PORT ST. LUCIE — As a career middle infielder, Jorge Polanco can field ground balls with ease, is feeling good about his footwork around the first base bag, and is getting comfortable with making tough picks.
But if he has to slide into the splits for one? He’ll find out if he’s capable of that one when it happens.
“I haven’t tried to stretch out like that,” Polanco told the Daily News this weekend at Clover Park. “I think I can. I think in the games and [with] the adrenaline, it’s going to be interesting.”
The Mets‘ infield might be one of the most interesting storylines this season. A team that prioritized “run prevention” all winter is converting two middle infielders to play the corners, with Polanco moving to first base and Bo Bichette learning third. Brett Baty is also adding some clubs to his bag by learning first base and outfield, in addition to his duties at third base and second base.
A nine-year MLB veteran, Polanco has seen the game evolve into one that requires players to be able to play multiple positions. In an era when teams typically carry more pitchers than position players, versatility allows managers to make favorable substitutions off the bench and to fill in the gaps in the event of injuries or ineffectiveness. It helps with matchups and defensive alignments.
It not only maximizes the value of the player, but of the overall roster as well.
“It’s good to see all these guys trying to learn a new position,” Polanco said. “This game is getting versatile. The more versatile you are, the better chance you have to play.”
For someone like Baty, who has had to fight for playing time throughout his Major League career, it can finally get him more consistent at-bats. For Polanco, a 32-year-old switch-hitter who has played for the Minnesota Twins and the Seattle Mariners, it could be a way to eventually extend his career.
It was his idea to make the move last season in Seattle, even if the Mariners ultimately kept him in the middle infield. Polanco took the initiative to ask the coaches for instruction, and they were happy to help. He quickly found that his infield skills provided a foundation for the position. By the time the Mets signed him to a two-year contract to play first base in December, he was already working out at the position, trying to get up to speed.
“I’m in a good spot with ground balls. I’m used to taking ground balls at short, second and third, so I think that’s going to be the easiest part for me,” he said. “The hardest part is moving my feet at first base and reading the throws.”
Polanco feels that he has a good understanding of how deep or how shallow to play depending on the hitter, but the fundamental footwork is a work in progress. The Mets didn’t expect him to come into camp with advanced footwork, much as they didn’t expect Bichette to come in knowing everything there is to know about playing third base. But first base footwork requires using the bag in a way that Polanco never had to at other infield positions. When he says he’s still working on moving his feet, he means moving them on and around the bag.
“As we know, this is a game of inches,” Polanco said. “I’m trying to stay on the bag the longest I can, using the corners of the bag. Those are the types of things I’ve been working on. That’s why they say moving my feet is going to be the hardest. So I’m just trying to use the bag, use the corners, and just gain as much room as I can.”
Polanco is progressing through spring on a typical timeline but won’t get into any games just yet. At the moment, he’s working on strengthening his left knee, which is healthy after a patellar tendon repair two offseasons ago, but requires maintenance. Still, now that Grapefruit League play has started, he’s eager to get into a game to gauge his progress, and maybe even to see how far he can stretch.
“We’re working on my body, we’re working on my body, so I think I’m going to be ready when the time comes for me to do a split,” he said. “I’ll be able to do it.”
GRAPEFRUIT LEAGUE ACTION
The Mets beat the Yankees 6-4 in Tampa. Right-hander Justin Hagenman limited the Yankees to one earned run on two hits, struck out three and walked three over 2 1/3 innings. Catchers Luis Torrens and Hayden Senger both homered, as did left fielder Jared Young.
