Aaron Gleeman has the rundown on why Mike Cameron should hit a little better at Shea than he did at Safeco, where he had just horrendous home/road splits. I have mixed feelings about the Cameron move, since I generally believe in the notion that a rebuilding team should focus its energies on rebuilding, and signing a 31-year-old outfielder whose primary asset is his legs seems a little too Vince Coleman-ish to me. Then again, like Matsui (at least by reputation), Cameron is a spectacular defensive player and not terribly overpriced; this is more like the acquisition of Cliff Floyd than like the catastrophic acquisitions of Mo Vaughn and Tom Glavine. He’ll definitely help in the short run, and in particular the Cameron/Matsui/Reyes combination up the middle should do wonders for the Mets’ pitching staff. On the downside, Cameron’s low batting average and high strikeouts will make him a prime target for the boo birds when the team inevitably slides well below .500.
Also of note: Cameron’s steals dropped off to 17 last year from 34 and 31 the prior two years, and steals are something that usually doesn’t come back. Despite their speed, neither Cameron nor Matsui should be expected to run much. But the team will look far different on the basepaths than in the era of Olerud, Ventura, Zeile, and Vaughn.
Further on the downside is this: Cameron’s comps at baseball-reference.com are as follows:
Similar Batters through Age 30
Ruppert Jones (946)
Dave Henderson (939)
Tom Tresh (938)
Tommie Agee (936)
Cory Snyder (934)
Dwayne Murphy (930)
Johnny Briggs (929)
Darrell Evans (928)
Larry Hisle (926)
Ray Lankford (921)
This list is worrisomely similar to the one I noted at the time for Matt Lawton when he arrived in NY; everyone on the list but Evans (who’s not really a similar player) and Lankford was washed up or close to it by age 31.
I’m much more opposed to the Mets’ rumored interest in Brian Jordan, who’s exactly the type of player that got them where they are today, and who would seal off the outfield; I’d much rather start the season with an opening to audition young players alongside Cameron and Floyd than with a set-in-stone veteran lineup.
Or, of course, Vladimir Guerrero; the great ones, when still young, are always worth it. If the Mets signed Guerrero, it would overnight begin to make sense to gear up to win now.