It's time to trade Murphy

Daniel Murphy started the 2013 season knowing that he would be the team's primary second-baseman. That was out of the ordinary for him, because in the years prior he had to battle to earn an everyday position. As a second-baseman, Murphy showed signs of improvement over the 2012 season. Murphy has always been a natural hitter, hitting a career .292 (before the 2013 season) in four seasons with New York. However, his defense has always been the question. Many wondered if he would survive as a second-baseman in this game.

Murphy got off to a hot start this season, hitting .304 in his first 52 games. However, over his last 34 games, he has hit a mere .219 with a .258 on-base percentage. His defense has been about average, which is pretty much all you can ask for in a player like Murphy. However, with his struggling bat, and it may be time to move on and try to get younger.

Personally, I'm a huge Murphy fan, and I wouldn't be ready to give up on him after one struggling season. However, the team has a stud prospect in Wilmer Flores currently waiting in Triple-A, and he seems to be Major League ready. 

Flores, a converted second-baseman, has hit .316 with 10 home runs and 68 RBI in 87 games with the Las Vegas 51s this season. He was originally signed out of Venezuela by the Mets as a 16 year old in 2008, and has kept the attention of the front office for years now. The organization has taken it's time with Flores, working him up slowly and ensuring that they do not ruin his development. The beauty of this is that he is still only 21 years old, so he'll likely develop even more.

Now that the Mets are sitting in fourth place in the NL East, it is time to play the young kids and see what they can provide at this level of the game. Daniel Murphy is not one of those young guys. I'd really like to see the Mets trade Murphy to an American League team, where he can become a designated hitter, and thrive in that role. 

Granted, Murphy's trade value is exceptionally low right now, so perhaps the team would have to package him in a deal. The team is rumored to be looking for an outfield bat, so perhaps Murphy could be used in that potential trade. 

I personally cannot wait to see Flores in a Mets uniform, but I find it interesting that the Mets have not yet called him up. Like I mentioned before, the Mets are looking for an outfield bat, and Flores' value is currently being preserved in the minor leagues, so Flores could possibly be a big trading chip for the team.