%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20868.5%20200%22%20style%3D%22enable-background%3Anew%200%200%20868.5%20200%3B%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cstyle%20type%3D%22text%2Fcss%22%3E%0A%09.st0%7Bfill%3A%23231F20%3B%7D%0A%09.st1%7Bfill%3A%23002B74%3B%7D%0A%09.st2%7Bfill%3A%23FF4A00%3B%7D%0A%09.st3%7Bfill%3A%23FFFFFF%3B%7D%0A%3C%2Fstyle%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Template%22%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Layer_2%22%3E%0A%09%3Cg%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M126.5%2C145.2c-2.7-6-2.9-15.2-4-24.9c-0.3-2.9-2.4-14.8-8.1-21c-5.6-6.2-12.7-8.7-13.8-9.4%0A%09%09%09c10.2-3.8%2C16.4-8.6%2C20.3-15.9c6.7-13%2C7.3-27.3-5.1-39.7c-3-3-7.6-5.4-13.7-7.5c-23-8.1-62.7%2C2.5-83.7-4.4%0A%09%09%09c-6.7-2.2-7.9-7.1-8.7-10.8c-0.6-3.5-5.2-0.6-7%2C2.1C0.1%2C18-3.1%2C27.3%2C6.3%2C33.9c11.3%2C7.9%2C47.2%2C4.4%2C69.6%2C4.8%0A%09%09%09c24.1%2C0.3%2C27.9%2C18.7%2C18.7%2C35.4c-7.1%2C12.5-23.7%2C11.6-26.4%2C10.8c1.1-3.8%2C9.4-28.9%2C10.3-32.2c1.8-5.6-2.4-9.7-7-8.4%0A%09%09%09c-6.2%2C2.1-5.1%2C4.9-25.2%2C10c-6.8%2C1.7-3.6%2C5.7-1.7%2C9.4c0.6%2C1.1%2C0.5%2C3.3%2C0%2C5.6c-0.3%2C1.3-14.1%2C48.7-18.3%2C61.1%0A%09%09%09c-1.3%2C3.7-3.3%2C4.6-5.9%2C6.5c-5.7%2C4-6.8%2C9.7%2C0.8%2C9.7c12.1-0.2%2C23.2%2C0%2C34.5%2C0c3%2C0%2C5.1-1.4%2C5.2-4.4c0-5.2-6.2-5.2-6.3-8.3%0A%09%09%09c2.4-9.5%2C6.8-27.1%2C9.7-36.4c8.7-0.6%2C15.6%2C1.4%2C20.2%2C4.8c5.7%2C4.1%2C6.3%2C12.7%2C6.7%2C16c0.9%2C11.1%2C1.6%2C26.7%2C4.6%2C35.2%0A%09%09%09c2.1%2C5.7%2C5.2%2C11.3%2C10.3%2C14c13%2C6.8%2C29.4%2C1.3%2C34.9-2.2c4.3-2.4%2C5.6-5.6%2C4-8.4C143%2C153.3%2C132.7%2C158.9%2C126.5%2C145.2z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M162.4%2C65.8c6.5%2C0%2C12.4-4.9%2C13.2-11.1c0.9-6.3-3.7-11.3-10-11.3c-6.5%2C0-12.4%2C4.9-13.3%2C11.3%0A%09%09%09C151.5%2C60.9%2C155.9%2C65.8%2C162.4%2C65.8z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M275.2%2C65.8c6.5%2C0%2C12.4-4.9%2C13.2-11.1c0.9-6.3-3.7-11.3-10-11.3c-6.5%2C0-12.4%2C4.9-13.3%2C11.3%0A%09%09%09C264.3%2C60.9%2C268.7%2C65.8%2C275.2%2C65.8z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M465.2%2C110c0.9-2.1%2C2.2-6.8%2C0.5-8.6c-2.7-2.9-8.1-1.9-10.3%2C1.9c-3.8%2C6.8-8.6%2C22.9-17.5%2C23.5%0A%09%09%09c-1.4%2C0.2-2.5-0.