MinorLeagueBall.com on Daniel Murphy, Mets 1B Situation

In a really great article, brought to my attention by Sean (a vital member of the Caught Lookin' crew), John Sickels of minorleagueball.com does an analysis of Daniel Murphy, including college, minor league and pro numbers in order to project the type of player the Mets have.  In my opinion this is a must read...

Sickels says about Murphy, "His career line is now .275/.331/.437, which I think is his true level of ability. He played mostly first base last year and UZR liked his glovework, with a 7.6 UZR/150 mark. Fielding Bible gave him a strong +14 rating, with 10 runs saved ranking as the second best defensive first baseman last year.  The numbers tally well with visual observation: he's slick with the glove."

Also in the article Sickels predicts Murphy's power output.  By considering his power potential, past performance and age maturation it is his belief that Murphy "will be hard-pressed to knock more than 18 or 20 in his prime seasons."

Overall, though, Sickels likes Murphy to be the starter this season, citing his youth, and the potential to surprise and overperform.  I can't say I disagree...