This has clearly been an unexpected spring for the New York Mets. In January, the storyline was supposed to be veterans returning healthy and questions about the pitching staff. Well, the health issues are still there and the rotation looks as muddy as ever after Johann Santana – but neither is the big story in Port St. Lucie.
The big story is the youth movement.
Three young talents in particular have suddenly made the Mets seem like a team brimming with promise, and today’s outings didn’t change that storyline a bit.
Jenrry Mejia, fast becoming a 20-year-old Sidd Finch-like legend, mowed down the the Red Sox, requiring only six pitches for his 1-2-3 inning. As Anthony DiComo wrote at MLB.com: “Mejia has now allowed merely one run over 8 1/3 Grapefruit League innings, and — here’s the important part — he hasn’t walked a single batter.” Who can blame Jerry Manuel for wanting to take him north to set up K-Rod?
Meanwhile, 21-year-old Fernando Martinez, the requisite “five-tool player” who seemed destined to disappoint after an injury-plagued 2009, has exploded in Florida after winning MVP honors in the Caribbean World Series. Martinez smashed his third homer today against the Sawx and is now hitting .538 for the spring with 10 runs batted in. Martinez is a decent centerfielder, but he’s not Carlos Beltran and may project as a corner guy eventually – he’s got very strong arm. It seems likely the Mets will go with Angel Pagan in center till Beltran returns, and Pagan was a contributor on occasion during last year’s dismal campaign. But Pagan, in my view, is a good fourth outfielder on a winning team and not a building block. [Update: Ken Belsen of The Times has a nice piece on Martinez today.]
Meanwhile at first base, the Mets have seen the future and his name is Ike Davis. The big 22-year-old first-round draft choice is hitting .500 and slugging .909 with a couple of homers, and he looks like the future. (I’ll admit I think Daniel Murphy has a chance to blossom, given his 38 doubles last year). Davis is one of those guys who looks like a bad first-rounder in A ball but by the time he passes AA and hits his first major league spring training all of a sudden looks like a real player. The Mets are committed to starting him at AAA this year and you can’t blame them – but he could be the first-sacker at Citi Field for the next decade.
So who makes the team? Right now, Mejia looks like a lock – you simply can’t leave that combo of knee-buckling heat and movement in the minors when the early season’s on the line. And chances are, Martinez will also hit the minors while the Mets go with Pagan – I’d rather give him the chance to play. Davis is next year’s first-baseman – unless the Mets move Murphy after a bad start.
It’s funny, because we’ve heard for while how barren the Mets farm system is, but this spring, that judgment is in serious jeopardy. As a fan, it sure beats thinking about Ollie Perez and Mike Pelfrey.
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