3-3.5-1.3c-0.8-1-1.3-2.5-0.3-7.9c2.1-7.1%2C3-10.6%2C4.3-14c3-8.9%2C5.7-15.7%2C6.7-17.6c3-5.7%2C4.4-6.7%2C4.8-9.2%0A%09%09%09c0.5-1.9-0.8-3.2-2.1-3.5c-3-0.6-4.8%2C1.6-9%2C2.2c-5.2%2C1-14.1-1.1-14.6%2C2.2c-0.8%2C5.4-2.5%2C9.7-5.1%2C16.8c-6.8%2C20.5-9.4%2C26-9.9%2C27.9%0A%09%09%09c-8.6%2C21-18.6%2C13.3-17.3-0.3c0.5-4.8%2C1.3-10.6%2C3.2-16.5c5.1-15.2%2C10.2-20.8%2C16.4-21c2.4%2C4.1%2C8.9%2C2.7%2C9.4-2.4c0-3.8-3-7.5-12.9-6.7%0A%09%09%09c-17.2%2C1.2-33.8%2C15-39.4%2C33.4c-3.9%2C8.4-8.3%2C19.8-15.1%2C18.8c-3.2-0.3-3-4.8-2.2-8.6c0.5-2.9%2C4.6-15.4%2C4.8-22.5%0A%09%09%09c0.2-8.9-5.9-19.2-18.4-19.7c-5.1-0.2-9.5%2C2.2-13.5%2C5.4c1.3-1.9%2C1.9-2.9%2C2.2-4.6c0.2-1.8-1.1-3.2-2.1-3.3c-3-0.8-4.9%2C1.6-9%2C2.2%0A%09%09%09c-5.4%2C0.9-14.3-1.1-14.9%2C2.2c-0.8%2C5.2-2.2%2C9.7-4.9%2C16.8c-2.2%2C5.9-4.2%2C11.5-6.2%2C17.1c-3.3%2C6.9-7.4%2C14.4-13.3%2C15%0A%09%09%09c-1.4%2C0-2.5-0.3-3.5-1.4c-1.1-1.3-1.6-4.6%2C1.1-13.3c4.1-13%2C8.3-23.7%2C9.5-26.2c2.9-5.7%2C4.4-6.5%2C4.8-9.2c0.3-1.9-1-3.2-1.9-3.3%0A%09%09%09c-3.2-0.8-4.9%2C1.4-9.2%2C2.2c-5.4%2C1-14.3-1.3-14.8%2C2.1c-0.8%2C5.4-2.2%2C9.7-4.9%2C16.8c-1.1%2C3-3%2C8-4.6%2C12.5c-2.3%2C5.2-6%2C12.4-12.2%2C17.7%0A%09%09%09c-0.8%2C0.6-2.1%2C1.4-3.5%2C2.1c1.6-7.8-2.5-16.5-13-23.2c-2.9-1.9-6-3.7-8.7-5.4c-3.5-2.2-4.6-5.9-3.6-10.2c1.6-7.5%2C13.7-6.7%2C15.7-3.3%0A%09%09%09c-2.7%2C1.7-5.7%2C4.9-5.9%2C8.4c-0.2%2C5.7%2C4.3%2C10.6%2C10%2C10.8c10%2C0%2C14.4-10.2%2C11.3-18.3c-3.5-8.9-13.3-12.1-22.7-12.4%0A%09%09%09c-9-0.3-18.3%2C1.4-26.4%2C6.5c-7.3%2C4.6-10.5%2C10.9-11.1%2C17.5c-0.1%2C1.4%2C0.2%2C2.6%2C0.4%2C3.8c-0.8%2C0.6-1.5%2C1.3-2%2C2.2%0A%09%09%09c-3.8%2C6.8-8.7%2C22.9-17.5%2C23.7c-1.4%2C0-2.5-0.3-3.5-1.4c-1.1-1.3-1.6-4.6%2C1.1-13.3c4.1-13%2C8.3-23.7%2C9.5-26.2%0A%09%09%09c2.9-5.7%2C4.4-6.5%2C4.8-9.2c0.3-1.9-1-3.2-1.9-3.3c-3.2-0.8-4.9%2C1.4-9.2%2C2.2c-5.4%2C1-14.3-1.3-14.8%2C2.1c-0.8%2C5.4-2.2%2C9.7-4.9%2C16.8%0A%09%09%09c-2.1%2C5.7-7.1%2C19-7.6%2C20.8c-1.4%2C4.6-2.4%2C11.3-2.4%2C13.5c0%2C5.2%2C1.3%2C8.6%2C2.4%2C10.2c6.9%2C9.3%2C23.6%2C11.2%2C40.5-7.8%0A%09%09%09c-0.4%2C6.4%2C3.8%2C10.8%2C9.4%2C12.7c7.6%2C2.4%2C17.1%2C2.4%2C18.3%2C2.4c13.2%2C0.2%2C24-1.6%2C36.7-9.5c2.2-1.4%2C4.1-2.9%2C6-4.4c0.4%2C3.1%2C1.1%2C5.5%2C2%2C6.6%0A%09%09%09c5.5%2C7.5%2C17.4%2C10.2%2C30.6%2C1.2c0.1%2C2.8%2C2.3%2C5.3%2C5.3%2C