:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/11161385/20130405_mbr_ae5_117.0.jpg)
The Mets' pitching has been excellent through the first week of the season, but the team's position players haven't been slouches at the plate, either. Averaging exactly six runs per game, they rank fifth in the National League.
| Player | This Week | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Baxter, OF |  |
He's racked up 4 walks already in just 12 plate appearances. He should get a real shot at batting leadoff against right-handed pitching. |
| John Buck, C | |
A recently-acquired veteran catcher begins the year with ridiculous production at the plate? Yep, Mets baseball is back. |
| Marlon Byrd, OF | |
Byrd was the word yesterday, and that walk-off hit propelled him from mere sideways-arrow status to the up-arrow this week. |
| Collin Cowgill, OF |  |
Just 3-for-17, at least Cowgill's hits were all of the extra-base variety: 2 home runs, 1 double. |
| Ike Davis, 1B |  |
Aside from one monster home run, Ike's first week was terrible. Sure, he drew 4 walks, but 9 strikeouts? Yama hama, it's fright night! |
| Lucas Duda, LF | |
The most Duda week ever? Poor defense, a .176 batting average, and an .829 OPS. |
| Daniel Murphy, 2B | |
With two home runs and a triple — yes, a triple — Murphy's bat has looked excellent, and he hasn't looked too shabby in the field, either. Perhaps he'll earn a spot among the game's top ten second basemen this year. |
| Kirk Nieuwenhuis, OF | |
He was neither particularly good nor bad, but it's a bit odd the Mets are carrying him with two other left-handed-hitting outfielders on the bench. |
| Anthony Recker, C | |
He only made his first appearance yesterday, but he drove in a run with a double in doing so. |
| Ruben Tejada, SS | |
He's showing patience at the plate, which works well for his main offensive skill: getting on base. Unfortunately his arm looked way off for the first few games of the year. Let's hope that was just a defensive hiccup. |
| Justin Turner, IF | |
With a 1.400 OPS in 5 plate appearances, Turner might be the King of Small Sample Size thus far in the 2013 season. |
| Jordany Valdespin, 2B/OF | |
Hasn't played much but he has the same number of walks and strikeouts (1), something he's not very likely to keep up. |
| David Wright, 3B | |
He may not have a dinger yet, but that .462 OBP will do just fine for now. |