Why is he getting a pass? I hate it when we talk about what the Mets need as far as upgrades and neglect certain holes. Okay, yes, a better catcher and outfield is a must. But Murphy stinks too. He had the third lowest fielding percentage last year and only two second basemen in all of baseball had more errors than him(Omar Infante and Ian Kinsler). And aside from Robinson Cano, I'd say Kinsler is the best hitting second baseman in all of baseball. Murphy's bat is hardly good enough to make up for his pathetic defense. And if the Mets are really trying to build a team with strong pitching, you can't have a liability at demanding positions defensively like 2b when that second basemen doesn't even hit well enough to make up for it. 6 homeruns last year...ridiculous. I know Ruben Tejada isn't much of a hitter, but at least he looks to be potentially a very good defensive shortstop.

Fredo's going with the age old strategy of great pitching to go along with no speed and lousey defense. lol

Second base would be considered a hole on a complete team. On this team it is only a slight leak that can be lived with until after the holes have been plugged. It is that simple.

Exactly

Daniel doubles in clutch.....watch the games.

Maybe he has pics of jeffy with a hooker? I dont know?

maybe you should look at Murphy's ENTIRE stat line...and not just "hrs." He did bat about .300, he did hit 40 doubles, he hardly EVER strikes out, he works the count, etc. Why didn't you mention any of this? Also, Murphy wasn't as terrible as you are portraying him.

I don't really look at doubles as a big stat, honestly, especially when you're playing half your games at Citifield. You also have to take into account that Thole, Tejada are clones of Murphy: Hit for average with zero power. That's already three spots on your team that you're going to get maybe like 10-15 homeruns COMBINED from three players. It's way too little power. He also has no speed either. DFAB, if Murphy he played a much, much better defense, this wouldn't even be a discussion. I just think that if you're talking about upgrading the team, the Mets certainly can look into 2b as well.

Murphy's career OBP is only 339. That isn't exactly a number that would jump out at me as someone who works the count. He only walked 36 times last year. Not a very high number.

"I don't really look at doubles as a big stat, honestly, especially when you're playing half your games at Citifield."

Sorry but your credibility just got flushed down the toilet. Doubles are NOT a big stat?? How? There ARE other ways to drive in runs other than hitting the long ball you know....and sometimes doubles drive in MORE runs than hrs!

"You also have to take into account that Thole, Tejada are clones of Murphy"

Uh.....

"He also has no speed either. DFAB"

Neither does Miguel Cabrera...guess he stinks too. You don't have to have speed to be good. If he was a leadoff guy then yea...he would need speed. He is a 6/7 hitter...speed isn't an issue.

"if Murphy he played a much, much better defense, this wouldn't even be a discussion."

Murphy only really needs to play average defense since he DOES have a quality bat whether you think so or not.

"I just think that if you're talking about upgrading the team, the Mets certainly can look into 2b as well."

Sure...if guys like Cano, Pedroia, etc. were available. Second base is the least of our worries right now. If we get 3 outfields and a real catcher and THEN we decide that we need a new 2b, fine.

what about his BA? How does that look? How often does he strike out? Look at ALL of his stats and not just certain ones....

Second base is one of the most important positions on the diamond defensively, especially for a team that is trying to build their future on pitching. I know Murphy hits for a decent average, but he does nothing else. No speed, no power. Murphy had only 65 RBIs, so obviously the 40 doubles didn't help much. You have to hit more than 6 HRS a year to drive in a lot of runs regardless if you hit a lot of doubles. Thole, Tejada are clones of Murphy because their only strengths offensively is batting average. They can't run and they can't for power just like Murphy. Miguel Cabrera? Oh, come on. Miguel Cabrera is the best hitter in baseball and plays a position that is the least demanding defensively. Omar Infante and Ian Kinsler were the only two other second basemen in the majors last year who made more errors than Murphy. And Kinsler(aside from Cano) is the best hitting second basemen in the game. Sorry, but Murphy is no Ian Kinsler offensively.

So both second baseman that had more errors then Daniel Murphy were in the playoffs.
Infante lost in the World Series and Kinsler lost in the playoffs after losing in the WS the two years before that. Kind of blows your theory up that we need defense at the position to win.

Kinsler the second best offensive second baseman to Cano, in your mind, had 7 more rbi's 2 more doubles batted .35 points lower had a lower on base and ops then Murphy and you are saying we have a hole at second?

I would say we actually have nothing to worry about at second base compared to the rest of the positions on this team.

You really need to look over the stats before you just say things. Kinsler may hit more home runs but he plays in an offensive ball park surrounded by the like of Josh Hamilton and Adrian Beltre and Nelson Cruz and does not blow away Murphy stat wise.

Rangers were always overrated. They lost because they starting pitching overachieved. Kinsler is not to blame for that. Kinsler hits for much more power. The best offensive teams, nym698641, hit a lot of homeruns. It's too bad the organization for so long doesn't get that. You know, also, nym698641, defense probably wouldn't be as big an issue if, say, the Mets had another two or three hitters on their team who can put up similar numbers to Ike Davis and David Wright, which obviously is not the case.

13 more home runs but only 7 more rbi's. Do the math.

More tolerable on a team loaded with other hitters of an offense that is superior to the Mets. The Mets for sure are going to be one the weaker offensive ballclubs in baseball, so they can't afford to have a liability at a very, very important defensive position.

I didn't say Kinsler was to blame. I was pointing out that you said those two guys had more errors then Murphy and I was showing that those teams won anyway so Murphy's defense would not hinder the Mets and that his offense is not bad. After 3rd base and 1st base I say 2nd base is the least of our problems.

Murphy is a fine stop gap. Keep in mind we have put a lot of recent draft focus on the middle infield. Is he ideal? No, but he provides needed offense for now. Find me an outfielder (or 3) before we focus on Murphy.