The Phillies signed outfielder Marlon Byrd to a two-year, $16 million contract. The Mets today signed outfielder Chris Young to a one-year, $7.25 million contract. Many fans took to Twitter today to express their anger that the Phillies could have had Young instead. I may be in the minority, but I am pretty sure the Phillies already have Chris Young.
Consider these two right-handed outfielders:
Player A: 353 AB, .227 BA, .286 OBP, 11 HR, 39 RBI, .677 OPS
Player B: 335 AB, .200 BA, .280 OBP, 12 HR, 40 RBI, .659 OPS
Player B is Chris Young, the Mets new $7.25 million outfielder. Player A would be fan favorite (joke) John Mayberry Jr. Young will earn probably about three times or more what Mayberry will in 2013.
Reasons people prefer Chris Young?
Mainly I suppose the argument will be that Young is more of a natural center fielder and that Mayberry is a fill-in-for-a-short-while-type player in center field. But on the Phillies would Young be an everyday center fielder? The answer would be no. If the Phillies had signed Young, he would played right field and would have served as a fill-in center fielder. The Phillies are not done constructing their roster yet, but having a player who can play center field once in a while on your bench is not reason to spend $5 million extra.
But wait, Young used to be good! The "Byrd used to be good" argument has been tossed around plenty for why he will not produce in 2014. Why won't the same apply for Young? Young has done little more than his 2013 output for a few years now. Mayberry likely will be the usual Mayberry. The Phillies might as well keep the Mayberry they have than signing another one.
