Ex-Met Teufel tutors Murphy at second base
Daniel Murphy waits for the throw as Jonathan Herrera of the Colorado Rockies steals second base in the seventh inning. (April 13, 2011) Credit: Jim McIsaac
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Daniel Murphy still likes to carry his handful of fielding gloves in his equipment bag, though Mets manager Terry Collins has told him he'll need only one this season.
Murphy started 46 games at first base, 25 at third and 19 at second last season. Collins managed to get Murphy into 109 games and he produced, hitting .320 with 28 doubles, six home runs and 49 RBIs.
The Mets are set at first and third with Ike Davis and David Wright, respectively, so Murphy must play second if Collins is to keep his productive lefthanded bat in the lineup.
Second base has been dangerous territory for Murphy, though. He missed the final two months of last season and almost all of the previous year because of knee injuries suffered while playing second.
After rehabilitating a Grade 2 tear of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee, Murphy worked hard in the offseason on exercises, such as jumping rope, "to get my feet moving," and taking ground balls only at second base.
Entering his seventh season of pro ball, Murphy, who turns 27 April 1, recognizes his opportunity this spring.
"The better I play defensively, if I'm able to win the job, the more games we're going to win," he said, adding that he isn't worried about losing his batting stroke while he focuses more on defense. "The offense seems to come into form for me a little easier."
Former Mets second baseman Tim Teufel, promoted to third-base coach after managing Triple-A Buffalo last year, said he will work closely with Murphy this spring.
"I think there's some things I learned in my 10 years in the game that come into play in coaching," Teufel said.
"It's very important to play within your means, making the routine play and turning the double play," said Teufel, who helped the Mets win the 1986 World Series in his first season after being traded from Minnesota. "That's so important to a team because you don't want to extend innings."
At 6-2, 205 pounds, Murphy is a little bigger than the 175 pounds the 6-foot Teufel played at, but neither owns what would be considered a classic second baseman's body.
Murphy is "very intense and very much wants to learn the position and play it the right way," Teufel said. "It's great to be able to work with a guy like that."
Teufel said the double-play pivot "is one of the toughest plays on the field," as much for the mental reasons as the physical. "It's a matter of feeling comfortable around the bag and getting out of the way," Teufel said. "The alarm goes off at a certain point when you haven't received the ball yet and this guy has a chance of taking me out."
Murphy said, "It's all about being in a position to protect yourself."
