Oct
21
2011

Josh Satin Getting Some Reps In The Outfield

An article by Craig Lerner

Some interesting news from Venezuela where right-handed hitter Josh Satin is playing Winter Ball this offseason. ESPN’s Adam Rubin tweeted the following last night:

Josh Satin is DHing for Caracas in Venezuela on Thursday night. He had made three straight starts in LF, his first pro exposure in outfield.

I wonder if this could be a sign of things to come in Spring Training?

Satin, 26, has played his entire pro career as an infielder, primarily at second base. In 2011, Satin had a phenomenal season batting .323/.411/.453 in 564 plate appearances between Binghamton and Buffalo. He racked up 43 doubles and 12 home runs while driving in 76 runs and scoring 77. His fine minor league season earned Satin a September callup to the Mets.

Satin looked a bit overmatched at times with the Mets during the final weeks of the season, but it was an extremely small sample size. He showed a quick bat and a nice level stroke with gap power. He has been praised for his work ethic and he could grab a utility spot with the Mets with a strong spring.

About the Author: Craig Lerner

I'm a data analyst and researcher for a leading news agency who loves life and is hooked on the Mets. I love following the Amateur Draft and have a particular fondness for the Mets Minor Leagues who I follow each day. Give me a cold beer, a summer day, and a Mets game, and I'm good to go.

4 Comments + Add Comment

any October 21, 2011 at 8:37 am

Hopefully he feels comfortable out there. And even though he played IF as a pro, you never know how much OF time he had in his younger days. And pelnty of guys can make the move with minimal problems. ST will be the key.

But, hased on the way he hit all through the minors, I have no problem with him being in the mix for a utility spot on the roster.

Depending on how the starters shake out (reyes, 2B, and Ike being back), the team could potentially have a strong bench with guys like Murphy, turner, etc. on it.

Just as long as Harris does not come back. he has to go. Hairston maybe, but I’m fine just moving on from him too.
- Joe D October 21, 2011 at 10:50 am
  
  I never feel good about the Mets shifting infielders to the outfield. It never really seems to work out for the team or the player. I dont know why everyone seems to think left field is so easy to play that a monkey could do it. It’s a very demanding position and in Citi Field even more so.
  - Bayonne Mets Fan October 21, 2011 at 11:01 am
    
    LF could be a world of difference than CF or RF. Some people pick up the ball nice and easy from CF but if you move them to LF or RF they can have a hard time picking up the way the ball leaves the bat and sometimes you can never get used to the difference. It’s like a perception issue that’s why you just can’t throw anybody out there, even good infielders. Some people can never get used to picking up the ball from that angle.
  - Des October 21, 2011 at 11:33 am
    
    Lastings Milledge would attest to your view. He couldn’t go back on a ball so he had to play extra deep. That meant he let a lot of short line drives and some long flares drop in. He drove Manny Acta nuts while both were in Washington.
    
    The spin and fade off of lefty hitters creates problems for left fielders too, just as it does for right fielders off of righty batters. Left fielders often don’t need the arm of center or right fielders.

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