One of the hottest NY Mets players this spring is winning a battle to nowhere

It’s not due to a fire hazard, a lack of seats on the plane, or the number of slices of pizza pie Steve Cohen is willing to buy for the players. The reason the New York Mets will have to decide between 26 players for the roster at any given time is much easier to explain: it’s the rule!

As such, deserving players may not make the cut. They’ll be told it’s so nobody trips over them during a fire. Who wants to stand up on a flight? Being left to watch your colleagues eat pizza knowing you don’t get any is brutal. That’ll be the excuse when in actuality we know it’s a game of numbers.

Right now, one of the hottest players in camp for the Mets and the team leader in games played with 14, Jose Azocar, is going to be left behind and maybe out of the organization by the time we get to Opening Day.

Jose Azocar has been one of the most productive Mets hitters this spring all for an opportunity elsewhere

A leftover member of last year’s team, Azocar was a late-season addition who never actually reached the majors. He was brought in as a candidate to be the speedster off the bench. By the time he might have had a chance, Luisangel Acuna was needed. There were no slices of pizza left at the table.

He has lingered on the 40-man roster, likely for a couple of reasons. They had the seats on the plane. For insurance against an injury to Jose Siri or Tyrone Taylor, he was worth keeping around. Azocar has outperformed each of them, but because of his track record and salary, he’s punching up.

Azocar won’t be around because of the fire hazard a 27-man roster creates, but his performance this spring seems to suggest otherwise. A 10 for 28 performance at the plate including a home run has given him a .357/.400/.464 slash line overall. A pair of stolen bases and a tie for the team-lead in runs scored (7) have all helped to give the impression Azocar could be useful; maybe just not for New York who’d need to pass him through waivers.

The Mets have had room for players like Azocar on past rosters. Tim Locastro. Travis Jankowski. Far less popular choices. This season, with a built-in plan to have Siri and Taylor already, there never was an opportunity for poor Azocar other than someone getting hurt. He’s winning a losing battle, like moving up someone’s Top 8 on Myspace just because everyone else’s account has been deleted.