5.3h13.3c2.2%2C0%2C4.3-1.6%2C5.1-3.8c5.1-14.1%2C8.9-26.7%2C14.3-39.5%0A%09%09%09c1.7-4.1%2C4.3-8.6%2C6.2-11.3c4.9-6.8%2C14.1-9.2%2C10%2C3.8c-6.7%2C21.1-13%2C36.2-7.1%2C44.5c7%2C9.6%2C24.5%2C11.1%2C41.8-9.4c1.2%2C3%2C2.7%2C5.7%2C4.9%2C8%0A%09%09%09c9.2%2C9.7%2C22.5%2C8.4%2C31.1%2C3.2c-0.6%2C2.4-1.3%2C5.1-1.7%2C7.5c-9.8%2C42.5-37.5%2C30.6-34.3%2C20.5c5.9%2C1.6%2C12.7-1.1%2C12.5-8.2%0A%09%09%09c0-5.6-6-9.9-12.4-6.5c-3.5%2C1.7-3%2C3.2-5.2%2C3c-9.4-1.1-24-2.2-29.5-2.5c-15.9-1.1-37.5-2.9-50.5-1.6c-4.1%2C0.3-21%2C3.3-21.4%2C16.4%0A%09%09%09c-0.5%2C7%2C4.4%2C13.5%2C12.1%2C14.5c12.4%2C1.9%2C19.7-9.9%2C30-12.5c11.4-2.9%2C33-5.4%2C53.8-3.2c-1.1%2C6.5%2C0.2%2C13.8%2C3%2C18.3c3.8%2C6.2%2C10%2C9.7%2C18.9%2C11%0A%09%09%09c21.3%2C2.9%2C33.3-14%2C37.5-22.9c4.8-10.3%2C7.5-20.5%2C7.5-20.5l2.2-9c8.4-0.5%2C18.9-5.9%2C29.2-19.8C462.1%2C118.1%2C463.4%2C114.3%2C465.2%2C110z%0A%09%09%09%20M204.7%2C137.8c-3.5%2C0.9-6-0.3-7-4c-0.6-2.2-1.7-6.7-5.9-9.2c-1.8-1-5.2-1.7-8.4-0.7c3.1-4.6%2C4.6-7.8%2C5.8-10.7%0A%09%09%09c7.9%2C7.2%2C19.5%2C12.3%2C19.7%2C17.6C209.1%2C134.6%2C207.5%2C137%2C204.7%2C137.8z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M589.9%2C158.3c-2.4-2.8-12.1%2C1.8-18.1-11.3c-0.3-0.7-0.6-1.4-0.9-2.1C558.7%2C115.5%2C550.8%2C47%2C549.7%2C30%0A%09%09%09c1-1.6%2C2.1-3.5%2C2.5-4.8c2.5-5.9-2.2-10.6-6.2-8.7c-6.5%2C2.4-3.2%2C4-24.1%2C9.8c-7.1%2C2.1-3.8%2C6.5-1.7%2C10.6c0%2C0.3%2C0.3%2C1.4%2C0.6%2C3%0A%09%09%09c-2.4%2C4-53.7%2C87.7-57.3%2C92.3c-2.1%2C2.9-4.1%2C3.5-6.5%2C5.7c-3.8%2C3.5-3.8%2C8.7%2C2.5%2C8.6c1.7%2C0%2C17.3%2C0%2C25.6%2C0c2.9%2C0%2C4.6-2.9%2C4-5.6%0A%09%09%09c-0.6-2.5-3.8-5.4-3.8-6.2c0-6.3%2C5.7-16.7%2C7.6-20c1.4-2.4%2C4.6-2.7%2C7.6-2.7c6.2%2C0.2%2C21.7%2C0.3%2C30.3%2C0.3c1.6%2C8.6%2C5.9%2C30.9%2C10.2%2C42.9%0A%09%09%09c2.1%2C5.7%2C5.2%2C11.3%2C10.3%2C14c3.4%2C1.8%2C6.9%2C2.7%2C10.5%2C3c10.2%2C1%2C20.3-2.7%2C24.5-5.3c0.5-0.3%2C0.8-0.6%2C1.2-0.9c3.2-2.3%2C4.1-5%2C2.7-7.5%0A%09%09%09C590.1%2C158.4%2C590%2C158.4%2C589.9%2C158.3z%20M523.7%2C58.5c2.7%2C22.2%2C3.5%2C28.7%2C4.8%2C39.9l-28.1%2C0.2C504.6%2C91.1%2C516.5%2C70.6%2C523.7%2C58.