NEW YORK -- The winner of the second-base competition lasted less than three weeks on the job. The Mets on Tuesday designated Brad Emaus for assignment, replacing him on the roster with Justin Turner and ending his brief reign as the starting second baseman.
Emaus, 25, won the starting second-base job after a lackluster spring in which none of the four main candidates distinguished themselves. A Rule 5 Draft pick from the Blue Jays, he must now be offered back to Toronto for $25,000, half of what the Mets paid to draft him.
Upon winning the spring competition over Daniel Murphy, Luis Castillo and Turner, Emaus was promised ample playing time in which to prove himself. But he struggled throughout the first two weeks of April, losing more and more playing time to Murphy. Emaus completed his tour in Flushing with a .162 average and no extra-base hits in 37 at-bats.
Turner, 26, enjoyed arguably the best spring of any Mets second baseman, but his campaign was undermined by his Minor League options. Prior to his promotion, Turner was hitting .300 with three doubles and two triples in 40 at-bats for Triple-A Buffalo.
It is not clear whether Turner or Murphy will assume the everyday second-base job or if the Mets plan to platoon the two infielders.
What say you, fellow Bauxites? Is Brad coming back? And what would that mean for the line-ups in AA and AAA?
