In a conversation with Adam Rubin of The Daily News, David Wright picked his “All-Wright” team of emerging superstars. Rubin is a beat writer for the Mets. Why a beat writer, and not a real fan like Matt or myself, is writing a blog for The Daily News is beyond me but thats a story for another day. Without further delay, I give you the “All-Wright” team….

As Wright began, he said: “Give me Miguel Cabrera.”

“To play outfield?” I asked.

“Is he playing third base?” Wright said.

“Yes.”

“I’ll play outfield,” Wright continued.

In the end, Cabrera is in the outfield on Team Wright.

Here’s Wright’s team:

C-Joe Mauer, 22 (Twins)

1B-Ryan Howard, 26 (Phillies)

2B-Chase Utley, 27 (Phillies)

3B-Himself, 23

SS-Jose Reyes, 22 (Mets)

LF-Miguel Cabrera, 22 (Marlins)

CF-Willy Taveras, 24 (Astros)

RF-Jeff Francoeur, 22 (Braves)

P-Felix Hernandez, 20 (Mariners)

Manager-Willie Randolph, 40 (Mets)

“That’s a good team for putting me on the spot like that,” Wright said.

Folks at the Daily News, I know you're reading, give me a call. I might consider your offer.

One guy I don't mind blogging is David Wright himself. This guy does it all folks! MVP and MVB (Most Valuable Blogger)!

The expectations for David Wright are astronomical. Annointed as the next great superstar, gracing the covers of magazines, gathering endorsement deals, all at the ripe old age of 23. Its been a great while since Met fans had the kind of homegrown talent like Wright appear to be realizing his true potential. Wright has become the cornerstone of the organization to fill the void left by the giant shoes filled by Mike Piazza, who was the face of the Mets for years. His demeanor and general make up are well documented and well known around baseball. He garners the type of respect from veteran players and managers on teams all over the league that few players his age will ever know.

From a recent ESPN feature on Wright…

“I think he's the next Scott Rolen,” says the Braves' Chipper Jones,
a star at the position himself. “David can do it all. He can hit to all
fields for power. He's a developing third baseman. He's got a great
head on his shoulders. I think he's going to be an all-star for a long
time.”

Like most veteran scouts, the Yankees' Gene Michael gets almost dreamy
when asked about Wright, as if his taste buds were recalling a juicy
filet smothered in béarnaise.

“Oh, he's outstanding,” Michael swoons. Asked about likenesses
to Rolen, he added, “He's a better breaking-ball hitter now than Rolen
at that age. Rolen had trouble early. Wright's a hell of a hitter. He's
got big-time power to right field.”

As much as his bat impressed, two defensive plays last season placed
Wright into highlight-legendary class of a certain infielder across
town, Derek Jeter.
On June 18 at Seattle, Wright dove two rows deep into Safeco Field's
unfriendly stands to snag a foul pop-up, landing flush and hard on the
plastic seats, leaving him momentarily dazed.

“Fans in New York would've taken one for the team and let me land on them,” Wright says. “But in Seattle they were scattering.”

Yet that play was nothing compared to what came six weeks later in San Diego. Brian Giles
flared a broken-bat bloop over Wright at third, sending the third
baseman sprinting directly toward left field. With his back to the
plate, and gradually realizing that the ball was slicing away from his
glove hand, Wright, in full stride and well into the outfield, instead
plucked the ball out of the air with his bare hand before tumbling to
the grass. “David Wright just guaranteed,” Mets announcer Ted Robinson
declared giddily, “that he will be seen on scoreboards around baseball
for the next 20 years!”

While Wright is not known for his defense — his relatively
slow feet and reaction times keep him only average for now — that
play, just like Ozzie Smith's barehanded snag as a 1978 rookie,
signaled just what baseball might be in for from this kid. “As special
as he is, it had to happen to a guy like him,” Mets left fielder Cliff Floyd says. “Everything is falling into place.”