I have spent — maybe wasted — thousands upon thousands of words advocating for the Mets to give a Major League opportunity to one of any number of Triple-A mashers with nothing left to prove in the Minors.
And nearly every time I do that, someone in an email or a comments section or message board somewhere will respond with the same arguments:
If this guy’s so good, why hasn’t any team given him a chance? If he’s really a Major Leaguer, why do teams keep letting him go?
I have no answer. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out.
Case in point: Nelson Cruz became a Flushing Fussing favorite during Spring Training 2008 when I was certain the Mets needed an extra right-handed power bat to replace Moises Alou when he inevitably got hurt.
I have no idea what the Rangers would have wanted for Cruz at the time, nor did I claim to. But Cruz had, to that point, spent 442 Major League at-bats not hitting like a capable Major League outfielder and appeared buried in Triple-A Oklahoma.
So I suggested (twice) that the Mets inquire about Cruz, and for all I know they did. That’s not the point here.
My point is that sometimes even 442 at-bats across a few seasons is not long enough for a player to adjust to the Major League level, and usually, when a guy mashes the crap out of the ball in Triple-A, he can be expected to eventually continue doing so in the bigs.
Because now everyone wants Nelson Cruz, apparently.
You know Cruz. He’s the same guy the Mets traded for Jorge Velandia and the A’s traded for Keith Ginter and the Brewers packaged with Carlos Lee for Francisco Cordero, Laynce Nix and Kevin Mench.
So he’s a pitch-perfect example of a player some would say three different teams “passed over,” who made it to age 27 without big-league success, and who still, it turned out, could contribute to a Major League club.
So with that in mind, check out Meddler’s Rule 5 draft preview at Amazin’ Avenue. The Mets are the first team in the Rule 5 draft that currently has openings on its 40-man roster, so they should have their pick of this litter.
Tedquarters 
I’ve long been a proponent of Danny Dorn.
Do you see Chris Carter as this type of player? Although not a typical ‘masher’, but very good bat in the minors thats relaly never gotten a chance.
Cruz didnt break out until this year when hes what 29 years old? F-Mart had 91 Abs at the age of 20 and people already want to send him packing.
I definitely think Carter can be the same. Maybe his upside isn’t as huge as Cruz’s, but he’s a prototypical Triple-A masher who hasn’t yet had a fair chance in the Majors.
Nelson Cruz, Val Pascucci, Matt Murton, Volcano Taco.
Totally agree with you, Ted. He’s not a Rule 5 guy, but Jake Fox is sitting on Chicago’s roster, stuck as the 24th or 25th guy, with no place to play with A-Ram at 3B, Soto at C, or D Lee at 1B… and the guy put up filthy numbers at AAA.
Couldn’t this guy be our right-handed platoon bat at 1B if the Mets decide they want a one-year platoon with Murphy before Ike Davis comes along?
I realize his fielding has been questioned, which I don’t dismiss, but isn’t he worth a look as buy-low trade bait? It’s not crazy to think Chicago would do a trade of Castillo for Fox, esp if we send over a few million to sweeten the deal.