Little Bit of Everything

JUSTIN TURNER - IF
2011 stats - .260 BA, 30 2B, 51 RBI

To start the 2011 season, the Mets made the unpopular move and started Justin Turner in AAA.  It only lasted a few games as the Mets realized they needed a spark in mid-April and recalled Turner to take over second base.  Turner quickly became a fan favorite at Citi Field because of his non-stop hustle, his new guy approach and his productivity.

The month of May threw Turner in the spot light as was an RBI machine, collecting 20 RBIs for the month, earning himself Rookie of the Month honors.  He cooled off from his sizzling start as the season wore on, but a lot of that can be attributed to long season fatigue and pitchers adjusting to his game.

Turner became a jack of all trades last season, playing all over the infield as the Mets starting infield suffered injuries all throughout the season.  With the 2012 quickly approaching, Turner seems to be the number one utility player on the Mets bench.  Ike Davis, Daniel Murphy, and David Wright all will becoming back from injury and reclaiming their starting spots which in effect will put Turner on the bench.  Most of his playing time will come at second base, behind the learning the position on the fly Murphy.

As long as Turner can keep getting enough at bats to stay sharp, he will be a very valuable asset off the Mets bench this season; both at the plate and on the field.  The Mets aren't a very deep team, but this is one spot where they should feel a bit comfortable.