Den Dekker likely to get Vegas center stage

[Sick Of It All]

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/met...stage-at-vegas

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- As Andres Torres, Scott Hairston and Kirk Nieuwenhuis all nursed injuries last March, the Mets seriously had to weigh center-field prospect Matt den Dekker breaking camp on the Opening Day roster.

It ultimately did not materialize because Torres and Hairston came north (although Torres became reinjured in the opener).

“They told me it was a possibility if there were injuries, but it was definitely a long shot,” said den Dekker, a fifth-round pick in 2010 from the University of Florida. “And you see what happened.”

Would den Dekker have been ready?

“I think I would have played as well as I could have played,” he said. “I felt good at the end of spring and played well in the first half last year.”

Den Dekker, 25, ended up hitting .340 with eight homers, 29 RBIs and 10 steals in 238 at-bats with Double-A Binghamton. That earned him a mid-June promotion to Triple-A Buffalo, where he hit .220 with nine homers, 47 RBIs and 11 steals in 295 at-bats.

Known for his ability to track down balls in center, den Dekker does need to cut down on his strikeouts -- and particularly lay off breaking balls spinning downward into the dirt. He had 154 strikeouts in 533 minor league at-bats in 2012. Team officials fear he would strike out 200-plus times in the majors without better discipline.

So den Dekker likely will open the season patrolling center field at Triple-A Las Vegas. But a 2013 call-up appears on track, with the timing partially dependent upon the performances of the fellow lefty-hitter Nieuwenhuis as well as Collin Cowgill.

Den Dekker made adjustments from the second half of 2011 in Double-A (when he hit .211) to the first half of 2012 (when he hit .340 with the B-Mets). So he has shown an ability to regroup with a higher-level challenge.

Den Dekker suggested second-half swoons in both of his full professional seasons might have as much to do with running out of gas late in the year as adjusting to a higher-level challenge.

“I’ve been working hard trying to have a good full season,” den Dekker said. “It’s maybe a little fatigue the first couple of seasons. This year I’ve been training hard in the offseason, eating right and doing a lot of right things. I think that’s going to help me to stay successful throughout the year.”

Although he could end up in a platoon in the majors, den Dekker at least has the tools for a potential 20-steal, 20-homer season as a full-time player. He has averaged 17 homers and 23 steals in each of his two full pro seasons.

“I’ve always been able to hit the ball out,” den Dekker said. “I don’t go up there trying to hit home runs, but I’ll run into some occasionally. I think I’ll be around that number every year -- 15 to 20 home runs.”

As for the strikeout total, den Dekker said: “Swing and misses and a lot of chasing pitches. … I talked to Hudgy [hitting coach Dave Hudgens] about that. That’s my goal for the spring: to try to minimize my strikeouts and put the ball in play as much as I can.”

He should start in Vegas rightfully so, but this is the guy I want to see get the nod in CF, hopefully by mid season. I am a Kirk fan, but his range was never great and with the foot injury from last year, he might have lost a step. dD'd defense is a plus one, so am hoping for his bat to get better.

[YoungStuna28]

Kirk was just fine in CF, and based on videos he looks to be moving very well out there.

I think Kirk is going to give more bat with solid average defense in CF.

I hope both are successful though, because then Kirk can be moved to RF, and den Dekker can move to CF.

[Sick Of It All]

Kirk will always look fine because he has excellent reads, but dD is the guy with better defense there, looking and actually quantifying how much range a guy has just with the eye test is misleading.

I dunno if Kirk has a better bat either, both are actually very similar.

[YoungStuna28]

Oh I think den Dekker is better defensively don't get me wrong.

I see Kirk as a .260/.330/.420 guy with average defense right now.

I see den Dekker more like a .230/.300/.380 guy with plus defense right now.

We'll see.

[Sick Of It All]

I think is premature to put numbers on what these guys might do, dD just has the better tools. I love Kirk though and still think he can be a very good player even in RF.

[MetsFanatic19]

If dD, and Kirk for that matter, can cut down their K's, I think they can both be very serviceable for the Mets.

[YoungStuna28]

I think is premature to put numbers on what these guys might do, dD just has the better tools. I love Kirk though and still think he can be a very good player even in RF.

Kirk has better plate discipline than den Dekker that is why I came up with the numbers. They both have ~15 HR pop.

[5+7=DYNASTY!!!]

This team needs a good defense to help our only strength which is our pitching. If the Mets are going to win this year it will be because of pitching, so I'd put dD in center and Kirk in right, working in Cowgill against the tough lefties.

[YoungStuna28]

This team needs a good defense to help our only strength which is our pitching. If the Mets are going to win this year it will be because of pitching, so I'd put dD in center and Kirk in right, working in Cowgill against the tough lefties.

Team also needs to score runs. Baxter is the best option for RF right now at least.

[Sick Of It All]

Baxter is the saddest option of a RF as I ever seen, where is Shane Spencer when you need him.

[5+7=DYNASTY!!!]

Team also needs to score runs. Baxter is the best option for RF right now at least.

We're going to struggle to score runs regardless of who plays in RF. Why not play to our strength.

[metswon69]

Baxter is the saddest option of a RF as I ever seen, where is Shane Spencer when you need him.

Working at Walmart with Benny Agbayani..

[YoungStuna28]

We're going to struggle to score runs regardless of who plays in RF. Why not play to our strength.

Because den Dekker is not ready, and Kirk's value is highest at CF not RF. Teams will play guys in RF worse than Mike Baxter. Getting on base with moderate power has some value.

[numbers-king]

Stop with the personal attacks? What personal attacks? The only personal attacks are you against Mike Baxter for no apparent reason whatsoever.

[Sick Of It All]

If you guys cant stop getting personal, then the next time be advised that you will be given an infraction or ban.

Oh and thinking a player is not good enough to start, is not a personal attack, is an opinion on what you think of that player, directing post at other members with personal insults. Is a personal attack.

You have been warned.