Young gets in ahead of tag for his second steal of the game
After two more swipes on Thursday night against the Brewers, Eric Young Jr. has caught Milwaukee’s Jean Segura for the National League lead with 44 stolen bases.
With Segura currently sidelined with a hamstring strain, it looks like Young is just one stolen base away from securing the stolen base crown in the National League.
Last night, Young affirmed that he’s got his eyes set on the prize.
“I didn’t want to worry about it too much, put too much emphasis on it until we actually got to this last series,” Young said. “I knew I was going to be facing Segura head to head. I didn’t become an everyday player until June. He had a two-and-a-half-month lead on me.”
“I saw Segura out there running today. So he might try to get out there these next three days. It’s going to be fun. Regardless of the results, it’s been fun the whole way, this whole season.”
Young has paid off handsomely for the Mets since acquiring him in a waiver swap with the Colorado Rockies for Collin McHugh.
Young’s previous career high in stolen bases came in 2011 when he swiped 27 bags, and the last time the Mets had a stolen base leader was in 2007 when Jose Reyes captured his third straight stolen base crown with 78 thefts.
Speed aside, Young has been somewhat disappointing at the top of the order with a .313 on-base and also closing in on 100 strikeouts with 98 already.
I still view him as a fourth outfielder at best and the only reason he’s netted so much playing time was for a lack of better options. He doesn’t have the on-base abilities to stay at the top of the order, nor does he have the power to bat in the middle of the order.
With Juan Lagares expected to grab the everyday centerfield job in 2014, the Mets will be looking to add a power bat in left or right field, likely via a trade considering the free agent options.
