PORT ST. LUCIE — Renowned for his prowess as a career middle infielder, Jorge Polanco is now effortlessly handling ground balls and refining his skills around the first base bag. He’s also gaining confidence in making tricky plays, although the prospect of needing to perform a split remains unexplored territory.
“I haven’t attempted a split yet,” Polanco shared with the Daily News at Clover Park over the weekend. “But I believe I can manage it. With the adrenaline of a game, it’ll be interesting to see how it plays out.”
The Mets are crafting one of this season’s most intriguing narratives with their infield lineup. After spending the winter focusing on “run prevention,” they’ve decided to shift two middle infielders to the corners. Polanco is transitioning to first base, while Bo Bichette is taking on third. Meanwhile, Brett Baty is expanding his versatility by learning first base and the outfield, complementing his existing roles at third and second base.
Polanco, a veteran with nine years in Major League Baseball, has witnessed the game’s evolution into one that increasingly values players who can excel in multiple positions. In today’s baseball, where teams often prioritize carrying more pitchers, a player’s adaptability is crucial. It provides managers with the flexibility to make strategic substitutions and cover for injuries or performance dips, enhancing both matchup options and defensive strategies.
This versatility not only amplifies the individual player’s value but also strengthens the entire roster’s capabilities.
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.
