We have known for a while now that Matt den Dekker can seriously bring it in center field. As you can see by the jump and read he gets on the ball, the young man has Major League instincts out there. His offense, however, has been a step behind.

The one time he has had a bump-up in production after being promoted mid-year was when he joined Savannah from the Rookie League on the Gulf Coast in 2010. All other times, he takes a 2nd half and an offseason to adjust. If this pattern continues (which it should adding the Las Vegas factor to the mix), den Dekker should begin to figure it out a little more at age 25 and finally make the jump to the Majors at some point this year.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis‘s defense is very much above average but den Dekker is on another level. Though the pattern continuing would mean he would struggle at the Major League level, it’s safe to say that if den Dekker figures out how to hit Major League pitching, he immediately climbs to the top of the Center Field depth chart, considering how his defensive prowess gets better and better the more it is on display.

He added a single to his game last night, starting a 1-out rally that brought the Mets within a run in the Classic of a Spring Loss. With the way he struggled after his promotion to Buffalo, they will most likely send him out to Vegas no matter how out of his mind he might play this Spring. With it being the hitter’s paradise everyone says it is, it will be good for his confidence and his overall progression.

Plus, he can bring back a bunch of home runs for the pitchers we want to progress as well.

If den Dekker gets it together at the plate, thank God we didn’t sign Michael freakin’ Bourn.

Thanks for reading! You can visit Sam Maxwell’s personal Mets Blog here. And be sure to Like Rising Apple’s Facebook page and follow @RisingAppleBlog on Twitter to keep up with the latest news, rumors, and opinion.

Last year, it was Dillon Gee catching the beard enthusiasts in the Mets fanbase by storm with an excellent chin-only Goatee. Looks like Justin Turner will be taking those reigns this spring. Dillon’s lasted till late-May/early-June. Who knows if Number 2′s beard will even make it out of February.

We do not yet have a Rising Apple-certified photo to show you of the beard, but the second we do you will see it right here. Adam Rubin of ESPN New York got a pretty good headshot at this link, which was also posted above.

Any updates regarding the Red One’s facial hair will be promptly delivered to all you awesome patrons. That goes for all the players in camp this year.

(And, of course, Justin Turner’s progress in the outfield as well.)

Thanks for reading! You can visit Sam Maxwell’s personal Mets Blog here. And be sure to Like Rising Apple’s Facebook page and follow @RisingAppleBlog on Twitter to keep up with the latest news, rumors, and opinion.

In this week’s episode, we will preview the not-too-distant reporting of pitchers and catchers, which takes place this coming Monday. From the make-shift bullpen to the make-shift outfield and everything in-between, we will discuss the whole roster, starting with the recent ‘pen arms brought in to compete for spots (inluding a lefty specialist role for Ike Davis???)

We will also provide the latest news regarding Michael Bourn and the Mets.

So, join us tonight at 6:30 for the latest edition of The Rising Apple Report!

Thanks for reading! You can visit Sam Maxwell’s personal Mets Blog here. And be sure to Like Rising Apple’s Facebook page and follow @RisingAppleBlog on Twitter to keep up with the latest news, rumors, and opinion.