Comments on: Kirk Nieuwenhuis In Centerfield: A Good Plan, Or Act Of Desperation?

By: alan

alan — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:04:09 +0000

You can dig up all of these numbers but it is not necessary. Anyone with good baseball sense saw that Kirk has many skills needed to be a solid major league center fielder. Like many talented rookies, he started strong at the plate but once the pitchers got to see him they made the adjustments to exploit his weaknesses which included “exuberance”. It was then that he started to press and swinging at bad pitches. That is why he was sent down. Had Torres not been ready to play, Kirk might have lasted longer. If he worked hard at Buffalo before he got hurt and worked with the coaches then he should be better suited to playing every day. Torres does not do anything for me so…..I am feeling that he as of now is the guy. I just hope that the Mets can get rid of Valdespin who is A DUMB PLAYER.

By: Donal

Donal — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 14:53:13 +0000

Except it was a problem in college and under the previous GM who drafted him.

Got another one?

By: Joey D.

Joey D. — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 02:02:38 +0000

Just a theory – not a statement – but could the Mets instilling that stuff about working the count in the minor leagues as well could be the reason for Kirk’s strikeout ratio.

Maybe not at all, but it is a question to consider.

By: L.J. Phipps

L.J. Phipps — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 00:25:22 +0000

Let Kirk play center, Duda in left, and then acquire some power for right. Tall order but Mets need some pop in the outfield. I have faith in Duda & Kirk, but they need to make some adjustments from this year.

By: Mookie

Mookie — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 21:58:22 +0000

I liked what I saw from Kirk, totally agree he should get a few months of everyday play. He deserves a full shot and the job should be his to lose. He reminds me a little of Andy Van Slyke.

By: Mitch Petanick

Mitch Petanick — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 20:48:46 +0000

I agree. I like his approach to the game, and as he matures and learns the strike zone, I think we will see a reduction in his strikeouts.

By: this is stupid

this is stupid — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 20:39:15 +0000

Unless he cuts down on the strikeouts, he’s never going to be a starter. He struck out 31% of the time, 4th highest in the majors. MInor league strikeout percentage is 25%, so its not like this is just a small adjustment he can easily make. pass

By: XtreemIcon

XtreemIcon — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 20:19:28 +0000

I like Kirk. He plays solid defense and showed some ability to hit. I’m not going to get on him yet for hitting a wall because it’s natural progression for a league to figure out a hitter and adjust to it. Now it’s Kirk’s turn to adjust to the league. He should start and be given the chance to show he’s a major leaguer.

By: Donal

Donal — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 20:14:09 +0000

Or maybe its the same reason he struck out so much in the minors and swings too freely.

Hmmmm, looking at his PAs, ya, its what I said.

By: Sloatsburg Mets Fan

Sloatsburg Mets Fan — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 19:34:37 +0000

On a good team he’s a very good 4th outfielder. As the Met’s are assembled today he’s our best outfielder.

By: Metsie

Metsie — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 17:28:52 +0000

To address some of what your asking….
First Pitch Results – 14PA 5H .417 BA .385OBP
1-0 Count – 20PA 11H .2D 1 HR 611 BA .611OBP
1-1 Count – 23PA 12H 1D .522BA .565OBP
3-1 Count – 13PA 2H 1HR .333BA .692OBP 7BB
2-1 Count – 18PA 6H 2D .333BA .333OBP

2-0 Count – 1PA .000 BA .000OBP
3-0 Count – 2PA .000 BA 1.000OBP 2BB

0-1 Count – 26PA 6H 1D 1HR .231BA
0-2 Count – 30PA 5H 1D 1HR .172BA .200OBP 17K
1-2 Count – 61PA 12H 2D 2HR .200BA .213OBP 29K
2-2 Count – 58PA 8H 2D 1T 1HR .138BA .259OBP 33K
Full Count – 48PA 4H 1D .125BA .417OBP 16BB 19K

Ahead – 102PA 23H 5D 2HR .307BA .480OBP 25BB 19K
Even – 95PA 25H 3D 1T 1HR .269BA .266OBP 33K
Pitcher Ahead – 117PA 23H 4D 4HR .202BA 214OBP 46K

He won’t stay out there because he sure doesn’t fit “The Approach”.

They found his hole (High Inside which explains his 2HBPs in 0-2 and 0-1 (Pitcher’s) counts.
Too bad they sent him down when they did because it was right about the time they OpPitchers started pounding the zone early and would have played to Kirk’s strength.

By: stick

stick — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 17:24:51 +0000

oops. for some reason, I thought he was RH. must have gotten him confused with Legaras.

By: jerseymet

jerseymet — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 17:23:53 +0000

Den Dekker has been slow to adjust to each promotion. I’d like to see him play everyday in LV. We will see him before the season is over. I’m happy with Kirk. Torres had no arm. Everybody ran on him. I’d like to see the Mets go the Rule 5 route and making April a sink or swim month for a couple of picks.

By: Joey D.

Joey D. — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 17:14:57 +0000

I don’t think there is anything wrong giving Kirk a shot at center this coming season – as long as he is seen by our minor league staff as having the potential as the possible heir apparant to begin with and not just a fringe potential.

As far as his strikeouts, perhaps he too was a victim of the front office mentality of that PPPA stat and got behind in the count too quickly.

By: srt

srt — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 16:49:43 +0000

Kirk and Den Dekker both bat left so that’s no help regarding a platoon.

By: Javi

Javi — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 16:45:51 +0000

Kirk had his shot early in the season this year. He was solid for a couple of weeks, but once the league learned how to pitch to him, he couldn’t hit his way out of a wet paper bag. To me, he should be trade bait for a real OF. If this guy’s our CF on Opening Day 2013, the Mets are in trouble, IMHO.

By: USMF

USMF — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 16:21:49 +0000

I like him in CF…I like that he’s a gamer and has come through in some pretty big spots. A lot of the Mets early success was because of what Kirk brought to the table.

and yes, he needs to be better at hitting recognizing the breaking ball and cutting down his K’s

By: stick

stick — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 16:20:45 +0000

also possible that this cold be the platoon set-up if they don’t bring anyone else in.

By: stick

stick — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 16:19:58 +0000

well, guys like Kirk have been like that all along, including AA. so unless you think they are suddenly going to completely change in AAA, I doubt how long they spent in Buffalo mattered much.

By: stick

stick — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 16:18:17 +0000

I would not say he is the future out there.

but, I have no problem with him defensively, based on what we have seen. More concerned about being able to hit enough.

If they have another viable option that hits right handed to share some time, it could work out just fine.

I also would not anoint him the starter, but certainly let him come to camp trying to win the job.

still, if they can manage to pick up a more solid option via trade, Kirk is certainly not going to be blocking him. Maybe Carlos Gomez from Minny. They could split time, and back up the corners too (especially if Duda is in left, there will be plenty of defensive replacement work to go around!)