The [Mis]treatment of Daniel Murphy

Within the New York Mets' community, Daniel Murphy is a polarizing figure.

Amongst those who lean on descriptors such as "grinder," "gamer" and "gritty" to base their opinion of a player, Murphy is a poster child for the banal "how the game should be played" proverb.

After all, the 29-year-old owns a career .291 batting average (and a park-adjusted 109 wRC+) at a position that rarely sees such offensive output. And despite his overzealous -- albeit, very poor -- antics in the field, Murphy does take his defense seriously.

Yet, for the detractors who prefer to belabor Murphy's career 6.3 percent walk rate and minus-31 DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) at second base, his oft-dirtied jersey isn't reason enough to peg him as a "core" player.

Regardless of where a fan falls on the #ImWith28 spectrum, however, Murphy's short-lived future with the team has little to do with his positive or nonexistent skill sets. Instead, the mistreatment of Daniel Murphy -- a player that, if he played in a normal environment, would be a notable role player and asset -- is yet another unfortunate product and casualty of the Mets' financial woes.

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