Fantastic report here…
Additionally, Murphy’s representatives will argue he proved clutch in crucial game situations. With runners in scoring position, Murphy batted to a .305 average and .787 OPS, knocking in 60 runners and consistently prolonging the inning by accumulating a .340 OBP. They will highlight that in even more pressured scenarios, with two-outs and runners in scoring position, Murphy batted .354 and knocked in 30 runners. With offensive production at second base being historically lower compared with other positions, Murphy proves even more valuable.
via Salary projection: Daniel Murphy – Mets Blog – ESPN New York.
…and why do I get the feeling that Murphy will be traded so they don’t have to pay him.
ESPN, after it mentioned Murphy may get traded, offered up the fact he’s due to make $5.1 million next season, and will become a free agent after the 2015 season. So $5.1 million is too rich for our blood these days? $5.1 million? It made me sick enough that we lost a homegrown fan favorite in Reyes, but at least Sandy predicted (accurately) he was going to get a very fat contract. And now we’re going to lose another homegrown fan favorite (granted, not as big a fan favorite as Reyes, nor is he as good) because his salary has crept over $5 million?
If we still had Reyes to go with Wright, if Davis had developed like it looked in 2010 he was going to develop, I could see trading Murphy. I still wouldn’t like it, but I could see it. But Murphy is the second-best hitter on the team after Wright, plays a perfectly servicable second-base, and is still getting good value for the dollar for at least the next two years. Murphy’s who you keep, not who you deal.