LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Mets’ “Grand” plan for improvement might not include a new shortstop.
Only two days after agreeing to terms with outfielder Curtis Granderson on a four-year-contract worth $60 million, general manager Sandy Alderson arrived at the Winter Meetings on Sunday invoking the name Ruben Tejada as a potential successor to Ruben Tejada at shortstop.
“Depending on how things materialize we may have to live with certain weaknesses,” Alderson said. “The idea is to minimize the number of weaknesses, not necessarily correct all of them, and hope we’ve constructed a team that minimizes those. For example, we could come out of these meetings with Tejada as our starting shortstop. Worse things could happen to us, certainly.”
Such is life for the Mets, who aren’t likely to chase the top free-agent shortstop available, Stephen Drew, and remain reluctant to part with top pitching prospects to upgrade the position. The Mets’ original hope was to sign Jhonny Peralta, who surprised club officials by fetching a four-year contract from the Cardinals for $53 million. Drew, who is represented by Scott Boras, figures to command a similar deal.
If the Mets accomplish anything at these meetings, it likely will be a resolution to the first-base question that involves Ike Davis and Lucas Duda. The Mets will try to move one of those players — likely Davis — but a deal is not expected to yield the type of return that could upgrade the shortstop position.
“Hopefully it will resolve itself shortly,” Alderson said, referring to the first-base logjam.
Tejada disappointed team brass with his work ethic last season and ultimately spent two months at Triple-A Las Vegas after recovering from a a quadriceps injury that sidelined him for a month.
Omar Quintanilla, who replaced Tejada at shortstop, was non-tendered last week, leaving the Mets in the market for a veteran backup if they can’t land a solid starter. In 57 games last season, Tejada batted .202 with no homers and a .259 on-base percentage.
“If we have to decide to go with what we have, we’ll go with what we have and we’ll try to be as strong as we possibly can in other positions,” Alderson said.
“I don’t want this to be viewed as the week in which we try to replace Ruben Tejada. If we have to go into the season as Ruben Tejada as our shortstop we need to make sure we’re happy with that given what else we’ve done with the team.”
Those additions consist of Granderson, and outfielder Chris Young, who signed a one-year deal worth $7.25 million last month.
“We came into the offseason hoping to improve in a number of areas and I think we have improved, hopefully in one area and that logically leaves three or four others to potentially address,” Alderson said.
The 24-year-old Tejada spent November at a conditioning and nutrition program in Michigan and has impressed team officials with his attitude.
“Going to Michigan in the middle of winter and committing to that four-week program and potentially returning there in January is a demonstration of the commitment that perhaps we haven’t seen before,” Alderson said. “So from that standpoint I think we’re encouraged.”