With the Mets not trading Davis or Duda, the Mets will have an interesting situation at Spring Training. The Mets have the following players in the outfield and at first base, creating a bit of a log jam on the bench:
First Base:
- Ike Davis
- Lucas Duda
- Josh Satin
- Wilmer Flores
Outfield:
- Curtis Granderson
- Chris Young
- Juan Lagares
- Eric Young Jr.
- Lucas Duda
- Matt den dekker
- Captain Kirk
Flores is only listed at first because of his bat and no natural position anywhere else. He has an outside, outside, like Major League “just a bit outside” chance at first. Josh Satin lines up as the most logical back up for first base because of his splits and how he hits where Duda and Davis can’t.
Granderson and Lagares are locks in the outfield.
Chris Young is a much better defender than Lucas Duda, which is why he should start much more often than Duda in outfield. Duda and Young though match on the platoon side. Duda has a .356 OBP against right handers vs .302 against lefties. His OPS also goes from .812 to .643 from RHP to LHP. Chris Young goes from .295 OBP to .363 from RHP to LHP. His OPS goes from .710 vs RHP to .929.
From the data, Chris Young should pretty much always play when the Mets play against a Left Handed Pitcher. Between Chris Young’s defense, offense, and track record, he should also have some playing against RHP’s as well, as long as Duda isn’t in a hot streak. This is frustrating because Duda has potential, but is being placed out here due to defense and a similar player in Ike.
Ike on the other hand will probably split time with Satin, from a statistics sense it is logical. Ike Davis has an OPS of .827 vs RHP and .602 vs LHP. In limited major league experience, Satin has .661 vs RHP and an .862 OPS vs LHP. However if Ike struggles, then Duda should also see time at first. If Satin struggles, then one of Davis or Duda will see time at first vs LHP.
What makes this frustrating is by having both Davis and Duda, it makes the Mets have the possibility for four part time players (Chris Young, Ike Davis, Lucas Duda, and Josh Satin). By having so many player combinations, the Mets will need to have superior communication in the field for proper defense.
It also begs for a situation where one of Davis or Duda could still be traded, thus quieting this heavy rotation between outfield, first base and bench.
