Carlos Delgado is struggling to deal with an injury to his right hip. He received a cortisone shot in the hip, causing him to miss the last two games.
The decision to put him on the disabled list is being held off until Friday to see if he can recover without a stint on the DL. If Delgado does hit the DL, there is an interesting move that Jerry Manuel has hinted at.
Daniel Murphy to first base.
Manuel has said he will “experiment” with Murphy at first base, freeing up left field for, presumably, Gary Sheffield.
I’ve discussed Murphy at first base in great detail, and though he doesn’t have the “power” to fit the first baseman mold, I think he could fit nicely into that position. Granted, the Mets would have to fill in the power differential between Delgado and Murphy with a big bat in left field (or elsewhere).
It’s key to see how Murphy’s glove performs at first base before we start making any rash letter-signing and/or sign-holding rallies. With David Wright’s sometime questionable throws from across the diamond, the Mets need someone who is able to handle their leather with some prowess.
I’d like to see this work out, both for Murphy and the Mets. It has promise, as long as he can flash enough glove to make it worthwhile.