The Mets are among the teams that will meet with outfielder Denard Span sometime in the new year, Ken Davidoff of the New York Post writes. The Mets want to determine if Span is healthy before signing him — he missed time with a series of injuries in 2015 before finally having season-ending hip surgery in September, and he wound up playing in just 61 games.
As Davidoff notes, adding Span would enable the Mets to move the light-hitting Juan Lagares into a fourth outfielder role. The Mets have also been connected to Gerardo Parra (who is, like Span, a left-handed hitter capable of playing center field) and could pursue other outfield options as well.
The 31-year-old Span was effective when he was able to play in 2015, batting .301/.365/.431 in 275 plate appearances and stealing 11 bases without being caught. His defense has historically been strong in center field, although his performance in metrics like UZR and Defensive Runs Saved has regressed in the last two seasons.
In addition to the Mets, Span has also been connected to the Nationals (the team with whom he played the last three seasons) this winter, although the Nationals reportedly also want to see whether Span is healthy before they sign him. Via Davidoff, Span’s agent Scott Boras says his client has already met with some teams.
Hopefully one of the teams he has met with it the Tigers. Until he signs elsewhere, I will continue to state that he would be a great addition to fill the role of genuine leadoff hitter, that the Tigers have been lacking in recent years. He would be a huge upgrade over the current Maybin/Collins platoon scheduled to play LF. Maybin could then be used in Rajai’s role, as a RH compliment to Gose in CF. Most importantly, it would prevent the necessity of putting Gose, Maybin, or Iglesias, all players with disappointing OBA, from having to fill one of the top two spots in the order with Kinsler (who’s OBA is nothing great). Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone on base when Miggy, Victor and JD come to bat?
Amen! He’d look great in CF at Comerica, and then Gose/Maybin can be a true platoon. They’ve needed a real lead off guy for too long.
Stop being cheap mets. Get cespedes!!!!! Trade lagares for an arm.
Don’t do it! The Mets are starting to fall for the old “name” trick. They have a year of success and then worry they won’t be able to repeat it so they start to bring in players that once had “names” (ie Cabrera, Walker) Just look at the 2015 Redsox bringing in “names” because they felt the pressure. Unfortunately look how that worked out. Because when you go after names on the market they come with costly contracts that are often 2 or 3 years longer than they should be. I would suggest to continue letting Lagares roam CF and see if he can pull it together at the plate. This guys young and can definitely cover ground out there. Maybe hes not the future of the Mets but they still have Brandon Nimmo waiting in the wings in AAA. If a platoon is really the option for the Mets in CF then bring in somebody like David Lough or Nate McClouth (or hey maybe even swing a deal for Den Dekker) as a fourth outfielder so that way Lagares’ market doesn’t get crushed once Nimmo is ready. By signing someone like Span its basically telling teams they’ve given up on Lagares (that he has no value) and that they need a ML ready replacement. Personally I still think theres some value in Lagares.
None of the guys you named – Lough, McClouth, Nimmo – have any ability to play center. If Span is healthy and can be had at a 1 or 2 year deal, then what’s the harm? He’d be a great platoon guy with Lagares.
“If healthy” is the key there … he’s coming off hip surgery and his game is all about speed. I don’t know what kind of hip surgery, but judging by the reluctance of teams that really need CF’s to consider him, I would guess it’s something degenerative or otherwise serious.
Span isn’t going to platoon with Lagares. I might be wrong but I don’t think Span has dramatic righty/lefty splits. Plus I’m sure Span is looking for an opportunity to start, not to platoon.
The Mets offense is still very weak and they won’t spend to make them competitive year in and year out. The pitching should be the best in the game which will kept them in it, but as we know pitching is outlier. My worry is the number of innings by they’re young starters last year. Harvey went from 0 to over 200, while they all pitched into Nov. I remember when the Giants won the series with Lincecum and Cain as aces. Neither is a shell of himself a few year later. How about the Phillies with Hamels, Halliday, and Lee, how’d that work out.
Comparing The Mets core to that Phillies rotation which consisted of Lee and Halladay (who were on the wrong side of 30 with many MANY miles on their arms) to the Mets core, none of which are over 28, is a little extreme. I agree they had a lot of use last year, and its fair to expect the Verducci Effect to catch at least one of them, but lets not hit the panic button just yet,
If he comes on a 1 year deal, great, if not, pass. Get Fowler! he can platoon with Lagares and help shield Conforto from tough lefties. Plus he’s young enough to slot over to right feild when Granderson’s contract is up and Nimmo is ready to hold down a MLB job, which could be this year! you could wait for Nimmo and platoon him with Lagares by June if things go his way at AAA.
Mets ownership is such a joke…the real Cf to replace lagares is Cespedes! There lineup has a glaring hole…a #4 hitter. Why can’t they realize
Same old (post-Madoff) Mets. The next 3yrs is when they should go all in…but no…they kick the tires on some guys, but then go after 2nd and 3rd tier options, like a small market team. 21st in payroll starting last yr.
Ces isn’t the perfect fit, but he solidifies #4 slot and can get by in CF until Granderson leaves.