Daily Archives: January 25, 2010
In mid-January, I was able to talk with Mets 1B Daniel Murphy for an extensive discussion about his defense, adjusting to major-league pitching, and big-league life, his favorite books, his worth ethic and the psychology of hitting.
Here is a portion of the discussion about his off-season workouts.
Matthew Cerrone: How is the off season going?
Daniel Murphy: It’s going good… I took about five weeks off and I’ve been working out ever since then. I go to a speed training facility, two hours a day, I lift for an hour and run for hour. Then I take my ground balls and hit after that… I think in the first month and a half, I lost three percent of body fat and gained about four or five pounds of muscle…
Matthew Cerrone: What do you do in the off season to improve defensively?
Daniel Murphy: This off season I wanted to attack it a little differently, I wanted to definitely get stronger, which why I incorporated in the weight-room program… Then, first base is like any other infield position, there is a lot of foot work and that’s what I have been doing.
Matthew Cerrone: What is the story with you and second base? Because, I hear from Mets fans all of the time who wonder if you’re capable of playing there. Can you?
Daniel Murphy: Well, I know that I played a little bit in Binghamton and then I got called into the big leagues in 2008 and then played left field. Then I went and played second in the Arizona Fall League for 25 games or so. Then after that, I guess the organization decided that I would be of better used somewhere else. I haven’t heard a lot about it since then.
Matthew Cerrone: So they were considering you, or wanting to see if you could play second?
Daniel Murphy: Yes, I would say that they wanted to see how I looked over there.
Matthew Cerrone: How did you feel?
Daniel Murphy: I felt okay, I felt like it was… like with anything else, it takes experience… I was a little rough around the bag sometimes. I felt comfortable, I don’t think I made a whole lot of errors; it’s just things that you learn over time.
Matthew Cerrone: Now, though, you look in the mirror and you see Daniel Murphy, Mets 1B, right?
Daniel Murphy: I look in the mirror and see Daniel Murphy, Mets, how can I help this ball club win?
Matthew Cerrone: I have to think Keith Hernandez is a good resource for you, considering he works for SNY. Do you ever seek out people, not necessarily on the team, but other people?
Daniel Murphy: Obviously I like to watch other first basemen… I especially like to see where they position themselves. Because, one thing I tried to do was to see how far off the bag I can play. I think that takes a little pressure off the second baseman… Albert Pujols does a great job at that, he plays way off the bag. I was talking to Chip Hale about this, that Pujols will trip over the bag sometimes when he gets there because he has to work so hard because he has played so far off… I’ve been able to talk to Keith Hernandez a little bit this off season. I was going to try to work with him just before Christmas, but our schedules didn’t match up. Last I heard, we were gonna try to get together before spring training. I think that he such a great resource to use, the guy won, what, fifteen Gold Gloves; I mean, he knows what he is doing over there.
Thank you to SMG Transcription for transcribing this interview
Anthony DeRosa of Hot Foot, and a few other Mets fans, believe free-agent 1B-OF Ryan Garko is probably the best fit for the team when searching for a bench player.
However, James Kannengieser of Amazin Avenue points out a few problems with Garko, who he sees as an unatheletic, one-dimensional player, who can’t hit right-handed pitching.
…i like garko, i do not love him… i think he’d be fine to use from the bench, and to start at first base against left-handed pitchers from time to time… but, i agree with james, in that he’s not the best athlete in the world, and he certainly isn’t versatile enough to do what the Mets will need from that spot on the roster… if the Mets are going to bring in someone to fill-in for murphy, he should either have significant power or play a serious first base… garko, however, does neither… his best asset is being healthy and consistent, even if he’s just consistently ok…
Garko hit .268 with a .344 OBP, 13 HR and 51 RBI in 118 games with the Indians and Giants last season.
In his five-year career, during which he has played mostly first base, but also both corner outfield spots, Garko is batting .311 in 485 plate appearance against left-handed pitching.
The community at FanGraphs believes Garko will bat around .270 in 120 or so games next season, while hitting roughly 15 HR with 50 RBI and 20 or so doubles.
The Mets will run mini-camp in St. Lucie today, tomorrow and Wednesday, in what are called ‘voluntary workouts,’ but which are also used to see where certain players are in their off-season conditioning.
“It’s mostly to see where guys are,” Mets GM Omar Minaya is quoted as saying in the New York Post. “Where are they health-wise and how are they recuperating? It’s mostly to see them on the field and get a real good medical report with baseball guys looking at them.”
According to the report, Johan Santana, Jon Niese, Oliver Perez and Daniel Murphy are expected to attend, while Jose Reyes is not.
John Maine was expected to attend, but he cancelled because of the weather, according to Adam Rubin of the Daily News, who lists a few minor-leaguers who there as well.
…from what i can gather, reyes has been working out on Long Island, and the team has been keeping tabs, watching and working with him… and so there probably isn’t a pressing need to see him in action, right now, St. Lucie…
…i have switched the scrolling Twitter feed in the sidebar from Hot Stove to reporters who are down at Tradition Field, covering the mini-camp…
Ken Davidoff of Newsday is there, and expects to also see Jerry Manuel, Omar Minaya and Jeff Wilpon during the three days of workouts.
…i also believe this is where manuel meets for the first time with his entire coaching staff, to create a strategy and plan for Spring Training… think long and hard, guys…
Davidoff says Murphy and Perez are already there, and Santana is expected shortly.
…i think johan and ollie will be the focus… ollie, because he’s been hold up in Arizona, out of touch with most media, and so nobody really knows what he’s been up to… and johan, because, well, it’s johan, and nobody has seen him throw since he had season-ending surgery last summer…
In case you missed it, this past weekend…
Carlos Delgado has shown no range and is limping at first base, while playing this winter for Puerto Rico, according to a scout who talked to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com.
Mike Puma of the New York Post says the Mets could turn back to free-agent Fernando Tatis, instead of Delgado, even though Puma quotes Tatis’s agent as saying he’s not been in contact with the team.
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe believes, if the team’s financial situation doesn’t improve, the Rays could look to trade OF Carl Crawford and 1B Carlos Pena this summer.
Giants C Bengie Molina said he would have signed with the Mets had they guaranteed a second year to his contract offer, according to the New York Post.
The Cubs think free-agent RHP Ben Sheets is too expensive, since he’s asking for one year and between $6 and $12 million, reports the Chicago Daily Herald.
The Orioles signed free-agent Miguel Tejada, reported the Baltimore Sun.
Lastly, on Friday, I explained here why the Mets confuse me.
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