Bob Klapisch

Columnist, @BobKlap

Remember the legion of haters Jay Bruce attracted last summer? It was large and loud enough to finally convince you a) they were in the slugger’s head every time he stepped to the plate and b) the Mets would have no choice but to trade him this off-season. And boy, did they try.

But now comes news of an about-face that affects the roster on several levels. Not only have the Mets officially given up on moving Bruce, as reported by the New York Post, they’ve decided to install him as the everyday right fielder. That’ll cramp Michael Conforto’s development (more on that later) and will force the Mets to look for extra money for the bullpen. Part of the allure of dealing Bruce was unloading his $13 million salary. Now it’s on the Wilpons to fund a bigger payroll.

Still, the short-term decision was smart and prudent. Bruce was indeed awful after being acquired from the Reds, at least until he pulled himself together down the stretch. And therein lies Bruce’s most redeeming quality. If you can live with his horrific slumps, the man can still hit.

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Bruce’s history suggests it won’t be a problem. He is, after all, a three-time All-Star who totaled 237 home runs in nine years with the Reds. Bruce has always been a strikeout machine, but the National League regarded him as a legitimate fastball-hitting threat when the moment was right.

Indeed, in the final eight games of the regular season, when the Mets were sweating the wild-card berth, Bruce batted .480 with four HRs. That was almost enough to erase the memory of a .219 average in his first 50 games at Flushing – not to mention getting booed by the fans and finding himself on the bench in back-to-back games against the Braves in late September. The Mets are convinced Bruce’s strong finish means he won’t have to deal with big-city anxiety for a second year in a row.

At least that’s what officials are telling themselves now that the market has dried up. Truth is, there was nowhere for Bruce to go after the Blue Jays re-signed Jose Bautista, the Orioles did likewise with Mark Trumbo, and the Phillies picked up Michael Saunders. All three were potential trading partners the Mets were considering for Bruce.

So instead of engaging in what would now be just a salary dump, the Mets will hold onto Bruce, possibly until the July 31 trade deadline. By then the Mets will know if he’s a fit for this market or better off with another club that’s willing to absorb his slumps.

In the meantime, here are the two most critical areas that’ve been impacted by Bruce: What happens to Conforto? And what becomes of the bullpen?

Finding at-bats for Conforto will be a problem, assuming Bruce, Curtis Granderson and Yoenis Cespedes all remain healthy. Not only will Conforto be busted down a rank as the No. 4 outfielder, but doubts will remain as to whether he can evolve into the franchise star Mets officials initially projected him to be.

They still like Conforto – his swing is as pure as any in the organization – but his vulnerability against left-handed pitching is a red flag. It was troubling enough that Conforto’s average slipped 50 points to .220 after a fine rookie season in 2015. It was that .104 average with only one extra-base hit in 48 at-bats against lefties that led the Mets to conclude Conforto needs more time.

But that’s assuming no one goes on the disabled list. It’s probably a pipe dream, given Granderson’s age (he’ll be 36 in March) and Cespedes’ history of shoulder and quad issues. In fact, keeping the outfield intact will be at least as challenging as rehabbing the starting rotation.

And what of the bullpen? The more accurate question is whether ownership is willing to inflate the payroll beyond its current $146 million, now that Bruce’s salary is burned into the calculus. The Mets desperately need a left-handed reliever, if for no other reason than to neutralize Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy 19 times a year.

Among the possibilities is Jerry Blevins, although he could be in line for a multi-year deal elsewhere. One general manager said recently said of all the asterisks that’ve been affixed to the Mets’ 2017 pennant hopes, finding a reliable left-handed bridge to the ninth remains near the top.

“If Sandy (Alderson) doesn’t address that, for whatever reason, it’s going to come back and hurt them,” the executive said.

Moving Bruce was supposed to be the easy, logical way out: Pick up a few hotshot prospects, save most of the $13 million and gain enough payroll flexibility to possibly make a deal. That’s what Bruce kept hearing all winter – sit tight, don’t make any spring training plans. Bruce did his best to ignore the rumors, until it finally became obvious the clock had run out.

Not only is Bruce heading to Port St. Lucie, he’s landed in the middle of the Mets’ blueprint for a home run-heavy offense. Until further notice, there’ll be no trade, no salary dump and – they hope – no scars from a lousy debut last summer. Given how few options the Mets had, this was the right move.