Tom Brennan - SPOTLIGHT ON METS MINORS' PAT MAZEIKA

SPOTLIGHT ON METS MINORS' PAT MAZEIKA!

I don't know why guys in Binghamton couldn't hit in April - I mean, I don't recall any wind chill factors below zero.

Actually, it was so cold in April Binghamton games that Siberian Huskies refused to go.  (My advice, though, is don't go where the huskies go, don't you not eat that yellow snow.)

One frozen, teeth-chattering guy who couldn't hit in clearly frigid April (see bundled fans in these pictures) for the Rumble Ponies was C/1B Patrick Mazeika.  

Well, for most of April.

From opening day on April 4 through April 26, there were almost no good hitting days for the 25 year old, 6'3", 210 Mazeika.  

He finished the first game of a double header that day hitting just .170.

It seemed to be a disappointing continuation of 2018, during which Pat hit poorly for most of the season.  I was starting to not believe in Mazeika.

After seasons where he hit .354 for Kingsport in 2015, .305 for Columbia in 2016, and .290 mostly in St Lucie in 2017, I was expecting a big offensive 2018 from Mazeika.  Instead he was hitting just .196 through July 2018 in AA.

Then he ignited - after July in 2018, he went 23 for 65 (.354) with 8 walks and just 2 Ks.  Awesome.  Mazeika was back! 

Getting back to 2019 - a poor season's start, again disappointing, but starting April 27 this season, Pat started to heat up at the plate, and through Monday May 21, he had gone 25 for 75 (.333) with 6 walks, 7 doubles, 5 homers, and 21 RBIs.  

The Mazeika Lumber Company was back - again!

So I am a Mazeika Believer - yet again.

Pat has a real advantage if he can continue to hit - he swings a lefty bat.

A potential scenario of righty hitting Wilson Ramos and left hitting Mazeika is intriguing if Pat can continue to show the bat is no fluke.

My sense is that whatever caused his hitting swoons in most of 2018 and the first 3 weeks of 2019 represent the aberration.  Robust hitting is his norm.

I would not at all be surprised if Mazeika ends up starting 2020 as the Mets back up catcher.

He plays first base as well as catches.  But...can he catch?

Well, some have previously looked askance at his catching abilities, considered him an offense-only catcher.

"Au contraire, Monsieur"! 

Mazeika has thrown out a fine 9 of 20 (45%) would be base stealers this year, and had a very decent 32% caught stealing rate in 2017 and 2018.  

Add in a .993 fielding % as a catcher in his career and low passed balls (those probably would be lower if he wasn't occasionally catching knuckleballer Mickey Jannis too), and I think he can catch REAL GOOD.

And he's made just 2 errors in 43 games at 1B, which is entirely not shabby.  Quite darned good, actually.

Me personally?  I like Mazeika right now as a Mets 2020 back up catcher.  Maybe someday a future starting catcher.

Best of luck Pat.