9
2012
Is Captain Kirk’s Ship Starting To Sink?
An article by 
The League is starting to catch up to Kirk Nieuwenhuis. He is striking out at an alarming rate, especially for a guy who is not playing every single day. I’m not going to speculate whether this is what he is, it’s too early for that. I’m just going to state the numbers and let the debate begin.
Over the last 30 days Kirk has just 13 hits in his last 66 at-bats. That is a paltry .197 average. The good part is that 7 of his hits have gone for extra bases, including 4 home runs. However he has just 5 RBI over that span and is not scoring many runs or stealing any bases.
His ridiculous strikeout rates are beginning to take a toll on Manager Terry Collins’ confidence with the young lefty. If it wasn’t for the struggles of Torres, Hairston’s virtual inability to hit righties, and Jason Bay’s injuries, Kirk may have started to lose significant playing time by now.
He has struck out 85 times in his 254 at-bats! That’s 33% of his plate appearances. He is currently tied for 6th in the NL in k’s.
He has a real tough time hitting lefties, hitting just .167 against them and struck out in 26 of his 60 at-bats which is almost 50% of the time. He also has not hit well with RISP hitting just .180.
He still has a chance to prove himself and get things started up again, but he is going to have to figure out what the rest of the pitchers have picked up on as a weakness and address it. He has some real good potential, and is a “gamer”. He plays a very good center field and has shown power and has some speed. He can be a player for us, it just seems like he needs to make some adjustments.
This is a team in contention and even though we still have an eye towards the future, Terry is not going to mortgage a possible playoff spot to keep playing players who are not hitting. I really like Kirk and hope he comes out of this soon for his sake and ours, but he will eventually see the bench more often if his struggles continue.
Thoughts?
About the Author: Dan Valis
I am a staff writer for Mets Merized Online. I am a Mets team analyst with a focus on the minor league system, as well as the major league club. I am a lifelong New Yorker who was born and raised to be a Mets fan. The ups and downs of being a Mets fan is what makes following this team so much fun, but at times so frustrating. You can follow me on Twitter @BgAppleMetsTalk.
19 Comments + Add Comment
Recent Comments
- Des: on Mets Offense Comes Up Empty In 4-0 Loss To Reds: Unfortunately for Jordany, he's had problems on...
- Satish Ram: on Mets Offense Comes Up Empty In 4-0 Loss To Reds: Hey Neil, You'd be surprised how many players...
- Neil S.: on Mets Offense Comes Up Empty In 4-0 Loss To Reds: I hope the players and their families...
- alfred: on Mets Offense Comes Up Empty In 4-0 Loss To Reds: Though looking on the bright side Ike...
- Markcomic1: on Choo Could Be Impact Outfielder For Mets In 2014, But Would Cost A Pick: Choo is a nice player but, Citifield...
MMO Mets Chat
Need Tickets To The Mets Game?
Check Out These Great MLB Links!
Photographs From Gordon Donovan
5379 Fans Follow Us On Twitter!
1269 Fans Like Us On Facebook!
2341 Fans Read Our Feed!
1702 Fans Subscribe via Daily Email!
besides all the hype he is a rookie, he need experience, you cant teach that , maybe its not the worth if he see some more AAA Pitchers.
With Valdespin hitting and looking good in CF, If Torres doesn’t go on the DL, then maybe it’s Kirk who should go down when Bay comes back instead…
Life of a rookie. Nieuwenhuis isn’t in the long term plans anyway. I’ll type it once again,
Trade Nieuwenhuis and ? For Alfonso Soriano. Soriano plays left field Bay plays occasionaly for Duda. We get an influx of engery, 14 home runs and 50 rbi’s. Soriano hits #6.
Tejada rightie
Murphy leftie
Wright rightie
Davis lefite
Soriano rightie
Duda leftie
Torres
Thole
Not too shabby!
Why in the HELL would the Mets want to add Alfonso Soriano????
Have you seen him lately he can barely walk now….
His knees are so shot I think Duda could beat him in a foot race.
he did miss 1/2 the year last year, and had very little MiL time. And still had some rough edges to work on. So not really a big surprise that he is going through a rough stretch. Most rookies do. What remains to be seen is if he sill make the adjustments and rebound, or need to go back down to AAA to regroup.
It happens both ways. And often, guys that have to go back down end up coming back and being excellent players.
Look at Ike’s first season. Came up after a relatively short MiL career, and started hot. 1st 35 games, he had an .866 OPS (though with 32Ks, so almost 1 per game).
then, he cooled off (or league league learned the book?). Next 85 games, OPS of .714 (not that much more than what he is putting up so far this year), with 86ks
But, he rebounded (worked through things? figured it out? whatever the reason) and in his last 27 games, OPS of .942 and only 20Ks.
