{"id":41626,"date":"2025-03-16T08:35:09","date_gmt":"2025-03-16T08:35:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=41626"},"modified":"2025-03-16T08:35:09","modified_gmt":"2025-03-16T08:35:09","slug":"mets-brett-baty-is-ready-for-second-base-challenge-does-he-have-enough-time-to-win-the-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=41626","title":{"rendered":"Mets’ Brett Baty is ready for second-base challenge. Does he have enough time to win the job?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\"Mets,<\/p>\n

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. \u2014 <\/b>For the third spring in a row, infielder Brett Baty is fighting for a spot on the Mets’ opening day roster.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, Baty\u2019s chances of making the roster improved after it was revealed that second baseman Jeff McNeil was out at least three weeks with a low-grade oblique strain. The 25-year-old was quickly deployed against the Boston Red Sox, where he was quickly tested, and then again against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday at Clover Park.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s got to be a next man up mentality,\u201d Baty told reporters as he walked off the field during batting practice on Thursday. \u201cInjuries are part of the game, and if that means I need to get more reps at second base, then that\u2019s what that means. I\u2019m all for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baty\u2019s a natural third-baseman. He told NJ Advance Media that before last season when he played 27 games (217 innings), the last time he played second base was \u201cin little league a little bit\u201d \u2014 that\u2019s hardly enough time to learn the position.<\/p>\n

While he\u2019s played his entire career in the infield, the job of a second baseman is a lot different than at third.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt third base it\u2019s more angles and catching the ball, throwing across the diamond,\u201d Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. \u201cWhereas a second baseman is involved in a lot of team defenses, bump plays, covering first base, getting familiar with the first baseman … There\u2019s a log going on that only game reps will teach him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baty adds another challenge to learning his new position.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust knowing where to go on the cuts and relays and stuff like that,\u201d Baty told NJ Advance Media. \u201cI\u2019ve always played third base, so it\u2019s second nature at this point. … At second base, I need to be conscious of (where to be).\u201d<\/p>\n

In one relay opportunity against Boston, Baty was exactly where he needed to be. Not because he had practiced it, but because of his natural instincts.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was like a ball hit down the line and I was like the double-cut man,\u201d Baty said. \u201cKind of second nature. Didn\u2019t even think about it. Just ran over there.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Mets have 10 Grapefruit League games left, including split squads. His bat is proving him worthy of a big league spot \u2014 he\u2019s batting .375 with a 1.100 OPS \u2014 but his chances to prove he\u2019s worthy of being the starting second baseman are quickly running out.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think all the reps I can get are going to be good no matter where they are,\u201d Baty said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mets’ Brett Baty will have more opportunities to play second base with Jeff McNeil out<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":41627,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41626","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\nMets' Brett Baty is ready for second-base challenge. Does he have enough time to win the job? - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=41626\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mets' Brett Baty is ready for second-base challenge. 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