The New York Mets' options at shortstop as of today are the light-hitting Ruben Tejada, whom fans have tired of, or the unproven Wilmer Flores. Now they're interested in adding depth by signing Stephen Drew, but finding his asking price to be prohibitive.
Stephen Drew is seeking upwards of $7 million for 2015; Mets could be interested if the price drops significantly, but not holding vigil.
— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) January 6, 2015
Drew started last season late because he couldn't get the contract he wanted last offseason, and he may be headed for a repeat. He spent last season with the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, and combined to slash .162/.237/.299 with seven home runs and 26 RBI.
His defense was less-than-stellar as well; he was worth 1.5 runs defensively in 85 games, not quite the defensive theatrics necessary to overcome a sub-.200 batting average.
Tejada was better defensively in 2014 than Drew and was actually an upgrade at the plate. Tejada slashed .247/.342/.310, but showed close to no power.
At 23 years old, Flores remains the most appealing and promising option. In 2014 he received an extended look and rewarded the Mets with a .251/.286/.378 slash line, six home runs, and 29 RBI over a 78-game sample. His minor league track record suggests he will continue to improve as a hitter, and at getting on base.
Adding Drew may not be unwise in terms of adding depth, but at $7 million or he is not likely to be a utility man off the bench. Bringing on Drew and force feeding him playing time could stunt the development of Flores, who would be relegated to a utility role filling in for Drew, David Wright and Daniel Murphy while never establishing himself at any spot.
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