A point I have made before, but underlined by their final season totals – you would have to look long and hard for three more similar hitters:
| Player | Age | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | K | SB | CS | DP | BA | Slg | OBP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jose Reyes | 23 | 153 | 647 | 122 | 194 | 30 | 17 | 19 | 81 | 53 | 81 | 64 | 17 | 6 | .300 | .487 | .354 |
| Carl Crawford | 24 | 151 | 600 | 89 | 183 | 20 | 16 | 18 | 77 | 37 | 85 | 58 | 9 | 8 | .305 | .482 | .348 |
| Hanley Ramirez | 22 | 158 | 633 | 119 | 185 | 46 | 11 | 17 | 59 | 56 | 128 | 51 | 15 | 7 | .292 | .480 | .353 |
Crawford is the weakest of the three only because he’s the oldest, not a shortstop and walks the least, but I suspect he may also have the best power potential. Joel Sherman of the Post (h/t Pinto and Rays Index) think Crawford might be available in a deal for a young pitcher, maybe to the Mets. For the Rays this is either sheer stupidity (trading their franchise player) or a sign of maturity (dealing from strength in the OF) depending on what they would expect to get back.
From the Mets’ perspective, while I’d love to see Crawford and Reyes as a 1-2 punch even despite the fact that this would combine two relatively low-walk guys atop the order, and while replacing Floyd with Crawford would save the Mets money (which could be invested in the rotation) while improving their defense and durability, the Pedro injury does make me doubt how much further they can be stripped of young arms. I’d certainly consider Pelfrey or Humber for Crawford – even the best pitching prospect is a much more speculative deal than a healthy young outfielder – but I suspect that the Mets’ need to hold on to credible contenders for the rotation will outrank any opportunity to convert young arms into equally young bats.