Mets to use Jordany Valdespin in the infield this spring

[Sick Of It All]

http://www.nj.com/mets/index.ssf/201...valdespin.html

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Jordany Valdespin spent his offseason in the Dominican winter league honing his skills in rightfield, but Terry Collins said he would like to use Valdespin in the infield in the spring.

"This spring, we need to put him back in the infield a little bit," Collins said. "We know if, need be, we can play him in the outfield. We need to take a look at him in the infield right now."

Coming off a rookie season in which he hit a franchise-record five pinch-hit home runs, Valdespin is likely to begin the season with Triple-A Las Vegas due to a logjam in the outfield and concern over his defensive skills in the middle infield.

"Whereever they want to put me, I'm ready," Valdespin, 25, said after reporting to Mets camp Saturday. "Last year I showed that I can help this team so we'll see what happens."

In 39 Dominican league games with Leones del Escogido, Valdespin hit .285 with five home runs in 93 at-bats and 10 steals in 18 attempts. He then hit .257 in 35 at-bats as the team went on to lose in the Caribbean Series final against Marlon Byrd's team from Mexico.
"You have to show that you can play at his level and that's my plan," Valdespin said. "I prepared myself for all possible situations. If they send me to Triple-A or if I stay in the big leagues, whatever. I'm ready for anything."

The free-swinging Valdespin had a .710 on-base plus slugging percentage in 206 plate appearances with the Mets last season. He added 10 steals and struck out 44 times. He played all three outfield positions, and second base and shortstop.

"Obviously what we saw at the end is we've got to get him to be a little more disciplined at the plate to handle some of the offspeed stuff they started giving him a steady diet of later in the season," Collins said. "Deeper in the count you've got to start being a little more disciplined."

Umm, so they rather use the slow footed Lutz and Turner in the outfield and use the faster Valdespin in the infield?

Ok, is this bizzaro world?

BTW I think Valdespin at 2nd could be valuable for a team and if he shows improved BB rates as he did in the DWL, then he could really valuable.

...but honestly I rather see him in RF over Baxter.

[YoungStuna28]

This is not bizzaro world. Lutz is blocked at 3B and he's shown a good bat in the minors. To use him in the OF a bit is the only way to get him AB. They might be using Turner slightly in the OF, but I feel he's more of a emergency guy out there. They just want to increase his versatility.

Valdespin has the most value at 2B. He's an average fielder with good range and ability to turn DPs. His little power/speed combo would work quite nicely there, even more so with improved plate discipline.

Baxter will be our RF this year, and Brown will likely platoon with him.

[Sick Of It All]

Lutz is likely a 1st baseman actually, he is pretty bad at third oh and btw he has had numerous leg injuries that have made him only slower, yet he will be tried in the outfield?

Some believe Ike needs a platoon guy and Lutz would be that guy, but even if Ike starts most of the time, Lutz should still be the guy that gives him days off and or be used as a PH, in the outfield he is another Duda maybe worst.

Valdespin has most value at 2nd, but this teems need outfielders and specially guys with some speed, but the one guy that has had some success in the majors and could be a decent corner outfielder gets moved back to the infield?

The only way he should be moved back to 2nd is if Murphy gets hurt, but even then he has been an infielder most of his pro life that it should be second nature, in the outfield the Mets need athletes and yet they are putting slow lumbering guys out there for fun it seems.

Oy vey!

Is *** backwards.

[YoungStuna28]

He's not that bad at 3B. His range has decreased a bit, but he's still capable of playing the position.

If Lutz has any chance of making the team, he needs more versatility. Playing 1B and 3B is not enough since Terry said Ike will play everyday this year and obviously Wright is as well.

Valdespin is not making the team over Baxter. Baxter is starting in RF unless Terry has a fetish for Marlon Byrd.

[Sick Of It All]

Lutz was an average at best 3rd baseman when he came up, his value was always with his bat because he can simply rake. While he could do the routine play hit near him, he lacked a strong arm there as well, but now with the numerous leg injuries his range is much much less and he should only be looked at as a 1st baseman PH with pop. In LF he will be horrible period, the Mets need to stop this madness of using slow lumbering guys out there.

You can't make a non versatile guy versatile.

