Infield
Lucas Duda: Duda has been the streakiest hitter on the Mets. He got off to a sizzling start, having consecutive games with multiple extra base hits. Cooled off in June then got hot again at the end of July, hitting nine home runs in eight games. Duda went on the DL with a tight back in August, came back in September and looked rusty, but provided one last hot moment when he hit four home runs in three games to help the Mets win the NL East. Only hit .244 but finished with 27 home runs. Not yet Gold Glove caliber but he has improved even more defensively this year.
Grade: B-
Daniel Murphy: Got of to a slow start offensively but picked it up from midseason and on. Finished with a .284 average and a career high 14 home runs. Was the team’s most consistent clutch hitter and toughest to strike out. Although he still makes mental mistakes defensively, he was decent for the most part.
Grade: B
Wilmer Flores: Got off to a decent start offensively showing some pop. Not so much with the glove at shortstop, making a lot of errors early on drawing the fans, thus splitting time with Tejada. But Flores’s relationship with the fans changed in an emotional way when he was seen crying on the field after hearing he was traded. As we all know, the trade for Carlos Gomez never materialized and Flores became a fan favorite afterwards. The night affected his play too. He hit a walk-off home run against the Nationals during his first game after the tears and hit well over .300 in August. His defense also improved since that magical night. Wore out a little in September perhaps due to fatigue.
Grade: B-
Reuben Tejada: Was the backup shortstop most of the year but made some starts at shortstop when Flores struggled. He didn’t disappoint as a fielder. His bat improved from past years. Still shows no pop but average improved to a respectable .267 which is much better than the years when he barely cracked the .200 mark.
Grade: B-
David Wright: Missed most of the season with a hamstring injury and spinal stenosis. Came back late August. Looked rusty as expected especially on the field but played better there towards the end as he got more comfortable. Although he may not be the same power hitter he once was due to his injuries, he still had some moments hitting the ball showing some pop down the stretch.
Grade: C+
Juan Uribe: Before going down with a chest injury, Juan was a steady influence in the clubhouse and on the field. May not have hit for a high average but showed some power and also had some big hits as well. His contributions go beyond the stat sheet.
Grade: B
Kelly Johnson: Was brought in with Uribe. Played sparingly down the stretch but showed versatility and occasional hitting. His biggest hit as a Met was hitting the game tying home run off Steven Strasburg that led to the eventual Mets sweep of the Nats.
Grade: C
Eric Campbell: Was a disappointment compared to last season. Finished the season hitting only .197. That alone determined what kind of year he had.
Grade: D
