PORT ST. LUCIE — Nick Franklin’s name has crept into recent Mets conversations regarding shortstop, but team officials are not yet engaged with the Mariners in trade talks, according to an industry source.
With Stephen Drew’s asking price still too high for the Mets’ interest and Ruben Tejada attempting to rebound from a subpar 2013, the 22-year-old Franklin — who is expendable to the Mariners because of Robinson Cano’s addition and the team’s ability to play Brad Miller at shortstop — could be a solution. Franklin’s name came up in Mets’ officials discussions with the Mariners at the Winter Meetings, the source said.
Franklin hit .225 with 12 homers and 45 RBIs with a .686 OPS for the Mariners as a rookie last season. The Mets don’t know, according to a club source, if they could acquire Franklin without having to surrender one of their highly regarded young arms.
Though manager Terry Collins wants to keep the number of at-bats for David Wright and Daniel Murphy in check this spring, Curtis Granderson will have more leeway because of the fact he played in only 61 games for the Yankees in an injury-plagued 2013 season.
“I talked to Curtis and he would like to get some extra at-bats in the spring,” Collins said.
Bobby Parnell, who has battled soreness in his left quadriceps, is expected to long toss on Tuesday.
It is unclear if Parnell, who underwent September surgery to repair a herniated disk in his neck, will be available to pitch at the beginning of the exhibition season, but Collins isn’t concerned.
“As we’ve told him, it’s all about getting that shoulder strength back, and then we’ll get him in a game,” Collins said. “When you only have to throw one inning, we can get him ready. We’ll get him the innings he needs as we get into spring training.”