ORLANDO, Fla. — Bring up shortstop and executives throughout the sport will bemoan the dearth of quality at the position.
Which should bode poorly for the Mets. The organization has many needs. Nevertheless, I believe club officials view finding a shortstop capable of providing offense as Job One, even ahead of bolstering the outfield.
Mets shortstops produced a .561 OPS last year, the worst by the franchise since the .478 of 1977, when the Mets’ primary shortstops were Bud Harrelson, Doug Flynn, Mike Phillips and, yep, Bobby Valentine. Ruben Tejada and Omar Quintanilla were better than that. But not by enough. Consider there were 337 players with 225 or more plate appearances last year, and Tejada’s .519 OPS ranked 336th.
Combine that with the Mets’ persistent worries that Tejada does not work hard enough and the organization — as with Ike Davis — appears determined to stop waiting for a player they once believed in to honor that trust with consistent performance. Tejada, still just 24, is going to have to rebuild his value as a backup or elsewhere — he is out of minor league options.
More and more, it looks as if the Mets would have been better off keeping Jose Reyes, whose six-year, $106 million pact hardly looks onerous compared to where the prices are two years later. One Toronto official said the organization would have to do “a total reset” to deal Reyes, and the Blue Jays are not in that mode of thinking.
One Rockies official said they would listen to “everything,” but owner Dick Monfort’s “stance was pretty clear” Troy Tulowitzki will not be traded this offseason. Besides, Colorado doesn’t see a match with the Mets anyway. Texas is open to dealing Elvis Andrus or Jurickson Profar, but for that kind of package the price is probably well beyond the Mets’ current tolerance level.
Free agent Stephen Drew is said to be in huge demand. I now expect him to get at least a four-year, $48 million pact, and I don’t envision the Mets going there. The Orioles probably would have been more willing to consider dealing J.J. Hardy, who is a year from free agency, had Manny Machado not become questionable for the beginning of next season after knee surgery.
And there is another obstacle for the Mets: Several teams are prioritizing a shortstop, perhaps none more than the Cardinals, who have the money and the prospect base to essentially get what they want. Still, the Mets should have choices. Here are five:
1. Jhonny Peralta: All things being equal, this appears the Mets’ first choice. He was suspended 50 games for ties to Biogenesis. But manager Terry Collins is tight with former Tigers manager Jim Leyland, and I heard Leyland offered a glowing report on Peralta as a player and teammate. He can hit. His range is limited, but he makes the routine play. But there is going to be a market for Peralta that could push his final price to, perhaps, the three-year, $39 million range – or more.
2. Rafael Furcal: One agent dubious about the Mets’ spending this offseason said he expects the team to mainly try to go the inexpensive route with several “lightning-in-the-bottle guys.” Furcal fits that description. Furcal missed last season for the Cardinals after Tommy John surgery, but took part in fielding drills during the postseason and is expected to be fully ready by spring.
Furcal has exceeded 100 games just twice in the past six years. However, the switch-hitter could offer on-base skills and speed at a somewhat modest price. Perhaps the Mets gamble on him and have Tejada as a fallback.
3. Erick Aybar: He has three years at $25.5 million left on his contract, and the Angels have let it be known either Aybar or second baseman Howie Kendrick is available for the right pitching package. The White Sox’s Alexei Ramirez, with $20.5 million left the next two seasons, could be had. But his impatience at the plate is not the profile general manager Sandy Alderson favors.
4. Didi Gregorius: The Diamondbacks are deep in center field and shortstop and plan to use that surplus, perhaps to make a run at Tampa Bay’s David Price. Gregorius and Chris Owings both broke through in the majors last year, and, since both have options, they could battle during the spring with the loser returning to the minors. But Arizona is certainly in position to deal, especially because slick-fielding Nick Ahmed played at Double-A last year.
5. Jed Lowrie: Lowrie, who should make about $5 million in arbitration, is a free agent after the 2014 season, as is Cleveland’s Asdrubal Cabrera, who is due $10 million on the final year of his contract. Both could be had. The Indians have the touted Francisco Lindor getting close to major-league ready and can bridge with Mike Aviles if Cabrera is dealt. But Cabrera’s numbers fell significantly last year (his on-base percentage was .299).
Lowrie, conversely, had his healthiest, best season. Oakland is always trying to be proactive, so the switch-hitter could be had. And he just might be the type of guy the Mets not only could trade for, but try to extend to a four- or five-year contract, as well.