New York Acts

 It was the first week of January and baseball awareness was in the deepest stage of hibernation when the Mets made the move that for months, if it were mentioned at all, was identified as the Vance Wilson trade. They moved Wilson, one of Mike Piazza's understudies, to the Tigers, for a Minor League infielder with two last names.

The trade went virtually unnoticed through Spring Training when No. 78 played some late innings of exhibition games. But when he began playing for the Mets' Double-A Binghamton affiliate in April, WhatEverHisName morphed into Anderson Hernandez. And by the next time the Mets play an April game, his identity may have changed again -- to Mets second baseman.

In the never-jump-to-conclusions world that is the Mets, Anderson isn't any closer to playing second base at Shea next season than Tom Glavine is. Willie Randolph nearly discounted the possibility Sunday morning, hours before Anderson made his Major League debut behind Glavine in the Mets' 4-1 victory against the Braves. http://www.nwtix.com/New_York_Mets_Tickets.html

"I do want to see him. I'm not going to go so far as to get ahead of myself and say he's going to be our second baseman next year. He's got some skills. He's a switch-hitter. He's a little above-average runner. In Spring Training, I noticed he's got good hands. I'd like to have a better idea before Spring Training how he's going to look."

The manager made other comments as well, though ones that suggested Hernandez already is more advanced at second base than Kaz Matsui, the oft-injured, by-default, quasi-incumbent at the position. Randolph noted that Hernandez seems more comfortable and familiar with the duties at second and the right side of the infield than Matsui, even though his experience there isn't as great at Matsui's.

"But he's played a lot of baseball, you can tell," Randolph said. "He's got a more natural flow. The kids in his country [the Dominican Republic] play a lot and gain a lot of baseball poise. He seems sure of himself."

Now if Hernandez is more advanced defensively than Matsui, and because the Mets don't anticipate Miguel Cairo expanding his range in the next six months, it's not impossible to conclude Hernandez, 22, has a chance to play second base next season for a team that needs to shed years from its average age and add double plays and reliable defense.

Moroever, the Mets face a multitude of decisions involving other assignments -- first base, catcher, closer, bullpen. If Hernandez demonstrates a degree of Major League readiness, the club might feel comfortable pushing second base further down on its lists of winter priorities.

"I'm not saying that if we get a chance to bring in a veteran second baseman who can really help us, we should say, 'No way, we have Anderson Hernandez,'" Randolph said. "He might need another year. But he's young and talented and sure of himself. We owe it to ourselves to take a look."

Hernandez seems to be a bright light. His smile was intact after he had gone hitless -- with a three-pitch strikeout -- in is first four big league at-bats. He handled the ball at second base six times without incident and showed the kind of on-field sense Randolph wants and seldom gets from the more mechanical Matsui.

Hernandez nearly picked Andruw Jones off third base in the fifth inning when the Braves center fielder took a wide turn around the bag after advancing from first base on Jeff Francoeur's double. The manager liked the play.

Randolph had wanted to audition Hernandez, but when the Mets said they couldn't accommodate the infielder on their 40-man roster, Randolph said he would have to be content to wait for Spring Training or winter ball. Hernandez was to come to Shea, but only to receive the Sterling Award as the outstanding player with the Double-A Binghamton Mets.

Hernandez had begun the season as the Binghamton shortstop, batting .326 in 66 games. He was reassigned to second base in July when he was promoted to the Triple-A Norfolk team. He batted .303 in 66 more games. He thought his season would end then.

"They told me they were going to call me up, but they couldn't," Hernandez said. "I said, 'OK, I'll keep my award and go back home.'"

But Matsui left the game Friday because of a strained right hamstring. And Chris Woodward already had a tight right calf. So the club designated Dae-Sung Koo for assignment, creating room on the roster for Hernandez.

He was given uniform No. 1, which assures him of nothing, but says he no longer is considered a defensive tackle. And considering how slowly Matsui heals, how much the club need to get younger and how Randolph was intrigued by Hernandez, it hardly is beyond the realm of possibilty that the two starting second basemen in New York next season will be named Anderson and Robinson.