PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Midway through an intrasquad game on Thursday at Clover Park, the Mets placed a runner on first base to open an inning. This is the benefit of “B” games, or organized contests outside the bounds of the Grapefruit League schedule: Mets officials can tweak the rules however they see fit.
In this case, they altered things so that Jorge Polanco, who was manning first base for the first time in any sort of game this spring, would have to deal with pesky pinch-runner Diego Mosquera. Immediately, pitcher Christian Scott fired a pickoff throw in Polanco’s direction, forcing Mosquera to dive back to the bag. Catcher Francisco Alvarez followed with a snap throw behind Mosquera. Scott threw over again. And so on and so forth, rep after rep after rep.
“Everybody says first base is easy, but it’s harder than what you expect,” Polanco said afterward. “But this is the perfect time to get ready.”
Before this spring, Polanco’s professional experience at first consisted of one brief, emergency appearance early last season with the Mariners. He is getting a crash course now, though, wiring his brain to know when to stick near the bag, when to play deeper, what to do when the ball is hit to certain areas of the field. The situations Polanco most wants to perfect are “tweener” ground balls to the right side, when it’s not immediately clear if he should try to make a play himself or let the second baseman handle it.
This offseason, Polanco spoke with former teammate Carlos Santana about the intricacies of the position.
“As I start working on it and getting more reps, I think I’m going to start getting more comfortable,” Polanco said.
Of course, every part of this experiment will go more smoothly if Polanco hits the way he did last year, when he clubbed 26 homers with an .821 OPS. He offered a glimpse of that as well on Thursday, homering off left-hander Brandon Waddell in his first at-bat.
Team USA tune-up
On Thursday, before departing for the World Baseball Classic, Nolan McLean made his only Grapefruit League appearance, facing the Astros in West Palm Beach, Fla. If there were any doubts as to his sharpness, McLean answered them with six strikeouts over four shutout innings, hitting 98 mph on the radar gun multiple times.
On Sunday, McLean will fly to Arizona alongside another Mets starter, Clay Holmes, to join the rest of their American teammates. The rookie right-hander’s expectation is to pitch “at least twice” in the WBC, piggybacking with another starter. His workload in those outings will be similar to the 56 pitches he threw against the Astros.
“I don’t have a ton of expectations on what I’m going to go out there and do,” McLean told reporters in West Palm Beach, “but I’m just super excited to go do it.”
Stretching out
Carl Edwards Jr., who has exclusively been a reliever throughout his 11-year Major League career, followed Scott to the mound in Thursday’s “B” game and pitched a scoreless inning. Then he returned for another. And another.
When Edwards signed a Minor League deal with the Mets this offseason, he did so with the expectation that he would be stretched out as a starter. It’s not an entirely unfamiliar role for Edwards, who developed as a starting pitcher with the Rangers and Cubs early last decade before converting to full-time relief work in 2015. But it’s a transition few 34-year-olds attempt.
Edwards began working as a starter again largely because he felt his declining fastball velocity would prevent him from seeing consistent bullpen opportunities at the highest level. In an attempt to extend his career, he began starting games in the Minors and the Mexican League. When the Mets called to offer him a starting opportunity, he signed on immediately.
“My goal was to start,” Edwards said, noting that he’ll be open to a long relief role if that’s his path to make the team. “I signed Dec. 8, so that tells you I didn’t really give anybody a chance but the Mets.”
Four years ago, Edwards added a changeup to what’s historically been a fastball-curveball mix. He has leaned on that more heavily as a starter, as well as a two-seam fastball he’s used in the past and is bringing back this season.
Edwards’ ultimate goal? Add a second ring to the one he won as a 25-year-old with the Cubs way back in 2016.
“Hopefully lead them to the promised land,” he said. “And after that, ride off into the sunset.”