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M559.7%2C178.4c-2.6%2C7.8-4.5%2C13.4-4.8%2C14.4c-1.3%2C3.5%2C1.4%2C7.1%2C5.1%2C7.1h13c2.2%2C0%2C4.3-1.4%2C5.1-3.7%0A%09%09%09c2.3-7.2%2C4.4-14.2%2C6.6-21.2c-5.2%2C2.2-12%2C3.9-19.2%2C3.9C563.6%2C179.1%2C561.6%2C178.7%2C559.7%2C178.4z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M864.3%2C47.9c-3.8-10.3-10.8-21.4-28.1-32.1c-9.2-5.7-20.8-8.4-31.3-9.5C763.5%2C2%2C721.1%2C24.1%2C684.1%2C31.2%0A%09%09%09c-9.7%2C1.9-30.2%2C0.6-31.8-12.2c-0.6-5.4-1.4-11.1-4.8-14.8c-5.1-5.2-15.9-5.9-23.2-0.5c-16%2C11.9-5.6%2C34.9%2C11%2C44.6%0A%09%09%09c14.1%2C8.1%2C31.1%2C7%2C43.2%2C4.8c47.2-8.7%2C84-35.6%2C127.3-31.9c42.1%2C3.7%2C55.4%2C42.4%2C43.8%2C73.7c-4.4%2C10.8-10.9%2C20.2-20.2%2C26.7%0A%09%09%09c-5.2%2C3.5-11.6%2C6.2-19.1%2C5.6c-3.3-0.3-7.3-2.4-8.7-5.2c8.7-3.3%2C27.9-11.3%2C34.9-22.5c7.6-11.9%2C1.6-24.3-16-23.5%0A%09%09%09c-21.6%2C1-39%2C17.2-44.2%2C33.9c-3.7%2C8.2-8%2C18.3-14.6%2C17.6c-5.4-0.6-0.8-13.8-0.8-13.8c2.7-8.4%2C17.6-52.9%2C23.3-70.8%0A%09%09%09c1.4-4.6-2.1-8.1-5.9-7c-5.2%2C1.7-4.3%2C4.1-21.1%2C8.4c-5.7%2C1.4-3%2C4.8-1.4%2C7.8c0.8%2C1.6%2C0%2C5.4-0.8%2C8.1c-2.5%2C7.2-11%2C31.1-16%2C45.2%0A%09%09%09c-1.7%2C3.9-5.6%2C14.2-14.5%2C21.5c-1.6%2C1.3-5.4%2C3.6-8.3%2C3c3.5-4.1%2C5.7-7.1%2C8.7-13.8c3.3-7.3%2C4.9-14%2C3.5-22.1%0A%09%09%09c-1.3-7.9-8.4-15.4-17.6-15.9c-5.2-0.3-11.4%2C0.2-15.9%2C0.9c0-0.3%2C0.2-0.5%2C0.2-0.8c0.3-1.7-1-3-2.1-3.3c-3-0.6-4.9%2C1.6-9%2C2.2%0A%09%09%09c-5.4%2C1-14.3-1.1-14.8%2C2.2c-0.5%2C3-1.3%2C5.7-2.2%2C8.9c-0.2%2C0.7-2.9%2C8.6-6.6%2C19.7c-2.1%2C4.9-6%2C12.9-13.3%2C18.9c-1.6%2C1.3-5.4%2C3.6-8.3%2C3%0A%09%09%09c3.5-4.1%2C5.7-7.1%2C8.7-13.8c3.3-7.3%2C4.9-14%2C3.5-22.1c-1.3-7.9-8.4-15.4-17.6-15.9c-5.2-0.3-11.4%2C0.2-15.9%2C0.9%0A%09%09%09c0-0.3%2C0.2-0.5%2C0.2-0.8c0.3-1.7-1-3-2.1-3.3c-3-0.6-4.9%2C1.6-9%2C2.2c-5.4%2C1-14.3-1.1-14.8%2C2.2c-0.5%2C3-1.3%2C5.7-2.2%2C8.9%0A%09%09%09c-0.4%2C1.1-7.7%2C23.1-15.6%2C46.7c1.2%2C3.5%2C2.3%2C6.8%2C3.5%2C9.5c2.5%2C5.6%2C5.1%2C5.8%2C8.8%2C6.2c1.5%2C0.1%2C3.5%2C0.4%2C5.4%2C1.3c0.8-2.7%2C1.7-5.4%2C2.5-8.1%0A%09%09%09c3.8%2C1.6%2C7.8%2C2.9%2C12.1%2C3c5.1%2C0.3%2C10.2-0.6%2C14.1-2.4c10.4%2C4.8%2C20.9%2C1.3%2C29.5-4.9c-8.5%2C25.4-17%2C51.1-17.8%2C53.5%0A%09%09%09c-1.3%2C3.5%2C1.4%2C7.1%2C5.1%2C7.1h13c2.2%2C0%2C4.3-1.4%2C5.1-3.7c5.7-18.3%2C11-35.6%2C16.4-52.7c3.8%2C1.6%2C7.8%2C2.9%2C12.1%2C3%0A%09%09%09c5.1%2C0.3%2C10.2-0.6%2C14.1-2.4c13%2C6.1%2C26.1-0.9%2C35.6-10.1c0.5%2C2.3%2C1.1%2C4.3%2C1.9%2C5.3c6.7%2