Mets' Loss is Fantasy Baseball Owners Gain

The Mets are currently facing season altering threats. The team had been without the injured Carlos Delgado since May 9 before making the decision to place him on the disabled list a week later.

They are a team that has been recently decimated by injuries, with Delgado and Jose Reyes leading the way. Reyes’ backup, Alex Cora, has also been nursing an injury. When Reyes will return is unknown, but there is still hope that it may be soon.

Once Cora returns from his own injury, fantasy owners can look to him to fill out their lineups as he will be eating up at-bats in Reyes' absence.

However, Delgado’s situation is far more complicated. On May 19, Delgado underwent hip surgery, and the team was given notice that he will be out of commission for at least 10 weeks. But even that is just merely an estimate.

Delgado, being one of the Mets’ most powerful hitters, has left the Mets with quite a dilemma. The team’s brilliant solution? First basemen by committee.

Although first basemen like the Nationals’ Nick Johnson and the Orioles’ Aubrey Huff have hit the trading block, the Mets’ grand solution to supplementing the boost Delgado provides the lineup is to substitute in a committee of backups and minor league call ups.

While that news is certainly disheartening for all Mets fans, it has to be music to the ears of those fantasy baseball owners looking for that mid-season pickup to boost their lineup.

During Delgado’s first week out, Manager Jerry Manuel subbed in Fernando Tatis and recent minor league call up (and natural outfielder) Jeremy Reed. Now that Delgado’s extended absence is official, outfielder Daniel Murphy is also in the mix.

As Murphy has been the Mets’ everyday leftfielder up to this point, that spot is also up for grabs. Gary Sheffield seems to have a hold on it for now, but the man who took Delgado’s spot on the roster, Angel Pagan, could surely see some time in left field.

Since Murphy has been an everyday starter all year, he was probably taken by opposing owners during drafts.

However, Murphy has thus far struggled immensely in the field, and his bat has not been what the Mets were expecting. Hopefully, for Murphy, and his fantasy baseball owners, moving over to first could provide him with the surge he has been searching for.

A natural infielder, Murphy could end up more relaxed at the plate without having to worry about potential fielding blunders. He recently batted fifth in the Mets’ depleted lineup on May 20, so that could provide him with many more chances to pick up some RBIs.

If he is going to take advantage of this lucky opportunity, however, Murphy needs to act quickly. He left seven runners on base on May 20, and could soon be dropped by Jerry Manuel and fantasy owners alike if he does not pick it up.

The more available and perhaps more sure options for owners would be Gary Sheffield or Fernando Tatis. While it’s not guaranteed that Sheffield will hit for average, if your team is lacking power, Sheffield may not be a bad fill in.

Batting clean-up for the Mets, Sheffield is growing more comfortable in a role he has occupied his whole career, and could pay dividends with running on base.

Out of the two, Tatis is your surest best. He is consistent; what you see is what you get. Since his career resurgence last season, he has for the most part been a steady .300 hitter. Over the past week, he has slumped, and his average stands at .282.

He will come into his own as an everyday player, as he did last season, and that slump will end and his average will rise.

Fantasy owners should benefit as Tatis can play both first base and the outfield, and therefore will get more at bats. Once an everyday corner infielder for the Marlins, it is less likely that Sheffield will see time in the infield.

On the outside looking in are Jeremy Reed and Angel Pagan. Reed has the edge for more playing time, being able to play first base The Mets, however, are lucky to have stronger options at first, as Reed has committed two errors in just 24 2/3rd innings at first base in his career.

He also had an errant throw to home plate that allowed the winning run to score against the Mets in Monday night’s series opener against the Dodgers.

Pagan certainly can hit for average. Chances are, however, he and Reed will only be used to spell the first three options and therefore would not be worth investing in for fantasy owners.

The Mets are certainly in dire straits. Carlos Delgado is out, and there is no telling specifically when his powerful bat will return. Until then, the Mets will turn to the bats of Murphy, Sheffield, Tatis, Reed, and Pagan for some much needed pick-me-ups. If they play their cards right, so will fantasy owners.