Mets' Carlos Mendoza mum on centerfield decisions with Brandon Nimmo and Harrison Bader
New Mets manmager Carlos Mendoza at a spring training workout. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Carlos Mendoza isn’t ready to say quite yet that the Mets are moving Brandon Nimmo out of centerfield.
With Harrison Bader signed to a one-year, $10.5 million contract — not exactly backup money — and president of baseball operations David Stearns acknowledging last month that Bader will play “a lot” of centerfield, Nimmo seemingly is destined to play at least most of the time in leftfield.
Publicly, Mendoza wants to keep his options open.
“We've got good options,” the manager said. “Look, we brought Bader in here obviously, but we've also got Brandon Nimmo. From the beginning, we've been having those conversations with Brandon. He’s been very open about it.
“We all know Brandon. This is a guy that wants to win. And he will do everything he can possibly do to help this team win a game, whether that’s in left, whether that’s in center.”
Mendoza also mentioned Tyrone Taylor, who profiles as a more traditional fourth outfielder who can play all three spots.
Among the questions the Mets need to sort out during spring training: If Nimmo indeed is the regular leftfielder, do they let him focus on just that position? Or will they ask him to toggle between left and center on days Bader isn’t in the lineup?
Mets officials have been discussing that since November, according to Mendoza.
“Again, (Nimmo is) willing to do whatever it takes,” he said. “The biggest thing is our communication here and making sure that he’s preparing and we’re putting him in a position where he’s going to be the best version of Brandon Nimmo, whether that’s in leftfield, centerfield. Making sure that that communication is clear . . . There’s a lot that goes into this decision here, whether it’s natural pace, off days, health. All that comes into play when it comes down to writing the lineup.
The wild card is Bader’s tendency to get hurt. As strong of a defender as he is, he has averaged 111 games in his five full seasons.
“It’s up to me and the coaching staff,” Mendoza said, “to put together a plan and talk to the players as well to make sure we’re putting them in a position to have success.”
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
