Eric Simon from SB Nation’s Amazin’ Avenue says the 12-week timetable is a “smokescreen” -- anticipating a May comeback for Carlos Beltran at the earliest -- and looks at potential replacements in centerfield:
Amazin’ Avenue: Potential Replacements For Carlos Beltran
Angel Pagan - The most obvious fill-in candidate is the one the Mets already have. Pagan hit .306/.350/.487 (.358 wOBA) in 343 plate appearances last season, though I suspect that .352 BABIP will regress some. UZR seemed to like him in left field (+4.5 in 146.2 innings) but less so in center (-0.3 in 506.1 innings), though the latter rating is basically average and average > poor. Plus/Minus liked him everywhere, rating him a +12 in left (7 runs saved) and a +7 in center (4 runs saved). ...
Endy Chavez - You can probably cross Endy off the list, as he's out until May. Still, he's a personal favorite and would be a solid bargain purchase for later in the season.
Rick Ankiel - He remains unsigned and probably won't get much when he eventually lands somewhere. UZR and Plus/Minus agree that he's not much to look at in the field, though he was a two-win player as recently as 2008, when he hit .264/.337/.506 with a .360 wOBA and a 124 RC+. He's considerably better against lefties than righties, so he couldn't realistically be used in a platoon arrangement with Pagan. The money factor alone makes Ankiel a fairly attractive option.
Rocco Baldelli - Hasn't played much. Missed all of 2005, had 387 plate appearances in 2006, 150 in 2007, 90 in 2008 (all with the Rays), and 164 last season with the Red Sox, where he hit .253/.311/.433. UZR and Plus/Minus both rate him above average in center for his career. He's also a righty and has predictably hit much better against lefties overall, so if we hold tight to the platoon idea Baldelli could match up well with Pagan (or Ankiel, I suppose, though the fact that the Mets already have Pagan pretty much settles that one. I think.).
Randy Winn - The defensive metrics are basically meh on Winn in center field, but they love him in right. He'll be 36 in June and he was awful at the plate last year -- .262/.318/.353, 82 wRC+ -- after hitting well in both 2007 and 2008. Despite his dreadful batting line he was still worth almost two wins (Winns!) in 2009, and was worth 4.6 and 2.8 in 2008 and 2007, respectively. Not a bad option.
Johnny Damon - Great bat, stinky glove, especially in center. The worst part is that he's a Type-A free agent with any compensation going to the Yankees. Then again, he is surely ranked lower than Jason Bay, so the Mets would only give up a third-round pick, with the Yankees collecting a first-round sandwich pick from the 'pool'.
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