Familar Spot on the Bench

SCOTT HAIRSTON - OF
2011 stats - .235 BA, 7 HR, 24 RBI

Being the fourth outfielder on a club is good, but it's not great.  One side is like 'yes, I'm on the big league roster!". While the other side says 'I'm close to playing, but still riding the pine'.

This is the position that Scott Hairston is occupying for Mets again in 2012.  Hairston did not have a bad season in 2011, even showing a small bit of pop with seven home runs in 132 ABs.  But he did not do enough, and probably does not have enough, to get an every day job with this club.  If one of the starting three go down for a game or two, Hairston will be able to fill in admirably.  But anything closer to a week or more, and the Mets will show some signs of offensive trouble.