Why the Mets Don't Need Marlon Anderson

Marlon Anderson is a 35 year old utility player who usually pinch hits. Anderson strained his hamstring in May last year which gives him a bit of an excuse for his poor performance, but no one can tell you that his .210 batting average was pleasing. Although he is given inconsistent playing time, that is no excuse for failing to hit because he has been used in a limited role for the past few seasons. In the month of September, Marlon Anderson had 13 pinch hit at bats, yet he only managed one hit and two walks. In his first 19 pinch hit at bats of the season, Anderson managed only one walk, two hits, two runs, and an RBI, with one of the hits being a home run. In games which he started, Anderson performed better, but the point is, there are much better utility men out there. For example, Damion Easley was fantastic for the Mets the last two seasons although he had a larger role. Easley was another veteran leader in the clubhouse and was great when he filled in for second baseman Luis Castillo when he was injured. Easley did it for a cheaper price and at an older age, proving that with a pretty substantial role, he could succeed. If the Mets had brought him back this year rather than Anderson, they likely would have had him for a discount and received better performances in return. Easley provides better depth for the infield (off the bench) which is scarce other than Alex Cora (signed this off-season) and he would be of more value to the team.

I know that Marlon Anderson is basically there to be the designated pinch hitter, but is that a necessary role to fill with a guy who couldn't perform in that spot last season? I don't have Anderson's exact salary for 2009, but I believe it is somewhere around his salary for 2008 which was a around $1,000,000. In my opinion, $1,000,000 is too much money to give a guy who has such a limited role and hasn't been clutch when necessary. If you take Marlon Anderson off the payroll, the Mets have some more cash that they can spend wisely on a player that they need, like a left handed reliever. Now, I know I've been bashing Anderson for quite a while and maybe I've been too harsh. I am basing my writing mainly on last season, in which Anderson was dreadful, but, if he can perform close to the level of his 2007 season, he may be worth his salary. Maybe his injuries made that much of a difference (-.109 difference in batting average between 07-08), but I suspect that wasn't the whole story. In conclusion, I think Marlon Anderson is a waste of money. Had his contract been structured differently, I wouldn't be as critical, but his current price tag is too high. For now, it looks like Anderson will back up Carlos Delgado at first base and be in charge of the pinch hitting duties. For future references, as of next week, whenever the Mets make transactions, have injuries or other notables, I will make a short post of it. That's it for today, check back next time.