Ruben Tejada: Caveat Emptor

After last night's humiliating-lack luster game attended to by the Mets (they certainly didn't play any baseball last night), Mets manager Terry Collins came up with this about Ruben Tejada:

“He’s a good little baseball player. There’s no doubt about it. We’re sitting on the bench trying to figure out -- right now he’s swinging the bat better than everybody -- where to put him in the lineup to use him a little bit better.”

Be careful Terry. Don't let Tejada's play in these meaningless games be a mirage. Tejada isn't as slick in the field as advertised: he makes many mental mistakes and is often out of position. Does he have talent? Yes, but if you look at the quality of play, he is no Reyes. Tejada might be the Mets shortstop next year if Reyes bolts, but he doesn't have the arm of a pro shortstop. I have always felt that Ruben is better suited for 2B.

As for his hitting, don't be fooled. Yes, he has hit well over the last 14 games, hitting .378, but it can be very misleading. As the old adage says, in part, don't believe what you see in April or September. It's a small sample set, and I would hate for the Mets to bank their future on such a small sample of quality. Look at his stats over an entire year, and you get a better understanding of how soft of a hitter Tejada is.

He is much improved in plate discipline, running deep counts most at bats, and fouling off pitches by the truck load, but there are many balls that should be in play that he fouls off to the first base side, which leads me to believe that his bat speed isn't there.

The Mets need to be careful of how they handle this situation. This season is over, but the future is at hand, and they must be careful of how they proceed. They must be careful of not over-evaluating their talent, and in the case of Ruben Tejada, Caveat Emptor.

Source: ESPN New York