Mar 11 2019 08:37 PM
Having a rep of being a premier defensive shortstop got me to the fringes of the big leagues. But getting fat last year kinda held me back. I've got great hands but they're attached to a barrel of a torso. Got to watch those carbs.
And now Adeiny Hecheverria is in camp and so is Danny Espinosa, and along with Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez, the title of "Best shortstop in the system" is a healthy race.
Even with the team needing a backup shortstop, I've got to show something. I either have to to show I'm as head-and-shoulders above the pack defensively as scouting reports (used to) indicate, or I have to show myself to be a more well-rounded player. You know what was depressing? Last year, when Mickey would burn through his short bench in regulation, and in the ninth, with the game still within reach, I'd be the only guy left to pinch hit. It's the kind of roster configuration that gives a Cy Young winner a 10-9 record.
Fun fact — it was Hecheverria who threw the bat I caught two years ago. Now that we're in camp together, we can warm up by having a bat catch.
So this year ... beard or no beard? Fat or no fat? Bat or no bat?
New York or Syracuse.