Even David Wright, Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes can’t make up for this sort of thing, and even the Mets should be able to find a first baseman and right fielder who can hit better than the average shortstop.

I really hope that Marchman doesn't become a bitter sportswriter. It's good to be objective, it's good to be critical of management who deserve it, but when a guy starts giving shots like this, I worry that he is on his way to becoming CHB.

At least Murphy is cheap and pretty good defensively. He would make a useful jack-of-all trades utility guy and backup 1Bman. He can still contribute.

I liked what I saw of Francoeur last year. I wouldn't mind giving him another year as long as the Mets are willing to pull the plug if he regresses.

Geez, Murphy had a sucky year? Who knew?

The thing about Frenchie's numbers are that they were AWFUL with the Braves, just truly truly awful, which pulls down the figure Marchman provides considerably. He might be emo enough to replicate his Mets numbers all year, but WTF knows?

I wish the Mets were good. They're on the radio a lot around here.

I had no idea that you could substitute other interrogative pronouns in WTF? Like, "WTF are you going?" "WTF knows?" And, "WTF are you asking me?" Or, "WTF are we going?" Brilliant.

He would make a useful jack-of-all trades utility guy and backup 1Bman.

Except that he really can't play anything but first base.

WTF art thou Romeo?

I still think that Murphy can be useful, even as a 1b. He was only 24 last year and improved in the second half. He doesn't strike out much. His power, which was a primary knock on him before the season, was decent. I'm hopeful that with some experience, he can make the necessary adjustments to improve his BA and that he can develop additional power with age.

Around May 15 or so, I'll pop in to a Mets chatter and give y'all my list of ways to deal with Francoeur-related stress without breaking things or destroying relationships.

WTF art thou Romeo?

Primey

The Mets should trade Samson to the Yankees. He'd be useless there.

ha-ha.

Except that 5 teams, non-Mets teams, got an OPS below Murphy's projected 734. Four teams did worse than Francoeur's projected 735 and another 4 were under 760 (the Mets were one of those). Seven teams had LFs worse than that and another 5 below 760.

Yes, you'd think the Mets could afford better solutions but the notion that having a 1B/RF who hits this poorly is beyond the pale of reason isn't true. The ones with lousy RF included San Fran, Atlanta and St. Louis who were competitive. The crappy 1B teams included San Fran and Texas. The crappy LF teams only included Atlanta, Cubs and Seattle.

Obviously being crappy at 2 of the 3 is gonna cramp your style (though having Lincecum helps) and the Mets clearly are at risk of being crappy at all three.

Anyway, part of this is that the average SS hits pretty good these days (although only 10 did better than the Murphy/Francoeur projections), part is injuries, etc. causing bench players to get a lot more player than lots of folks realize, and part is that average players are harder to find than a lot of folks realize.

Murphy is bad, but he isn't so bad that no team in baseball has any business allowing him on the roster.

For me the question is not about Murphy, it's about the Mets. If they have real playoff aspirations, then Murphy at first is ridiculous. But if they are in a transition or "retooling" year, he deserves some more ABs. He was a very good hitter in the minors and if you are generous with his BABIP his 2009 line doesn't look quite so ugly: it resembles his career numbers which are disappointing but really OK.

Around May 15 or so, I'll pop in to a Mets chatter and give y'all my list of ways to deal with Francoeur-related stress without breaking things or destroying relationships.

Cool. We'll do the same when Wagner's inevitable injuries leaves the bullpen in a shambles during the stretch run.

Russlan, don't try to compare Francoeur with Wagner. Wagner is good at sports.

Russlan, don't try to compare Francoeur with Wagner. Wagner is good at sports.

First, I didn't hate on Wagner's ability, I hated on his durability. More importantly, how ya gonna do another Met BTFer like that? Ya gotta have my back when I am in a snarkfest with a Brave BTFer, homey.

don't try to compare Francoeur with Wagner. Wagner is good at sports.

Francoeur was good at football...

To be fair, Wagner was good at baseball...

I wish Francoeur would get lost. Literally. Like not be able to find NY.

Francoeur has been good for the Mets his entire career. I don't know why people expect that to change.

What's the opening over/under line on Murphy's OPS next year? 0.875?

What's the opening over/under line on Murphy's OPS next year? 0.875?


You forgot the "+".

I had no idea that you could substitute other interrogative pronouns in WTF? Like, "WTF are you going?" "WTF knows?" And, "WTF are you asking me?" Or, "WTF are we going?" Brilliant.

