MLB New York Mets

Ben Zobrist Could Be A Bargain For New York Mets

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By @mturnerny

Ben Zobrist New York Mets

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

As New York Mets GM Sandy Alderson waits to let the free-agent market unfold before he overpays for the shortstop of the future, an interesting player has recently become available. The Tampa Bay Rays have let MLB know they are shopping ultra-utility man Ben Zobrist.

He’s more of an upgrade than the current free agents, and would cost less than the blockbuster deal required to acquire Troy Tulowitzki. Before another team makes a move, Alderson should contact Tampa Bay to find out what it would take to get a deal done.

While Alderson has been comfortable saying he’s fine with incumbent shortstop Wilmer Flores reprising his role in 2015, Zobrist appears to be the perfect middle ground between a player of Flores’ capabilities and one of an elite shortstop. The Rays have a pretty good track record of trading players in the final year of their contract, and with their signing of SS Asdrubal Cabrera, it seems likely Zobrist is on the way out.

In his nine seasons in the MLB, Zobrist has played every position except for pitcher and catcher. Although he’s primarily played second and right field, his third most played position is shortstop. He’s only an average defender while playing short, but so is everyone on the Mets’ current roster.

His benefit to the Mets would be his bat. In his last three seasons, he’s hit at least .270 and has shown the potential to hit 20 home runs, driving in 70 and scoring 80 twice each. Flores might be able to reach those numbers in a couple of years, but probably not in 2015.

Additionally beneficial to the Mets is his very team-friendly one-year, $7.5 million contract. Money is the primary factor why New York is avoiding Tulo, and for the price Zobrist comes at, he can easily fit into the budget. With the Mets’ older players like Curtis Granderson and Michael Cuddyer, Zobrist could spare them a few days in the outfield.

He could even give David Wright and Daniel Murphy some rest, as the Mets never really had a true backup third baseman last year.

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Zobrist playing in New York is the fact that, of position players, only he and Miguel Cabrera each have 4.5 wins above replacement in each of the past six seasons. That’s a great track record, and a long period of time to maintain such a high level of play. He and Cuddyer could pan out to be the perfect role player the Mets need to become real contenders.

So long as their stars play the way they’re expected to, the Mets will certainly need the very most of their remaining players to keep up with an improving NL East. Zobrist might just be able to help out.

 

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