Just something rookies tend to do.
He has always had a high K-Rate…but in all fairness since June 19th Terry Collins has been jerking him in and out of the lineup.
No baseball player can sustain any success when he is in and out of the lineup that much especially a rookie like Kirk.
Kirks K-Rate is taking a toll on Collins but Jason Bays play for the last 3 years havent especially since TC automatically gives Bay a starting spot every time he comes off the DL and still the same results.
Collins is just laying the groundwork so he has minimal backlash for when he decides to plug Bay in the lineup and gum up the works. Mets play totally different when Bay is in that lineup he is a gnikcuf debbie downer.
Kirk is not good enough to play everyday as there are other players on the roster Hairston, Duda Torres and yes Jason Bay (who despite his numbers this season batted .300 against them last year) are significantly more productive than Kirk is vs. LHP.
If you want to make the playoffs, they have to platoon at almost every position. There is no way around it…
Soriano WILL not and CAN not ahappen. $19 Million a year until 2014…enough said
unless of course, Bay goes in the opposite direction and the Cubs take Bay’s entire contract plus some of Soriano’s
To add to that Dan, its like getting Jason Bay all over again.
What Kirk displayed initially was not a fluke and every rookie does go through these things, inconsistent playing time, though inevitable, does hurt and the variables are accurate as expressed in previous comments. However, if the league has doped out the bust him inside and then go way outside and he will K then he along with Hudgens has to find an adjustment. I think he has to move off the plate a little bit with enough of a reach to cover the outside corner with full arm extension. Kirk should start hitting the other way with some pop and pulling the ball will always be there. ANd please change this picture of Kirk. He looks like he is about to cry and at this time that is too believable!
Heck all of the Mets left handed hitters outside of Murphy should be trying to go to left field. Duda, Ike, Kirk, & Thole. All four should make the adjustment for the second half or Hudgens should get the axe!
Guy if you really wish to see us build with youth and MiL players you have to deal with the fact that anyone who shows immediate promise is going to get a book out on him sometime during the season and have to make the adjustment before you see what he really is capable of doing.
The Opposition has found his hole (seemingly the high inside fastball) and he needs to lay off it before he will succeed.
He is King more because they know where he is vulnerable now where those K’s used to be walks before.
Ike Davis and Lucas Duda all went through this when they first came up and Davis went through it again after missing a year of seeing MLB pitching.
You have to expect these rookies to get figured out and have to make an adjustment.
Justin Heyward went through it in June of his ROY season. And then got figured out for almost an entire season last year. He seems to be backl to being himself now and even had a great june hitting .348
We all get worried when we see the Rookies start to have slumps but we do tend to forget that there are some pretty good pitchers in the MLB figuring out how to beat them and once one does the rest quickly follow thier footsteps until such time as the rookie manages to cover the hole that was found.
This is what the problem with Kirk is right now and hopefully the break will give him a chance to recharge his batteries and come back with a clear head!
Lets not forget also that he has not played a full season in awhile due to injuries. Endurance will affect how well you do at the plate just as much as anything.
I think this is just growing pains, and while he may be slumping at the plate, he’s still getting it done in the outfield. They called him up in an emergency and while he may not have been ready for everyday MLB duty, he’s done okay in my book. LGM!
Heu I think the guy is the second coming of Jim Edmonds and just needs to adjust. I am all for him hanging around and fixing things. Seems like there may be no choice when Bay comes back and if we do pick up a right handed bat Kirk may be odd man out. Torres going to the DL or what.?
Every rooking hitter or pitcher that comes out hot gets figured out. Hot start, then slump, then you see what you really have. The guys that readjust and come out of their first few slumps turn into players. The rest get “real” jobs like us.
He can play all three outfield positions, he has decent power and speed, plus he seems to have a good attitude. That warrants at least a little patience.
I see still bringing up Soriano from the Cubs. Forget that, there are several reasons why he is still a Cub. He is washed up and would not benefit the Mets in any way. Let the kid try and adjust, people are to quick to give up. Bet while he was hitting good no one was talking about trading him. How do you know Kirk wont be a long term player for the Mets? I take it Soriano is? Why take a scrub like Soriano who strikes out a ton, doesn’t hot for average and can’t play any defense at all.
I like Kirk, I think he can be an every day player. He has to adjust to the pitchers just like the pitchers have found a way to get him out.He has to stop swinging at those low pitches.
I say play him regularly when Bay returns to see if he breaks out if not then let him go to AAA and have Wally work with him on his swing and pitch recognition.