Mar
15
2012

From Left Field: Don’t Sleep On Lucas May

An article by Jim Mancari

Ever since Mike Piazza’s departure, the catcher position for the Mets has been in a state of flux.

Paul LoDuca, Brian Schneider, Rod Barajas, Henry Blanco and Ronny Paulino are just some of the catchers to suit up behind the dish.

Last season, the Mets handed the mask to young Josh Thole, and he seems to be the No. 1 guy again for this season, though Terry Collins has made it a point to Thole that he has to earn his spot.

The Mets are seeking a right-handed hitting complement to Thole for the backup catcher’s spot. Mike Nickeas has been with the organization for a while and could be the favorite for this spot. He’s solid defensively but needs to improve his hitting to see extended time.

One catcher that has impressed so far in spring training is Lucas May. Though spring stats don’t really mean too much, they are important for players on the bubble. May is hitting .313 in 16 at-bats, including two doubles and three RBI.

But even the outs he’s made, he consistently hits the ball hard.

May has been a career minor-leaguer since 2007. He didn’t appear in more than seven MLB games until last season, when he played in 14 games for the Kansas City Royals.

It may still be a little early to anoint May as the team’s backup catcher. Collins will give Nickeas every opportunity to win the spot, but if May continues to impress, it likely won’t go unnoticed.

Having a little pop at the catcher’s position is always a plus. Thole has shown he can be a good contact hitter, but May can be called on to pinch hit late in games and then remain behind the dish.

We were spoiled all those years with having an offensive-minded catcher like Piazza. Of course, even the combination of Thole and Nickeas or Thole and May wouldn’t be expected to produce like Piazza.

But it’s that the team got from production from the catcher’s spot. May could be a sleeper pick to crack the roster.

About the Author: Jim Mancari

Jim Mancari hails from Massapequa, N.Y. He recently earned a Master's degree in Journalism at Hofstra University. He is a devout Mets fan and takes pride in his team, despite their lack of success over the last few years. Like all Mets fans, Jim has plenty of hope. He also writes as the sports reporter for the Brooklyn Tablet newspaper and the senior editor of metroBASEBALL Magazine. Click my name to view my personal website.

13 Comments + Add Comment

any March 15, 2012 at 3:43 pm

I would be more worried about the quality of his defense, since the big angst about Thole seems to be his game calling, and how many people are clamoring for a defensive veteran.
- srt March 15, 2012 at 3:48 pm
  
  I agree, which is the reason I think Nickeas has the edge here.
  I know it’s only ST and I know he’s notoriously a light hitter but he’s trying to show some improvement with his 4 for 12 so far this spring.
XtreemIcon March 15, 2012 at 4:14 pm

What does it mean that the best action shot Topps can come up with is him shattering his bat?
Joey D. March 15, 2012 at 4:52 pm

The backstop is May’s third position and the problem he had was with passed balls – 36 in one season alone. In his first game with the Royals he allowed two to get behind him.

I did read where he improved enough to reduce that to nine but the question is also how many balls that were scored as wild pitches could he have been kept in front of the plate by better defensive hands. He has shown he can hit and with power but there must be something as to why he spent so many years in the minors and even came to the Mets as an invitee – not a minor leaguer.

Hope he makes it with the big club. Anyone notice if he has shown better hands during spring training?
- any March 15, 2012 at 4:57 pm
  
  given he has experience at other positions, if nothing else, he could end up as a valuable utility guy that can also serve as a 3rd catcher, and not just in an emergency.
  - Joey D. March 15, 2012 at 5:33 pm
    
    Hi Any,
    
    Which raises the question as to why he was switched from two other positions prior to this? Just wondering if his glove no matter what position he plays, is too poor to be considered major league material – the same problem facing Daniel Murphy. What Murph has going for him is that he has already proved he can hold his own against major league pitching.
Ceetar March 15, 2012 at 4:57 pm

Nickeas has been hitting this spring too, and the defense comparison isn’t even close.

Couple that with the roster crunch the Mets have.. They’d likely have to put Nickeas on waivers to add May, and while it’s likely he’s pass through, it’s not really a risk they need to take. If Nickeas is hitting .080 into June, and someone in the minors is hitting, that’s a different story. It would take an injury for May to win the job with meaningless Spring AB.
Reese March 15, 2012 at 5:12 pm

If you were going the third catcher/utility route, then Vinny Rottino would be the man. He’s logged more time at several different positions and has hit .294 in his minor league career. The knock on him (besides defense, of course) is that he doesn’t have much power, having topped double digits in home runs just 3 times in 9 minor league seasons. May has done it 6 times during the same period of time albeit with an inferior .259 avg.
Fonzie13 March 15, 2012 at 5:57 pm

May would have to absolutely kill it to even be considered a righty compliment to Thole. We can’t have 2 terrible defensive catchers. If we were gonna go all offense from the catchers position then they should’ve made a run at Ryan Doumit instead of paying Rauch that same 3.5. We have a 2 important defensive positions filled with terrible defensive players, behind the dish and 2nd base. That’s not the way you win games, being weak up the middle.
- Joey D. March 15, 2012 at 8:19 pm
  
  Fonzie,
  
  You’re also forgetting Duda in right and an inaccurate throwing arm by Wright at third. Basically, May would make fielding a liability in five of the eight positions.
  
  Guissippe
  - Fonzie13 March 15, 2012 at 9:45 pm
    
    Believe me Giuseppe, I have not forgotten about Duda and how bad Wright was with the glove last year. I was just referencing up the middle defense which is terrible at two positions and an unproven young SS, although I think Tejada will eventually be fine there. With our pitching staff that pitches to a lot of contact , you have to be strong up the middle. We’re not.
    - Joey D. March 15, 2012 at 10:35 pm
      
      Fonzi,
      
      Know, the one who worries me the most in the field? It’s Wright in the ninth inning. Too often he throws a ball aways in close games. I notice this not occurring on bang-bang plays when one’s instincts takes control but rather the routine plays when he has plenty of time to set himself up for the throw. Almost as if he’s thinking too much about it, like a hitter when in a slump.
      - Fonzie13 March 16, 2012 at 12:38 am
        
        Can’t say I disagree Joey. Same thing can be said for Murphy. When he has time to think is when he throws the ball 20 ft wide. Wright scares me late in close games with the bat too.

NL East Standings

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB
Braves	23	18	.561	-
Nationals	23	19	.548	0.5
Phillies	20	22	.476	3.5
Mets	16	23	.410	6.0
Marlins	11	31	.262	12.5

Last updated: 05/18/2013

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