Sunday, January 10, 2010

Catching Up With Endy

Via the ever-vigilant Metsblog.com:

According to Larry Stone of the Seattle Times, Endy Chavez will hold a showcase for interested teams in March, and is willing to sign a minor league contract.

According to Chavez’s agent, Peter Greenberg, there are many teams interested in Chavez, but if he remains unsigned, he would begin rehabbing with Jose Reyes in New York.


Count me as interested. Sure, maybe it's emotional more than anything - but I think Endy deserves a long look from us.

According to Mets.com, here are all the outfielders currently on the Mets 40-man roster:

44 Jason Bay
15 Carlos Beltran
-- Chris Carter
6 Nick Evans
12 Jeff Francoeur
26 Fernando Martinez
16 Angel Pagan

As of right now, we obviously have a tentative lineup of LF Bay, CF Beltran, and RF Francoeur. As mentioned earlier on this blog, we would love to see a Francoeur and Pagan platoon.

Beyond that, who makes the roster as the fifth outfielder? I'd say Fernando Martinez should be ticketed for AAA without a doubt. Then, of Carter and Evans, do either of them provide value in that role? I'm pretty optimistic about Chris Carter's chances to be a decent hitter, but he won't be getting any playing time as a slow-footed fifth outfielder. Nor would Evans.

Therefore, I think there is space for a guy like Endy. He could be a late-inning defensive replacement for Bay, so that we can use Pagan or Francoeur as a pinch-hitter. That would give us some more versatility than we are used to - as you remember, we haven't had a good option to pinch hit in a number of years.

If Endy is willing to take a cheap deal to come back to the Mets, I'd take it in a minute. Give him a chance to prove he is healthy and if he will still be an asset on defense.

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