Mets Spring Training Batter WAR

by Eric Simon on Mar 27, 2009 8:00 AM EDT

Spring training is all about small sample sizes, overemphasis on a tiny body of work, the results of which are subject to the caprice of numerous external and internal forces beyond the immediate control of the players involved. Despite this, coaches, managers and front offices make some pretty important decisions based on this cosmic crapshoot. They're not alone, though. Sportswriters and fans alike hone in on spring stats in search of some clue to the forthcoming season.

Me? I plugged these meaningless numbers into Sky Kalkman's WAR spreadsheet to see how valuable these cats have been. Pointless? You betcha. Still kinda neat despite (or because of) its pointlessness? Fo sho.

Player	Pos	PA	OBP	SLG	WAR
Schneider	C	19	0.350	0.556	0.2
Castro	C	25	0.280	0.500	0.1
Thole	C	13	0.462	0.300	0.1

Delgado	1B	18	0.667	0.846	0.6
Evans	1B	76	0.329	0.529	0.4

Castillo	2B	56	0.464	0.429	0.7
Green	2B	53	0.377	0.400	0.3
Valentin	2B	49	0.320	0.378	0.1

Reyes	SS	33	0.394	0.667	0.5
Cora	SS	22	0.273	0.250	-0.1

Tatis	3B	34	0.471	0.742	0.7
Wright	3B	11	0.545	0.444	0.2

Murphy	LF	73	0.392	0.455	0.5
Marlon	LF	38	0.263	0.297	-0.2

Beltran	CF	19	0.421	0.684	0.3
Reed	CF	59	0.492	0.596	1.0
Sullivan	CF	54	0.327	0.306	0.0

Church	RF	55	0.411	0.479	0.4
Kielty	RF	57	0.390	0.440	0.3

Bulleted thoughts.

Is there any question that Jeremy Reed should make the team over Corey Sullivan? The dude has been worth a win in just 60 plate appearances.
Castillo: keep it up, kid. He's ITBSOHL!
Delgado: .6 WAR in 18 plate appearances.
Marlon Anderson: just put him out of his (read: our) misery.

Tweet Comment 11 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

You shoudln't have...

showed me this, now I am even more upset than I already had been this spring with Alex Cora and Marlon Anderson. Like Bill James says when you have a choice between youth and an aging vet… go with youth. he did a smart thing bringing in so many young and prime age outfielders to compete for the OF bench role. why didn’t Omar do this with infield. meh.

by djbutler73 on Mar 27, 2009 9:07 AM EDT reply actions

Love it.

Beyond the Boxscore // Calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy.

by Sky Kalkman on Mar 27, 2009 10:24 AM EDT reply actions

I love how Eric doesn't respect Marlon Anderson enough to list him by his last name

by ams258 on Mar 27, 2009 10:39 AM EDT reply actions

I know, I was like, "Where's Marlon Anderson? Is he even on the char-oh."

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Mar 27, 2009 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm confused

Who the heck is Andy Green? Calling him a quadruple-A player is probably more credit than his career deserves to this point, but he’s hitting better than the ’stache so far, at least. Lot of plate appearances and can (at least according to Wikipedia) play just about anywhere in the field; are the Mets considering him for a roster spot as a utility player or was he just there to fill space while guys were away at the WBC?

by JoshNY on Mar 27, 2009 11:16 AM EDT reply actions

Hey, I've been supporting him for a bench spot.

After all, at this point, the more Green’s the better.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Mar 27, 2009 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions

In my dream of all dreams, this is our 5 member bench:

Castro (though if it were really my ultimate dream, he’d be starting)
Reed
Tatis
Green
Evans/Kielty.
But, of course, Cora and probably Marlon will make their way onto the bench. Bleh.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Mar 27, 2009 11:52 AM EDT reply actions