Cory Sullivan

Sullivan will try to win a reserve outfielder role with the Mets this spring. His real baseball value is for his defense, while his fantasy value is for his speed. Don't expect much in other categories now that he's outside of Coors Field.

Sullivan started 2007 at Triple-A after failing to hold onto the starting center field job the year before. He can cover a lot of ground and is great in the field, but his bat does not produce enough at the major league level. Willy Taveras is the starting center fielder and Ryan Spilborghs will likely be the fourth outfielder. Sullivan may be the odd man out and could spend another season at Triple-A. A change of scenery may give him another opportunity, however, at this point he seems like the classic Quadruple-A ballplayer.

The fulltime center fielder for most of the first half, Sullivan was hitting .271 with just one home run in 258 at-bats at the All-Star break when he began losing time to Choo Freeman and, eventually, Jeff Salazar. Sullivan has speed and athleticism, but he also has just six homers in 764 major league at-bats. With the Rockies loaded in the outfield, Sullivan might have a tough time winning even a bench job this year.

Sullivan had a rollercoaster rookie year with the Rockies in 2005. He started off strong but lost playing time as the season progressed. Then, when manager Clint Hurdle challenged him to produce in September, he turned into a machine, hitting .387 and almost doubling his season stats in doubles, triples, home runs, walks and RBI. Sullivan is a scrappy, quick-footed, defensive centerfielder who begins 2006 the favorite to win the job.

Sullivan missed the 2004 campaign to Tommy John surgery, and at 25, a good showing in Triple-A is imperative in 2005. He showed some pop before the injury and should be able to earn a September call-up with a productive year in Colorado Springs.

The seventh-rounder out of Wake Forest has taken a bit longer to adjust to the wooden bat than most expected, but Sullivan has more than held his own in the minors to this point. He's starting to drive the ball, and 2004 remains an important year for his development. He'll likely start the season at Triple-A and could get a late season look if his peripherals sharpen up a bit.