The Mets are attempting to tread water this season in the second official year of a rebuilding program. They have opted to go forward with young players and prospects, returning Mets from last season, and veteran additions to the team. One area with a veteran import in place is center field.
1. Andres Torres: Torres was acquired from San Francisco along with RHP Ramon Ramirez in exchange for CF Angel Pagan. Torres had a disappointing season in the Bay Area last year, batting .221 with 19 stolen bases and only 50 runs scored, although he continued to play exceptional defense in center field. The Mets are hoping for a return to his 2010 form from Torres, when he batted .268 and stole 26 bases with a more reasonable 84 runs scored.
2. Scott Hairston: Hairston was re-signed this off-season to return to the Mets in his role as a right-handed pinch hitter. He had a bad season last year, batting .235 in 132 at-bats while spending the last part of the season on the disabled list. Hairston did manage to hit seven home runs in those at-bats and could have gotten to double digits had he not been injured, but that would have entailed an impressive display of power down the stretch that Hairston didn't demonstrate all season long. The Mets are hoping that Hairston can do a decent job against left-handed pitchers off the bench, stay healthy, and get to double digits in homers in his limited role.
3. Kirk Niewenhuis: Niewenhuis is a top prospect that the Mets are taking a look at in Spring Training. He only played in 53 games at Buffalo due to injury last season, but he performed well when healthy, batting .298 in 188 at-bats and playing strong defense. Niewenhuis is probably ready for the Majors but the Mets have questions about his immediate health and were not prepared to proceed with an unknown in center field this season, although he could find himself in Flushing sooner then he thinks with a fast start at Buffalo.
4. Matt Den Dekker: Den Dekker is a young player in the Mets system who they're taking a look at in Spring Training as a non-roster invitee. Den Dekker had a decent season last year, batting .265 in 539 Minor League at-bats with 24 stolen bases and 103 runs scored and strong defense in center field, although he struck out an alarming 156 times. Den Dekker probably won't be ready for the Majors until sometime late in 2013 and he'll probably be headed back to Binghamton to start 2012, although he could get a recall in September with a strong season this year. In the meantime, the Mets are hoping that Den Dekker can raise his batting average while continuing to steal bases, score runs, and play good defense up the middle. Also, he needs to cut down on his strikeout rate desperately or he'll never make it to the Majors.
The Mets don't look good in center field. Torres in center and leading off is in for a tall order, as he has to simultaneously replace both Pagan and SS Jose Reyes and considering that his on-base percentage was .312 last year (90 points higher than his average), he'll have to raise his batting average about 40 points to serve as a passable leadoff hitter. Hairston is acceptable as a right-handed pinch hitter, but he was over matched in right field last season and had enough problems in left at Citi Field and, given the fact that he's also a natural second baseman, he probably won't be in center field too often this year. If Niewenhuis didn't get hurt last year he'd probably be ready to start in center this season, but he shouldn't fret because he could potentially be playing center field everyday in Queens as soon as May if he gets off to a fast start at Buffalo and Torres starts slowly for the Mets. Den Dekker is a nice-looking player but he's still a year-and-a-half away from being ready.
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