Clik here to view.
Though his presence on the team would plug numerous holes, the 2013 National League All-Star is not on the Mets' radar.
Shortly after the San Diego Padres non-tendered shortstop Everth Cabrera last Tuesday, Amazin' Avenue's Rich Resch predicted that the Nicaraguan would have no problem finding a team to play on for the 2015 season, citing his ability to get on base at an acceptable rate, his blazing speed, and his defensive prowess at short.
According to ESPN's Adam Rubin, we can cross the Mets off of the list of teams that might be interested. No further explanation was offered by Rubin, but according to The Daily News' Kristie Ackert, Cabrera's "checkered past" is one reason the team is not interested in bringing him aboard, despite the fact that he possesses a handful of secondary characteristics that are no doubt superior to what Ruben Tejada or Wilmer Flores bring to the table.
Cabrera was in the midst of putting up the best numbers in his major league career in 2013 before his season was cut short in August by a 50-game suspension due to his involvement with the Biogenesis clinic. When he returned to baseball in 2014, the 28-year-old hit just .232/.272/.300 in 90 games, and to make matters worse, was arrested in September on the suspicion of driving under the influence. He was later charged with a DUI plus resisting arrest. The incident was not Cabrera's first brush with the law, either, as he was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault back in March 2012.
In his second year of arbitration, Cabrera was projected to make roughly $3 million for the 2015 season, but the Padres deemed the sum too high based on the combination of his on-the-field numbers and off-the-field issues, and did not tender the shortstop a contract.
Barring a future move, Ruben Tejada and Wilmer Flores will likely be competing with one another for playing time at shortstop. Tejada, 25, hit .237/.342/.310 in 119 games last season, while Flores, 23, hit .251/.286/.378 in 78 games with the Mets and .323/.367/.568 in 55 games with their Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas 51s.
