This is something that I really just don't understand, and it really devalues the whole 'competition' process. I truly feel bad for Murphy because he's worked very hard to learn how to play second base and has improved at the plate as well. We know he's not much of a power hitter, but his offensive numbers so far in Spring Training have been very good, and certainly stand out over Turner, Castillo and Emaus. He is obviously the proven candidate for the job. It's actually pretty obvious why. In my opinion, it's either start at 2B or have him in AAA. No point in having him come off the bench because clearly if he has any future in New York it's as our second baseman, so having him on the bench will not help him improve both offensively and defensively. However, lately we've learned that manager Terry Collins prefers Luis Hernandez to be the second base starter, despite Hernandez having played only 7 games with 13 at bats this Spring.
Now let's take a quick run through the numbers here to determine what exactly makes Hernandez a better candidate at 2B than the 4 "competitors".
| Age | Player | AB | R | 2B | HR | RBI | AVG | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Daniel Murphy | 32 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 7 | .324 | .343 | .500 |
| 25 | Brad Emaus | 21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .190 | .292 | .190 |
| 26 | Justin Turner | 25 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .200 | .231 | .240 |
| 35 | Luis Castillo | 25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .280 | .357 | .280 |
| 27 | Luis Hernandez | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .385 | .429 | .538 |
Obviously Murphy is the player who stands out amongst the rest. He hits doubles, hits for average, doesn't draw too many walks but makes up for that with his ability to drive in runs. That is exactly what we need. A player who can drive in runs because it is obviously something we were unable to accomplish in 2010. In the limited time we have seen Hernandez, he clearly is better than the other 4 candidates and is certainly better defensively than Murphy, however he only has played in 7 games racking up just 13 at bats He draws more walks but I just want to see more at bats before declaring him the winner.
To me it seems like Terry wasted our time and it appears inevitable that Murphy will end up rotting on the bench. That's too bad, because I was extremely interested in seeing him prove something out there and I certainly thought he improved extremely well considering the numerous position changes this club has put him through. Maybe he'll get his chance if Hernandez struggles out the gate or suffers an injury. Nothing is set in stone yet but all indications are pointing to Hernandez stealing the job.
One thing is for certain though, Emaus and Turner haven't done anything to prove they will win the spot. So it's basically down to Hernandez, Murphy & Castillo.
Exactly and the only reason he would be on the bench appears to be since he has spent time at 1B, 3B and LF, so he could give those guys a day off here and there. But if they view him as a long-term asset then theres no doubt he should be in AAA to improve his skills rather than be on the bench.