Tom Brennan - METS SPOTLIGHT: PAT MAZEIKA
I wanted to highlight someone whose name I misspelled so many times that a frustrated (and rightly so) Macks Mets reader finally called me out on it - mea culpa.
But how I spell it is not consequential, really. How he hits, however is very consequential.
This Patrick dude spelled Mazeika has put up the equivalent of a full 162 game season's with of plate appearances in his career, and what does he have to show for it?
MMM MMM GOOD, THAT'S WHAT:
602 AB, .332, 54 2B, 15 HR, 115 RBI, 79 K, .431 OB%.
Dag nab, that is GOOD. No Vegas inflated #s.
And the good news? This year as a 23 year old in St Lucie is BETTER than his career numbers:
.343, 32 RBIs and 6 of his 15 career homers in just 38 games, and 32 RBI through May 21. A lefty hitter who has fanned just twice in 40 plate appearances vs. lefties this year. And 24 for 57 (.421) with runners on base. And just 14 Ks in over 150 plate appearances this year.
Something must be wrong, correct? He's too small, right? Nope, he's 6'3". 210. No speed? Not sure how you hit 54 doubles and steal 4 of 4 in you are slow.
Well, OK, he has only thrown out 29% of baserunners this season, although his 7 career errors in 101 games as a catcher certainly are not bad for a guy refining his skills as a backstop. And his zero errors in 23 games as a first baseman are one sign that he could catch, split time between the two spots, or become a full time 1B.
It sure seems he is a top 3 hitter in this minor league system right now. And could well be a top 3 hitter on the Mets by 2019 or 2020.
So do like me: please learn to spell his name, because you'll be seeing a lot of it. M-A-Z-E-I-K-A.
Now with Maz C/1B, Dimino (C/1B/2B/3B) and Nido (IG at 1B,and heating up--.385 in last 10G) there is a very versatile trio. Thinking Berra, Howard, Blanchard days.
ReplyDeleteNido is Howard in that analogy BTW.
Elston Howard, # 32. The Yanks had a great abundance of talent behind the plate back then.
ReplyDeleteAmazingly, Berra threw out 49% of would be base stealers in his career. Wow.
Maybe by next year, 20 year old catcher Ali Sanchez will start to hit half as well as he is at throwing out base runners (12 of 21 this year). He only strikes out once every 10 plate appearances, so it seems the hitting should develop.
Tom -
ReplyDeleteNothing against Dominic Smith, but I like Mazeika better for 1B in 2019.
Now, what do we do about 2018?
You give Smith a year and he fails, he has no trade value.
And you know how our luck goes.
Tell Mazeika to hurry up and get ready for 2018, and trade Smith this off season.
ReplyDelete