Reese Kaplan -- Little Guys are Often Overlooked

In this politically correct world we’re accustomed to people being judged for their race, gender, sexual preference, ethnicity, religion and other traditional factors about which people often have preconceived notions.  This week’s incident with Pete Alonso called to mind a phenomenon fairly well known in the employment field – height bias. 

Think about it – for every Jose Altuve and Freddy Patek who have had great success at the major league level, there are countless long limbed, long legged counterparts with perhaps less talent getting chance after chance, hoping they will “grow into their body” or some such nonsense. 

Take a look at the current roster of Mets and you will see that there’s an undeniable pattern.  Noah Syndergaard is 6’6” and 240 pounds.  Zack Wheeler is 6’4” and 195.  Jacob de Grom is 6’4” and 180.  Steven Matz is 6’2” and 200.  Jason Vargas is 6’ and 215.

How about the infield?  Pete Alonso is 6’3” and 245.  Dom Smith is 6’ and decidedly less than the 239 at which he’s listed.  Robinson Cano is 6’ and 210.  Amed Rosario is 6’2 and 189.  Todd Frazier is 6’3” and 220.  Jed Lowrie is 6’ and 180.  Wilson Ramos is 6’1” and 245.  Travis d’Arnaud is 6’2” and 210.  Devin Mesoraco is 6’1” and 229.  J.D. Davis is 6’3” and 225.    

How about the outfielders?  Brandon Nimmo is 6’3” and 207.  Michael Conforto is 6’1” and 215.  Even slender Juan Lagares is 6’1” and 215.  Newcomer Keon Broxton is 6’3” and 195.  Jeff McNeil is 6’1 and 195.  You want to know who has arguably the most power?  The diminutive 5’10” Yoenis Cespedes who tips the scales at 220.

The bullpen is more of the same – all of Edwin Diaz, Jeurys Familia, Seth Lugo, Justin Wilson and Robert Gsellman are all over 6 feet tall. 

Do you see a pattern here?  According to a recent headline in a trade publication called “Footwear News” Tall Men Land More Jobs Than Short Guys — and Height-Boosting Shoe Lifts Can Help Give You the Advantage.  The average height of a man is 5’9” to 5’10” depending on which study you choose to believe.  Do you want to know who is “average” in Mets camp?  How about Luis Guillorme at 5”10” and 195?  Even slight Adeiny Hecchavaria reaches that six-foot plateau. 

Height, of course, is no guarantee of success.  Remember Jon Rauch?  He put together a credible but hardly noteworthy career at 6’11” and 290.  Mets farmhand Junior Santos is getting early raves and not the least of it is his frame at 6’8” and 218.  Randy Johnson, of course, was onto a Hall of Fame worthy career at 6’10 and 225 but pitcher Chris Young enjoyed a starter’s career parallel to Rauch’s output as a reliever.  Height alone is no guarantee of success, obviously.

Maybe baseball scouts would be better off looking at skills like hitting, fielding, baserunning, power, arm strength and control rather than making height a primary consideration when drafting for future success.