Predicting the Mets' 2015 Opening Day Bench
While starting players get all the attention and make the big headlines consistently, it's critical for a team to have good depth on the bench in case of injuries. Giving the starting position players occasional rest is beneficial as well, so they can stay fresh for the entire season.
Furthermore, especially in the National League, having good pinch hitters ready for late-inning situations can be important for potential rallies.
Here are the five players who are most likely to be on the New York Mets bench on Opening Day.
Backup Catcher: Anthony Recker
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Anthony Recker will almost certainly return in what will be his third season as the Mets' backup catcher.
Despite a .201 average and .620 OPS, Recker hit seven home runs and drove in 27 runs in 174 at-bats. He is also solid defensively and threw out 37 percent of the runners who attempted to steal bases on him, which is a great rate.
Recker is 31 and not making too much money, so this should be an easy call to make. If he gets more at-bats and playing time, his offensive numbers could certainly go up.
Backup Middle Infielder: Ruben Tejada
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With Wilmer Flores all but set to start at shortstop this season, Ruben Tejada will likely be the backup middle infielder on Opening Day.
Tejada has experience at both positions but played shortstop for the majority of 2014. For the season, he hit .237 with a .652 OPS, five home runs and 34 RBI.
He does not have much value on the trade market, so it's unlikely the Mets will trade him. Therefore, Tejada should start the season on the bench.
Backup Corner Infielder/Utility Man: Eric Campbell
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It would be surprising if Eric Campbell was not on the bench on Opening Day. He had a decent rookie season in 2014 as the Mets' most versatile position player. Although he primarily filled in at first base, third base and left field, he ended up playing in every position on the field except center field, catcher and pitcher.
At the plate, Campbell hit .263 with a .680 OPS, three home runs and 16 RBI. Depending on how much playing time he gets, he should put up similar numbers this season.
To expand his versatility even further, he has even worked out with catchers in spring training in an effort to be a third catcher, should the Mets ever need one in a game, according to Adam Rubin of ESPN.com.
Should any significant injuries occur at first base, third base or even the outfield, look for Campbell to have a much bigger role on the Mets.
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Backup Outfielder: John Mayberry Jr.
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One new face on the bench this season will be John Mayberry Jr., who signed a one-year contract in December. He should be a familiar face, since he has spent most of his career thus far with the rival Philadelphia Phillies.
Mayberry is an outfielder but has some experience at first base and could spell Lucas Duda against left-handed pitching once in a while.
Last season, he hit .212 with a .704 OPS, seven home runs and 23 RBI split between the Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays.
Look for Mayberry to be the primary bat off the bench, at least early in the season.
Backup Outfielder: Kirk Nieuwenhuis
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So far, everyone mentioned is a right-handed hitter. All benches ideally need at least one left-handed hitter, and more than likely, Kirk Nieuwenhuis will be the Mets' left-handed bench bat.
He will battle with Matt den Dekker for the Opening Day roster spot, but unlike den Dekker, Nieuwenhuis has now "run out of options" going forward, according to Mike Vorkunov of NJ.com. If he were to get demoted to the minor leagues again, he would have to pass through waivers first and could be claimed by any team.
Based on this alone, Nieuwenhuis looks to be the favorite to make the Opening Day roster over den Dekker. Again, if the Mets choose to go with den Dekker, they could potentially lose Nieuwenhuis for good. In a situation like this, the safer option should be more preferable right now.
All statistics shown are courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.
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