Wilmer will go with flow -- any position OK

[Claymation]

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- There are no immediate plans to expose prospect Wilmer Flores to the outfield.

“Not in our camp,” Terry Collins told ESPNNewYork.com on Thursday.

Still, something may eventually have to give with the 21-year-old Flores.

A natural shortstop, Flores shifted primarily to third base last season, while also being exposed to second base and modest action at first base.

Now, with David Wright committed for another eight years, Flores either might have to eventually unseat Daniel Murphy at second base or start getting outfield exposure. (Sandy Alderson recently said if the bat is major league ready, the Mets will find a position.)

“I realize that,” Flores said. “I’ll just play wherever -- any position.”

Flores, originally signed as a 16-year-old out of Venezuela, hit a combined .300 with 18 homers and 75 RBIs in 493 at-bats last season between Class A St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton.

Exclusively a shortstop in the organization pre-2012, Flores played 87 games at third base, 27 games at second base and seven games at first base last season.

He had played second and third base in winter ball in Venezuela the past several seasons, so those positions were not entirely unfamiliar.

“I think I made the adjustment very well,” Flores said.

As for first base, he added: “A little weird. It’s another angle. It looks easy, but it’s not that easy.”

He has never played outfield before.

“But if I have to, I’ll play it,” he said.

Flores said he continues to learn a lot in winter ball, where his Margarita teammates include Henry Blanco, Jonathan Herrera and Alberto Gonzalez.

“Those guys have a lot of experience,” Flores said. “They talk to me a lot. I think I’ve learned a lot over the past three years in winter ball.”

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/met...medium=twitter

[YoungStuna]

So if he rakes in Vagas and our outfielders suck, I want to see him up here by July.

[Claymation]

I thought he was going to the Binghamton Mets.

[YoungStuna]

I thought he was going to the Binghamton Mets.

Seems like a waste, he raked there already.

[metswon69]

Sandy said in an SNY interview that Flores would start the season in AAA Vegas..

[fanofclendennon]

“I realize that,” Flores said. “I’ll just play wherever -- any position.”

Right. The kid sounds smarter than the people who run the organization. Don't rule out the outfield. If the kid truly can't play the position, he'll show us soon enough.

So silly, especially since outfield is more of a need right now than second base.

[jomota]

What's the harm in trying the guy in the OF for half a season at AAA and see if it works out????

[MetsFanatic19]

Right. The kid sounds smarter than the people who run the organization. Don't rule out the outfield. If the kid truly can't play the position, he'll show us soon enough.

So silly, especially since outfield is more of a need right now than second base.

Would you say the same if it were Murphy right now in Flores' place?

I want him to play where he would play his best and help the team the most, and if that's second base, then so be it. While I really like him, I'd gladly move Murphy to make way for Flores.

[fanofclendennon]

What's the harm in trying the guy in the OF for half a season at AAA and see if it works out????

Seriously.

[fanofclendennon]

Would you say the same if it were Murphy right now in Flores' place?

I want him to play where he would play his best and help the team the most, and if that's second base, then so be it. While I really like him, I'd gladly move Murphy to make way for Flores.

What's your point?

When Murphy came up in 2008, the need was in outfield. So they put Murphy in outfield where there was an immediate need for his bat. That he was a disaster there isn't the point. The point is we now know Murphy absolutely positively cannot play the outfield. We know no such thing about Wilmer Flores.

Now, if you replace Murphy at second base with Flores, you've replaced one bat with another at second base while doing nothing to help your outfield situation.

Can you spot the flaw in your logic?

[MetsFanatic19]

What's your point?

When Murphy came up in 2008, the need was in outfield. So they put Murphy in outfield where there was an immediate need for his bat. That he was a disaster there isn't the point. The point is we now know Murphy absolutely positively cannot play the outfield. We know no such thing about Wilmer Flores.

Now, if you replace Murphy at second base with Flores, you've replaced one bat with another at second base while doing nothing to help your outfield situation.

Can you spot the flaw in your logic?

That was actually the point I was trying to make. Murphy was a disaster in the outfield. Why should we do the same thing with Flores when he's getting comfortable at second base and we could move Murphy for an outfielder (we could've gotten Andy Dirks for him early in 2012)? I don't want to stick Wilmer out there and have him be a liability when he could play another position better, possibly producing more than Murphy, and when Murphy could easily be moved for someone who plays the outfield better than both Wilmer and Murphy.

[KnIckFaN.2883]

That was actually the point I was trying to make. Murphy was a disaster in the outfield. Why should we do the same thing with Flores when he's getting comfortable at second base and we could move Murphy for an outfielder (we could've gotten Andy Dirks for him early in 2012)? I don't want to stick Wilmer out there and have him be a liability when he could play another position better, possibly producing more than Murphy, and when Murphy could easily be moved for someone who plays the outfield better than both Wilmer and Murphy.

I wouldn't mind trading murphy to get an outfielder.who do you think needs an a secondbasmen

[Sick Of It All]

Kids will e game to play anywhere as long as they are in the majors, but I rather see Wilmer at 2nd.

I think Murphy could be a nice trade chip in July.

[fanofclendennon]

That was actually the point I was trying to make. Murphy was a disaster in the outfield. Why should we do the same thing with Flores when he's getting comfortable at second base and we could move Murphy for an outfielder (we could've gotten Andy Dirks for him early in 2012)? I don't want to stick Wilmer out there and have him be a liability when he could play another position better, possibly producing more than Murphy, and when Murphy could easily be moved for someone who plays the outfield better than both Wilmer and Murphy.

Because this team is going nowhere at the moment and you don't know if Flores will be a disaster in the OF. So it doesnt hurt to try. Ideally, you'd like both Murphys ande Flores' bat in the lineup. We know for a fact Murphy cannot play the outfield. Why not see if Flores can?

Sure, if you trade Murphy for an outfielder that would open up second base for Flores thus ending the conversation. But until that happens, you lose nothing by trying out Flores in the outfield.

[KnIckFaN.2883]

I think we could trade murphy for chris denorfia