Adam Rubin of ESPN NY writes that Terry Collins is serious about using Eric Campbell as a true utility player by having him see some action at second base and even shortstop.

“I’m going to play this guy in the middle of the infield one of these days, too, because if he can play there, he’s got a chance to get a lot of at-bats,” Collins tells Rubin after the Mets’ 5-3 win on Thursday. “Why not? If he’s athletic enough to play there, we’ve got to find out. He played there in Vegas. He played second a lot of games. He played short twice. I’m not going to put him out there in the ninth — but run him out there in a game that maybe is a little lopsided.”

“I can tell you, in the last two or three years, we’ve been in a situation where we could not make a move because we had nobody to play a position that you’ve got to stick them in,” Collins said. “That’s why we’ve asked David [Wright] so many times to take groundballs at short.”

Campbell is a natural third baseman and has played at first base and the outfield, but hasn’t logged a lot of games up the middle in the minors. Actually he has played a combined 17 games between short (2) and second base (15), with 13 of those game this season with Las Vegas, including the two at short.

“I can handle it,” Campbell tells Rubin. “I’m confident that I played enough second in Vegas this year where I’d be comfortable out there. Short, I haven’t played a whole lot. But I’m sure it’d be fine. It’s just fielding a groundball and throwing it to first.”

Soup made his first major league start on Thursday in left field and even though he was 0-for-3, he hit a sac fly in the second inning to tie the game at one and used his glove to rob Hanley Ramirez of a hit when he dove to make the out and then threw to second base to double up Yasiel Puig to keep the Mets up 4-3 in the eighth.

“Off the bat I thought it was going to be a one-hopper,” Campbell said. “So I was charging it hard, trying to make a play at the plate, because that’s the tying run. I guess he hit it too well. It stayed up a little bit longer and I was able to get my glove under it.”

Campbell even had the presence of mind to get up and throw out Puig.

“I saw him go on the crack of the bat,” Campbell said.

Collins adds: “As it always goes, you put a guy in for his offense and his defense saves the game. That’s always a sign that you were supposed to win that game.”

With Travis d’Arnaud still sidelined with a concussion, Campbell knows that being as versatile as possible, gives him a better chance to play more. Rubin adds that Campbell worked with coach Bob Geren on catching technique.

“Never done it. That was only because Trav was out that day,” Campbell tells Rubin, referring to last week when the Mets played with no backup because d’Arnaud had not yet been placed on the concussion DL. “We’d be in trouble if I was behind there. In an emergency I can do it.”

Just what the doctor ordered a player that can be placed in any position at any time; wonder if Soup can pitch in relief, that would make him a real Super Sub. But the Mets are happy with what he is now, a very useful versatile player.

(Feature Photo Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke)

(Content Photo Credit: Julie Jacobson/Associated Press)