I would advise against starting your cover letter with "To WTF It May Concern".

Frenchie is primed to be hated, but if Mets fans are going to hate on him while he puts up the same numbers this coming season as he did for us last season, they're turning into Phillies' fans. (The bad ones)

I wish Francoeur would get lost. Literally. Like not be able to find NY.

Luckily, Delta will pick him up, because those swell guys sure know how to take care of a boy like Jeff on his way to the big city!

they're turning into Phillies' fans. (The bad ones)

In the World According to Lassus, are there any other kinds? :)
Francoeur is certainly one of the early season interest story. Looking at his line on BRef, he's very schizo-Babippity, isn't he? When he's done OK to well, his BABIP is .336 or .337; when not, between .274 and .284.

I'm going to title my next academic essay "WTF Literary Studies in English?"

Looking at his line on BRef, he's very schizo-Babippity, isn't he? When he's done OK to well, his BABIP is .336 or .337; when not, between .274 and .284.

Yes, he's extremely streaky, so he'll look decent/horrendous for several months. But, I think we have enough sample to conclude his "true-talent" is a merely crappy 95 OPS+ with his career avg. .300 BABIP.

He'll have to make some major adjustment to his approach to do much better than that. He doesn't have the power or speed to sustain .330-340 BABIP, and his 5% BB-rate and 20% K-rate make it impossible to sustain a decent OBP w/o a high BA.

In the World According to Lassus, are there any other kinds? :)

Sure. Um. Well... Crispix?

That's about it.

Francoeur has been good for the Mets his entire career. I don't know why people expect that to change.

Probably because it doesn't make sense to ignore the 2600 bad PA in favor of the 300 where he hit well.

Probably because it doesn't make sense to ignore the 2600 bad PA in favor of the 300 where he hit well.

Your sarcasm detector is on the fritz.

Your sarcasm detector is on the fritz.

The thing is - there ARE some fans who really do think that way. It's hard to tell the jokes apart from the serious ones.

The thing is - there ARE some fans who really do think that way. It's hard to tell the jokes apart from the serious ones.

isn't there a razor named after this phenomena?

Ockham Razor Shines?

I liked what I saw of Francoeur last year. I wouldn't mind giving him another year as long as the Mets are willing to pull the plug if he regresses.

Francoeur as a Met:
.311/.338/.498 for an .836 OPS in 308 PA and a .343 BABIP

Murphy in his final 266 PA
.294/.321/.504 for an .825 OPS with a .333 BABIP

Given that Francoeur will cost somewhere around 8-10 times as much as Murphy and also has 2000+ lousy ABs in the majors compared to 162 lousy ABs for Murphy, I don't understand why people are willing to give him another chance (without any caveats about a rebuilding year) and not extend the same courtesy to Murphy.

Check that, Murphy's BABIP was .322

Part of it has to be that you are asking Murphy to play 1B, Francoeur RF.

Frankly, though, I'm not crazy about either of them as 2010 regulars. Still think a year for Murphy playing 2B at Triple-A is the way to go, since his bat doesn't profile well at 1B and he sure isn't a LF.

Still think a year for Murphy playing 2B at Triple-A is the way to go, since his bat doesn't profile well at 1B and he sure isn't a LF.

That makes a tremendous amount of sense.

So, with Murphy in the minors, do you resign Delgado, play Evans, make a trade or sign a FA to play 1B?

There's been some talk that the Mets are interested in Willingham.

I don't think you can sign Delgado without trading Castillo and getting a better defensive second baseman.

So, with Murphy in the minors, do you resign Delgado, play Evans, make a trade or sign a FA to play 1B?

I'd go after Branyan or Nick Johnson. But even a cheap signing like Eric Hinske would likely match Murphy's production.

Murphy being a 2nd baseman is a dream.

Murphy being a 2nd baseman is a dream.

Probably, but why not give it a month or two?

Given that Francoeur will cost somewhere around 8-10 times as much as Murphy and also has 2000+ lousy ABs in the majors compared to 162 lousy ABs for Murphy, I don't understand why people are willing to give him another chance (without any caveats about a rebuilding year) and not extend the same courtesy to Murphy.

I think that Francoeur's opening day start is guaranteed. To the point that we have all just realized that it is time to accept it as fact and hope for the best. This is scary. It impels the imagination to dwell on other topics.

Murphy's immediate future is still up in the air, so he will inspire more discussion.