positions. Right now the whole thing seems extremely muddy and that’s without even any consideration of Duda’s health. If Wright starts on Opening Day, he easily becomes the MLB regular with the least amount of chance to play 162 games. Other than that, who knows? Here are our individual picks for the trio:

Wright   Reyes   Flores  
  PA OPS PA OPS PA OPS
Dalton Allsion 200 .682 460 .697 430 .673
Joe Barbieri 277 .723 419 .711 335 .756
John Fox 190 .700 450 .760 480 .795
Charlie Hangley 182 .873 415 .820 213 .759
Brian Joura 225 .775 490 .690 215 .710
Mike Koehler 150 .775 350 .695 500 .750
Matt Netter 275 .700 450 .690 400 .850
Jim O’Malley 305 .770 410 .690 415 .750
Rob Rogan 176 .765 392 .730 310 .750
Mike Ryan 150 .720 574 .745 435 .750
Chris Walendin 250 .795 350 .715 425 .825

Jim takes the optimist title on Wright’s playing time with 305 PA, while Charlie does so with his production, as he has Wright supplying an .873 OPS. The two Mikes are the playing time bears (150 PA) while Dalton sees only a .682 OPS.

In conjunction with Wright’s lack of playing time, Mike R. sees Reyes amassing 574 PA, while Charlie sees him with the most production, with an .820 OPS. Everyone sees Reyes getting at least 350 PA, yet five of us see him failing to crack a .700 OPS. Mike K. sees Flores getting 500 PA and Matt sees an .850 OPS. Charlie and I see Flores with the least amount of playing time, while Dalton is very bearish on results, as he has Flores with just a .673 OPS.

As expected, our individual forecasts are all over the map. Here are our official group forecasts for the trio:

Infielders2017

Our group numbers seem mostly to make sense. Wright and Reyes combine for about what you would expect for a full season of PA, perhaps a bit on the light side. But Flores has a role much greater than short side of a platoon at 1B, an indication of him seeing time at other positions. The Flores OPS number seems optimistic for that many PA, especially for a guy with a lifetime .661 mark against RHP. Now let’s see what the computer models think:

Wright Reyes Flores  
  PA OPS PA OPS PA OPS
Mets360 216 .765 433 .711 378 .750
Steamer 253 .723 449 .683 312 .748
ZiPS 331 .712 456 .707 477 .723

Usually, my default assumption is to defer to the projection models, unless there’s something we know that the computers don’t. In this case, it might be best to make an exception. Not that we know something but rather that no one knows anything. It’s interesting how close the OPS projections are for each system for both Reyes and Flores. Playing time for Reyes, too.

The ZiPS comp for Wright is Billy Johnson, who drew MVP votes in his rookie year of 1943 before leaving for World War II. He came back to play until 1953 but did not have anywhere close to the peak of Wright. ZiPS goes back even further for Reyes, picking out Jersey Joe Stripp, who was no Jack Glasscock. But finally, with Flores, we get a comp that might bring a smile to your face. ZiPS picks Mike Lowell, a four-time All-Star who twice drew MVP support. Lowell got a much later start than Flores but in the first decade of the 21st Century, Lowell put up a 111 OPS+ over 5,897 PA.

6 comments on “Mets360 2017 projections: David Wright, Jose Reyes, Wilmer Flores

  • TexasGusCC

    Already we have heard the Mets say that if David Wright isn’t ready, he won’t be activated. As such, my prediction is less than 120 at bats in a Rusty Staub “pinch hitter deluxe” position.

  • Metsense

    It is very difficult to project Wright and Reyes at third base because Wright is such an unknown. By the ended of the season, I can see Reyes starting more games at third base than Wright. Judging by the way TC manages, that will also mean Cabrera and Walker will be getting very little rest. Flores will get his AB’s platooning at first, pinch hitting, and spelling Walker. Collins will lean on Reyes heavily.
    Wright 225 PA 801OPS
    Reyes 536 PA 757 OPS
    Flores 260 PA 792 OPS

    • Brian Joura

      That’s a lot of optimism! I’d be very happy if Reyes produced like that because I think he’s going to see the most playing time of the bunch. We didn’t break out the individual components of OPS but I’d be curious if the group thought that Reyes would be able to duplicate his ISO from last year. Even when his AVG fell off badly in September, Reyes was still posting his best ISO since 2008.

      • Jimmy P

        I’ve been less surprised by Reyes’s uptick in power, personally. It seems like a natural progression that we’ve seen before from other athletes. As the legs begin to play a smaller role in their games, and as bodies mature and grow bigger, the power becomes greater.

        He’s always been able to go deep, but I think the nature of his game has shifted.

        I would prefer more OBP than SLG for Jose, but I don’t think it’s going to happen. Right now, he’s just a bad leadoff hitter against RHP.

        It’s probably the thing that most troubles me when I look at the Mets vs. the Nats. The Nationals will have Eaton and Turner at the top of the order, getting on base all the time, and with speed, and the Mets just don’t have anything comparable.

        • Brian Joura

          Yeah, we usually think of power developing/not falling off with older players but the Reyes 2016 power still seems different to me.

          His ISO went down in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 and then to have a rebound to 2008 levels is not what I consider a natural progression. He hit 6 triples over 1,593 PA from 2013-15 and then last year hit 4 in 279 PA. He hit a HR every 61.3 PA in 2013-15 and then hit one every 34.9 PA last year. Neither of those rates seem sustainable.

  • Chris F

    Mets new beat writer for nj.com has this to say today:

    1. David Wright said he’s still on track to be ready for opening day
    2. TC said Wright and Wheeler both threw with no discomfort today.

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