Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy's future in New York beyond 2015 is a question mark, but amid trade rumors, the 2014 All-Star is only focusing on this season in Flushing.
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According to ESPN, Murphy would allow in-season talks between his agent and the team about a possible extension, but no negotiations are imminent and the Mets may opt to trade him before the season is over.
"As of right now, I'm a Met for this year for sure," Murphy said via ESPN New York. "I'd love to be here in the future. That, again, is way in the distant future. I've got too much anxiety about today to worry about what happens in November."
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Murphy and the Mets settled on $8 million for this season during the arbitration process, but the sides didn't talk about a possible extension during those negotiations.
"I'm fairly well compensated this year, so it's not like they're not paying me," Murphy said. "I don't really look at it in that sense at all. Some of that stuff, the organization has a direction. Just because I'm not locked up to a multiyear extension doesn't mean I'm not a part of that direction right now. And I am a part of what's happening right now, in 2015, which is exciting -- and I think which is what myself and the organization and everyone else in that locker room is most concerned with."
Murphy, 29, is coming off of a 2014 campaign where he led the team in batting average (.289), hits (172), runs (79) and doubles (37) while he hit nine homers and added 57 RBI. He went on to become the Mets lone representative in the 2014 All-Star Game.
While he didn't get a long-term extension, Murphy is happy with the money he is making in 2015 and doesn't think he's pricing himself out of town.
"My wife and I looked at each other when we signed that [one-year] deal and looked at each other kind of cross-eyed -- 'Can you believe they're going to pay us this much money to play baseball? Woof.' So, no, I don't think I'm pricing myself out of this market."
The Mets appear to be a team on the rise as they have a lot of quality young pitchers and could make a run at the postseason for the first time in nine years in 2015. The Mets are also hopeful to end the campaign with a winning record for the first time since 2008.
New York has infield prospects including Dilson Herrera and Matt Reynolds to potentially succeed Murphy. While Murphy has been solid offensively for the Mets, his decision making on the base paths and questionable defense have made him somewhat expendable.
"Defensively, I want to be more consistent, especially on the routine play," Murphy said. "[infield coach Tim Teufel] said we did a better job turning the double play last year. I think we did a good job of that. The numbers kind of back that up. And then offensively, it's more consistency. I want to drive the baseball and get on base more, kind of like everybody else in the league does."
Murphy will turn 30 in April 1 and is a career .290 hitter with 48 homers and 329 RBI through 773 games since breaking into the league with the Mets in 2008 after being drafted in the 13th round in 2006.
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