All signs are already pointing to another crowded outfield next season. If you recall, one major issue going into last spring was a large group of players descending to the OF, fighting essentially for one spot. The Mets will most likely have the same problem this upcoming season as Jason Bay holds down Left Field (and with his contract, you can pretty much ink him in as the starter, and I'm sure he'll be better next season, but that is another topic), and Pagan's play this season should land him a job in center.
Then there is right field. The Mets still have Beltran, who is coming around all of sudden, they also will need to carry Evans next season since he is out of options and finally the Mets will have young players in Duda and F-Mart.
Duda was pretty far down the depth chart at the start of 2010, but amoung some circles, his 2009 campaign was starting to cause some whispers. His strong start to 2010 then made him a household name coming into September. Once he finally got the Queens, he was awful at first. He was the victim of bad luck on some plays and just not being able to get the job done. In his first 33 AB's he had one hit, a double, and an RBI. Duda was quickly fading in an impatient city.
Of late though, he is back in the conversation across dinner tables (ok so probably not, but you get the mental image idea) as he has really turned up his play. In his last 21 AB's he has had 9 hits (.429 BA) with 4 doubles and two homers (.905 SLG) and has posted 9 RBI's. He was the hero in Saturday's game as he knocked in a huge three run double against the Phillies.
The question is now what to do with Duda. It is really hard to extrapolate too much from his numbers, both good and bad, because play in September sometimes resembles a glorified Spring Training game. As good as he has been at times this season, would he really be better than a Bay/Pagan/Beltran/Evans outfield? Can he match Fmart? Is he good enough to trade?
These are the questions that will have to be answered over the next few months leading up to Openning Day 2011.
I think Beltran's recent performance has quieted the blogosphere's desire to trade him. If not it should have. It is no coincidence that once Beltran started hitting so too did Wright and Davis.
Where he plays is not important. Duda would probably be a much better 4th outfielder than Evans but will he still hit the way he has in a limited playing role? I am not sure he will.
That makes him a very good pawn for a trade package, preferably for a front line pitcher. At least some good arms for the pen. If Dillon Gee is ready for the big leagues then a package of Mejia, Duda and Misch might just get you that frontline guy we need to cover us while Santana works out his injury. That guy may not be Cy Young caliber but getting a solid #2 rotation guy might be enough.
I don't know any names that might be eavailable if any to target in that deal but we would be offerring 3 MLB ready talents. If a package doesn't lure something on that order we could trade either of those guys for quality pen help which should defned against Niese and Pelfrey's habit of getting rocked in the 6th and 7th innings and blowing leads.
I think having all these young guys who seem to be ready for the big leagues is a very good thing for this team to have right now. That said it also shows just how wrong it was to go all out for Bay in the name of “WIN NOW” when what we should have done was go all out on Halliday instead. We have a ton of outfiled it appears and no place to play them. Not the situation where you should pay top dollar to import one just to make one season a potential winning one.
And that is not a knock on Bay, it is a knock on Omar and the FO for putting the money where it was least needed and had a ton of minor league options to go with!