Earlier this week at the B.A.T. dinner in New York City, Tim Teufel told reporters he will be the team’s infielder instructor this spring.
In regards to how he plans to help Daniel Murphy, and whether Murphy can ‘handle the position,’ Teufel said:
Murphy ended his last two seasons with medial collateral ligament injuries, which he suffered while playing second base.

Murphy’s 2011 injury didn’t come as a failure to execute a double play, but his 2010 injury did. Learning to protect that leg by limiting the opportunities that runners have to slide into him will make or break whether Daniel can play the position full-time at the Major League level.

According to Matt Eddy of Baseball America, the Mets have signed 3B Matt Tuiasosopo to minor league contract.
Tuiasosopo, a former top prospect, had spent his entire career in the Mariners organization before he was released last September.
At that time, Mariners manager Eric Wedge told Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times:
“I saw some things I liked [in Spring Training], but it just wasn’t consistent. He needed to go down and work on it and focus on it. For whatever reason, it didn’t play out for him. I would expect that another team will give Tuiasosopo a chance, because his raw tools are so impressive.”
Tuiasosopo, 25, hasn’t appeared in the major leagues since 2010. In 71 games between 2008-2010, he hit .176 with a .234 OBP, 5 HR and 15 RBI in 193 at-bats. In eight minor league seasons, Tuiasosopo has hit .263 with a .359 OBP, 67 home runs and 381 RBI.
In a special report for ESPN.com, Mets beat writer Adam Rubin presents Part 1 in a two-part series looking in to the current state of the team’s finances.
Based on his research, Rubin concludes, “It is indisputable the Mets have major financial issues.” He asks, “Can the Wilpons hold on?”
In the report, Dr. Joel Maxcy, an associate professor and member of Temple University’s Sport Industry Research Center, tells Rubin:
As such, according to Rubin, Major League Baseball has retained a law firm specializing in bankruptcies as an adviser regarding the Mets, “suggesting at least some uncertainty.”

Based on Rubin’s reporting, clearly the team has issues. What does that mean specifically? I have no idea. How does it directly impact their chances of winning? I’m not 100 percent sure, because I don’t own a crystal ball. My feeling has always been that when I see a singular connection between what’s happening off field and the on-field product, I will likely react negatively. Rubin makes a good case for this connection, but I also still see ways to explain away on-field problems based on poor baseball-related decisions (like signing Jason Bay, or Johan Santana‘s surgeries), i.e., stuff that has nothing to do with Ponzi schemes, debt or the law. I think the March 19 trial will add some insight about the future. And, I think how the team handles David Wright over the next 10 months will be VERY telling about the reality of how off-field is impacting on-field.
The way I see it, in regards to their relationship with fans, the Wright Situation will be Ownership’s Waterloo. Personally, (as a loyal customer of their product) I have been trusting what I hear and giving them the benefit of the doubt (since they are owners of a private business that I have no control over). However, if Wright is having a strong first half or has a strong season and it’s clear he wants to stay here and they trade him… and it’s obvious it is because they can’t afford him… people are going to freak out, myself included.
To read all of Rubin’s report, which also features opinion and speculation about the team’s finances from other attorneys and financial experts, click here.
To read Part 2 of Rubin’s series, Wilpons must clear many hurdles to retain control, keep an eye on ESPN.com throughout the day.

Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com lists Zack Wheeler, Matt Harvey, and Jeurys Familia among his top 100 prospects in baseball.
Mayo lists Wheeler as the 28th best prospect, Harvey as the 38th best prospect, and Familia as the 90th best prospect.
Mets vice president of scouting and player development Paul DePodesta told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com he is impressed with Harvey’s maturity and focus, saying:
“[Harvey] has really impressed me just with how mature he is. How dedicated and how focused he is on the task at hand, how willing he is to work on things, when he knows that they’re not going to benefit him immediately, but they may benefit him down the line.”
In addition, DePodesta spoke about Familia, and was also impressed with his focus, saying:
“Familia has impressed me on a lot of different fronts. For such a young guy, I’m impressed with his mental discipline and mental focus in addition to the stuff.”


I do not expect Harvey to make the team out of camp, despite being invited to Major League Spring Training this year. I expect Harvey to start his year in Double-A or Triple-A, which is where he belongs to start the season. However, if he gets off to a great start and is able to sustain that success into mid-season, I expect him to at least get a cup of coffee with the Mets during the year.
Regarding Wheeler, I asked him last year about some of the adjustments he made to regain his control, and he said the Giants tried to slow his mechanics down and as a result, he struggled with his command and with the movement of his pitches. After reverting back to the mechanics he used in high school, he was able to rediscover some of the electricity and, most importantly, his command. I expect Wheeler will begin the season with Double-A Binghamton but hopefully he is able to maintain those mechanics and command this winter and continue his strong progression through the system.


Harvey went 13-5 with a 3.32 ERA in 26 starts between Single-A St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton last year, striking out 156 batters in 135 2/3 innings. He went 5-0 with a 2.68 ERA in his final seven starts for Binghamton last year.
Wheeler went 9-7 with a 3.52 ERA in 22 starts for Single-A San Jose and Single-A St. Lucie last year, striking out 129 batters in 115 innings. He went 7-5 with a 3.99 ERA with 47 walks allowed in 88 innings with San Jose, but went 2-2 with a 2.00 ERA with just five walks allowed in 27 innings with St. Lucie.
Familia went 5-5 with a 2.90 ERA in 23 starts for Single-A St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton last year, striking out 132 batters in 124 innings. He went 4-4 with a 3.49 ERA in 17 starts with Binghamton, allowing 35 walks while striking out 96 batters in 87 2/3 innings.
To read Michael Baron’s Q&A with Wheeler from last summer, click here.
For complete coverage of the Mets minor leagues, be sure to check out SNY’s Mets Minor League Blog.
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