C9.2%2C23.5%2C11%2C40.4-7.9c2.9%2C9%2C10.2%2C14.8%2C22.7%2C15%0A%09%09%09c30%2C2.2%2C54.8-21%2C63.8-44.3C868.9%2C85.8%2C871.3%2C65.7%2C864.3%2C47.9z%20M623.2%2C115.5c-9.8-0.6-16%2C9-12.4%2C17.9c-3.6%2C2.2-8.1%2C3.6-10.9%2C1.1%0A%09%09%09c-1.7-1.4-0.6-4.4-0.3-6.8c2.7-8.6%2C5.6-16.5%2C7.6-23.3c6.7-15.6%2C13.2-18.3%2C15.6-18.4c3.5%2C0%2C7.1%2C1.7%2C6.8%2C8.2%0A%09%09%09C628.7%2C101.9%2C626.2%2C108.2%2C623.2%2C115.5z%20M700.5%2C115.5c-9.8-0.6-16%2C9-12.4%2C17.9c-3.6%2C2.2-8.1%2C3.6-10.9%2C1.1c-1.7-1.4-0.6-4.4-0.3-6.8%0A%09%09%09c2.7-8.6%2C5.6-16.5%2C7.6-23.3c6.7-15.6%2C13.2-18.3%2C15.6-18.4c3.5%2C0%2C7.1%2C1.7%2C6.8%2C8.2C706.1%2C101.9%2C703.5%2C108.2%2C700.5%2C115.5z%0A%09%09%09%20M810.8%2C88.1c5.4-4%2C12.4-4.1%2C12.6%2C1.3c0.3%2C10.8-15.6%2C19.5-24%2C23.5C799%2C104.9%2C801.7%2C94.4%2C810.8%2C88.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
3 players we’ll be thankful Billy Eppler didn’t trade, 2 we’ll wish he did
By Tim Boyle
NY Mets will regret not trading Darin Ruf even for scraps
It’s very hard to see Darin Ruf staying with the Mets for the full season. Why didn’t the Mets trade him? Nobody probably was willing to give up even a low-level prospect contemplating retirement. The Mets would have had to eat a part of his salary. Ruf was so awful for the Mets last year that even for free he’d have a tough time finding a major league job.
Holding onto Ruf and seeing what he can offer the Mets this year isn’t criminal. When there are no takers, what else can you do other than cut bait? The problem arises when we see how the Mets may not be able to enter Opening Day with their 26 best players. Brett Baty, a guy who can play third base and left field, is a far better fit for the Mets than Ruf whose duties include being a part-time DH, first baseman, and right fielder.
The Mets need Ruf even less now with the presence of Tommy Pham. A far better choice to platoon with Daniel Vogelbach if only because he’s something different, Pham’s defensive positions are less limiting than Ruf.
I’m all for Ruf proving everyone wrong. However, having him on the Opening Day roster means a more useful player doesn’t. His time with the Mets feels like it’s going to come to a close sooner than later. Eppler may lose him for nothing.