2012 Mets Player Profile: Ronny Cedeno

by Eno Sarris on Jan 20, 2012 10:00 AM EST

How do you write a player profile about Ronny Cedeno without writing about Ruben Tejada?

Because, if Ruben Tejada can manage a scratch glove and a league-average walk rate (or better), he'll combine more offense with a decent glove than Cedeno has ever managed, relegating the former Buc to a bench role.

The bench has been Cedeno's on-again off-again friend over his seven-year carer in the Major Leagues. Originally signed by the Cubs as an International Free Agent out of Venezuela at 16 years old, he had an up-and-down career in the minor leagues. He didn't normally show power, only once stole more than 20 bags, and had a wildly oscillating batting average -- but he had steady enough defense that he ascended gradually and finally got the reigns at short for the Cubs in 2006.

It didn't go that well.

He hit .245/.271/.339 in 151 games, didn't show a great glove, "put up" -1.6 WAR, and removed himself from the starting conversation going forward. It took a trade (for Aaron Heilman) to Seattle (where he hit .167/.213/.290 in 2009) to extricate himself from the logjam of mediocre Cub infielders. The Mariners saw enough of him in 207 PAs and traded him as part of an offseason package for Ian Snell and Jack Wilson, which worked out well for them (right?).

Cedeno's Pirate career did include a healthy share of playing time. He averaged over 475 PAs a year those two seasons, and he finally pushed the WAR needle past one, accruing 2.5 wins over two seasons by batting .253/.295/.362 and being a tiny bit better than scratch with the glove. Still, two wins per season is your average MLB player and .261/.314/.374 is your average NL shortstop, so he's not a first-division starter. And he's not plus enough with the glove to make up for the bat -- his lifetime UZR/150 is below scratch and he's no wizard in that department. He's better as a backup at the middle infield.

Which, if Ruben Tejada does his part, is exactly what the 29-year-old infielder will be this season.

	G	PA	HR	SB	SB%	BB%	K%	AVG	OBP	SLG	wOBA	wRC+	WAR
2011	128	454	2	2	28.6%	6.6%	20.5%	.249	.297	.339	.271	67	1.4
Career	701	2309	33	34	63.0%	5.0%	19.8%	.246	.286	.353	.277	63	1.1

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Comments

BENCH

Theriot or Ciriaco would have been better signings than this guy

by MDMETSFAN on Jan 20, 2012 10:34 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

Apparently you haven't seen

Ryan Theriot “playing” shortstop.

Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!
You might know me as mistermet.

by Steve Schreiber on Jan 20, 2012 5:38 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs

that video is pretty turrible though

must be all his bad plays from his whole career

by TomCarvel on Jan 21, 2012 12:42 AM EST up reply actions

Nope.

As you can see in the video, he’s wearing a Cardinals uniform in all of those bloopers and he was only a Cardinal in 2011.

Pretty incredible, right?

Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!
You might know me as mistermet.

by Steve Schreiber on Jan 21, 2012 12:17 PM EST up reply actions

eh

that’s not really true.

by BurleighGrimes on Jan 20, 2012 7:29 PM EST up reply actions

i would have liked Theriot better as well

by TomCarvel on Jan 21, 2012 12:40 AM EST up reply actions

Very impressed

that you already havea picture of him in his 2012-foreseeable future Mets uniform!

by tmu on Jan 20, 2012 11:15 AM EST reply actions

Ha

Wait, no. Booo!

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf. "

– Tug McGraw when asked about his preference for grass or astroturf

by Terry_is_God on Jan 20, 2012 4:59 PM EST up reply actions

If he's not good with the glove

although UZR said he had a good year last year I guess… how is this guy even the slightest bit useful?

by aronofsky40 on Jan 20, 2012 11:22 AM EST reply actions

as a bench player

by tmu on Jan 20, 2012 11:30 AM EST up reply actions

But if he's not good with the glove and not good with the bat

is he even a useful bench player? I would think at the very least you’d want someone who is a slick fielder for defensive replacement, even if he provided no bat…

by aronofsky40 on Jan 20, 2012 12:53 PM EST up reply actions

We tried that with Hu, didnt work.

In lobby for: Jaime Cevallos, Zack Lutz, orange unis and Rickroll as the 7th inning song.
The Unwritten Rules of AA

by Michkin on Jan 20, 2012 1:12 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

On the other hand,

I guess it really doesn’t matter in the slightest who is on our bench this year.

by aronofsky40 on Jan 20, 2012 6:11 PM EST up reply actions

FLASHBACK

Alex Cora part 2?

by MDMETSFAN on Jan 20, 2012 2:39 PM EST reply actions

if we're lucky

"Fantasy, reality, science Fiction. Which is which? Who can tell?"

by feslenraster on Jan 20, 2012 3:04 PM EST up reply actions

Drek

__________________________________________________________________
Really good kid.A very good player.Not a superstar. #BlameWilponz. Never Forget

by ScottfromPeekskill on Jan 20, 2012 3:29 PM EST reply actions

I'm sure he'll be a nice feature of the bench

Just as long as he doesn’t play much

Arteta, it's all about the right pass it goes left to the left foot of VAN PERSIE
Proud member of Fusillade and The Short Fuse

by Aidan Gibson on Jan 20, 2012 4:25 PM EST reply actions

Do not want

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf. "

– Tug McGraw when asked about his preference for grass or astroturf

by Terry_is_God on Jan 20, 2012 5:00 PM EST reply actions

Jose Jose Jose Josaaaayyy

OH WAIT. :(

by BurleighGrimes on Jan 20, 2012 7:30 PM EST reply actions

CEDENO FOR MVP

by TomCarvel on Jan 21, 2012 12:40 AM EST reply actions

cedeno

I have been a mets fan for 26 years and since wilpon took over i do not think it has been any worse. I will not go see a game anymore until he sells the team.

by 11bconz11 on Jan 21, 2012 9:47 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

like

by aronofsky40 on Jan 21, 2012 10:59 AM EST up reply actions

26 years huh?

Why am I not surprised? These “fans since ’86” should have known what they’re getting into, because you have no right to complain.

37 - 14 - 41 - 31 - 17 - 42 - SHEA

by piazza62 on Jan 21, 2012 4:00 PM EST up reply actions

Worse

1986 Rafael Santana was worse than 2011 Ronny Cedeno, in every respect. Not just a worse fielder, but a lower triple slash, a lower wOBP, a lower wRC+, and (surprise!) a WAR of 0.4. True, we’re not the ‘86 Mets. And you better believe I want Wilpon out. But I don’t think we’re the worst Mets team in 26 years, not by a long shot.

by Ownbey4Mex on Jan 22, 2012 3:02 PM EST up reply actions