This idea the Baxter has earned the RF job is also pretty freaking silly, a guy who as he played more and more did less and less and yet somehow he has earned the starting RF spot? that is silly in so many ways, Valdespin should be given just as equal a chance to be that guy, Valdespin also actually has more pop, something that Baxter does not have much off and if Valdespin has indeed improved on his BB rates as he did much better there in the DWL, then that along with his power makes him a better starting candidate than Baxter.

Nobody should be given a spot in that outfield as of yet, nobody has earned it, nobody is there is good enough to be handed out a starting spot or even a spot as a platoon player period.

[YoungStuna28]

Well that's what they are doing. They obviously don't think his injuries were that severe to try him out there. A PH 1st baseman with some pop is not that valuable of an asset to a ML bench.

The way the team constructed, only one of Valdespin and Baxter could make the team, and they value Valdespin more as a 2B than corner OF. As pitchers adjusted to Valdespin, he hit for much less power.


Baxter is the more ML ready option right now, and he was doing a great job before the injury. He deserves a shot to be the starting RF vs. RHP.

[KnIckFaN.2883]

i rather see valdespin play at 2 and trade murphy for an outfielder honestly.that would be ideal.

[Sick Of It All]

Baxter was doing well because perhaps he was used limited and as he played more he was exposed and showed he is best suited to be a bench guy.

Oh and some of Lutz injuries were incredibly severe, the dude fractured his foot and spend 6 months on crutches and after that he had other leg injuries, the Mets are hoping that like Duda his bat will make people overlook his deficiencies as a fielder and like Duda that will not be the case. I do not need to see the same movie with a different actor to know the outcome will be the same.

The adjustment argument for Valdespin can be used on Baxter, both struggled in the 2nd half. Again none of the 2 should be given a spot period, in this team both guys should have a shot at being the starter there since there is no clear candidate to be the starter and mlb ready means jack here, for that reasoning the Mets should just give Byrd the job since he at least has been a capable starter in the pros at some point.

[YoungStuna28]

Baxter was doing well because perhaps he was used limited and as he played more he was exposed and showed he is best suited to be a bench guy.

Oh and some of Lutz injuries were incredibly severe, the dude fractured his foot and spend 6 months on crutches and after that he had other leg injuries, the Mets are hoping that like Duda his bat will make people overlook his deficiencies as a fielder and like Duda that will not be the case. I do not need to see the same movie with a different actor to know the outcome will be the same.

The adjustment argument for Valdespin can be used on Baxter, both struggled in the 2nd half. Again none of the 2 should be given a spot period, in this team both guys should have a shot at being the starter there since there is no clear candidate to be the starter and mlb ready means jack here, for that reasoning the Mets should just give Byrd the job since he at least has been a capable starter in the pros at some point.

How was he exposed? Everyone in the 2nd half other than Davis seemed to suck.

Lutz will still be used in the OF during ST, it's the only way to give him AB.

As for Byrd, he's a washed up 35 year old, Baxter is 28 and trying to establish himself.

[numbers-king]

SOIA, Pretty harsh assessment of Baxter post-collar bone injury. Did the guy run over your cat or something?

[Sick Of It All]

...and Baxter has done nothing to be given an everyday spot, he sucked the more he played. What others did means nothing.

Byrd may be washed up, but again given your point of Baxter being more mlb ready than Valdespn as a reason he should start then Byrd should start over both of them given he at least has had some solid years in the majors not that long ago, he only sucked in 2012.

[Sick Of It All]

The outfield should be an open try out, guys like Duda, Kirk and Baxter do not deserve to be given starting spots over Valdespin, they all had issues last year on offense.

[numbers-king]

Disagree greatly with your Baxter analysis. Guy can play. Good eye, Good contact%, more than capable defensively. Legit excuse for 2H tail-off. Looks much better than anything the Mets have added this offseason. Valdespin has major plate discipline problems (34% O-Swing) to solve before he ever has a chance of hitting for a decent average. Baxter being one of the front-runners for an OF job seems obvious to me.

[Captain Moroni]

i rather see valdespin play at 2 and trade murphy for an outfielder honestly.that would be ideal.

Someone making sence. Love his idea

[jomota]

Only the Mets could have a "logjam in the outfield" with no legitimate outfielders.

Logjam made out of toothpicks.