Just Mets

Big league debuts offer both intrigue and mystery around the game of baseball.

Especially for the Mets.

After all, it seems their most recent history is highlighted only by the debuts and maturation of the prospects the Mets and industry experts have been touting ever since they tore the franchise down and restored the foundation of the organization.

First there was Matt Harvey, then Travis d’Arnaud and Zack Wheeler. Then there was Jacob deGrom and Rafel Montero.

And on Tuesday, it was Kevin Plawecki’s turn. You know, the guy Sandy Alderson and the Mets wouldn’t have right now if they had retained Jose Reyes back in late 2011.

“Happy to have the first one out of the way and I’m happy it ended up the way it did,” Plawecki said after the Mets won for the ninth game in a row on Tuesday.
Indeed,cut went quite well.

Plawecki went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in his big league debut on Tuesday. He nearly had a third hit on a line drive down the first base line, but Freddie Freeman snagged the liner instead.

Plawecki also showed off what club officials see as his improved defense behind the plate. He showed sound fundamentals blocking several balls bounced by Jon Niese, and showed off his strong arm on a laser of a throw to second base to gun down Andrelton Simmons in the sixth inning.

He also had an outstanding night as Niese’s battery mate, consistently working the Braves hitters inside which helped Niese to induce mostly weak contact all night.

“[Plawecki] did great in his first game, kept his composure, did great at the plate, called a great game,” Niese explained.

Plawecki is still viewed as an offensive-oriented catcher. But as of today, that’s not meant to serve as a knock on his defense. He showed last night the progress he has made defensively, and was very impressive at that. 

It is his bat which continues to stand out thanks to his contact rate, short, quick stroke and pitch recognition. He has 129 strikeouts and a career .368 on-base percentage in four full professional seasons in the minor leagues. He has yet to hit for a lot of power but many believe it could come thanks to his build and strength.

Despite that success in the minors, Plawecki admitted he was nervous in his first big league at-bat.

“I was a little bit nervous. So I was just happy to make contact, to be honest,” Plawecki explained.” After that, I was really excited and just got back to playing baseball.”

It’s understandable. No matter how highly touted or how poised the prospect is, day one in the show is a crazy whirlwind and almost always comes with nerves. But, as he said, he got down to business after the first at-bat and delivered his greatest memory to date in his next plate appearance – a single through the left side and past Braves SS Andrelton Simmons.

He had the ball from his first proudly on display in his locker after the game. But he has no intention of keeping it there.

No, this one doesn’t belong to him. It belongs to his mother.