- Full name Alhaji Turay
- Born
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Organization Prospect Rankings
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A year ago, the Mets were wondering if Turay's talent would be smothered by his lack of concentration and disciplinary problems. They sent him home early in 2002 after he alienated people in Brooklyn with run-ins with fans (he professed not to know English and signed autographs as "Tom Hanks"), lackadaisical effort and a tantrum that included bashing a water cooler. A bone bruise in his leg cut short his 2003 season, but he put forth the kind of effort New York had been looking for last year and showed signs of accepting instruction. He took a significant step forward with his power. Turay's pop rates with anyone's in the system. His plus bat speed and short swing allow him to get around on good fastballs. His power-happy approach leaves him vulnerable to offspeed stuff, and he doesn't work counts well. He's a good athlete and an average runner, but he has yet to refine his routes in right field or get good jumps on the basepaths. With a below-average arm, he'll probably move to left field eventually. Turay should get his first action in Double-A this year. -
Turay ranked third in the New York-Penn League batting race in late August when the Mets sent him home because of his attitude. He had alienated teammates, opponents and fans with his behavior, which included deterring autograph seekers by pretending he didn't speak English and by signing Tom Hanks' name. He also cursed at a fan and destroyed a dugout water cooler. New York hopes the punishment will serve as a wakeup call for the hard-hitting Turay. After focusing on football for most of his high school career, he has shown raw offensive tools. His swing has a slight uppercut that allows him to drive the ball and get the necessary loft for homers. He needs to refine his approach at the plate, where his poor strike-zone judgment is a handicap. His lack of extensive experience is obvious in the outfield, where he's a marginal defender with a weak arm that will limit him to left field. He does have plus speed and athleticism. If Turay can get straightened out, he could become an impact player in the middle of the lineup. He'll open 2003 in low Class A.