Jacobs climbing ladder to bigs
Mets backstop hopes bashing leads to Big Apple
By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com
When the Mets pulled Mike Jacobs aside at the end of Spring Training and told him he'd be headed to Binghamton and not Norfolk, he was understandably disturbed. After all, he had spent the 2003 season with New York's Double-A affiliate, doing well enough there to earn the organization's Player of the Year award.
Though Jacobs missed most of the 2004 season with a partially torn labrum and a resulting cyst in his shoulder, he did begin the year in the International League as the Tides' starting catcher. While the surgery to repair the labrum put him on the disabled list after only 27 games, Jacobs figured he'd at least start the season at Norfolk simply because that's where he was last season.
The Mets, however, had other plans for Jacobs, plans that included him learning how to play first base in addition to catching. And to do that, he needed to be at Binghamton, where he could play every day. So instead of pouting about where he wasn't going, Jacobs decided to make the most of his situation. And the results, as one might have expected, have been impressive.
Jacobs, 24, is tied for eighth overall in the Minor Leagues and leading the Eastern League in RBIs with 91 heading into Tuesday's doubleheader at Portland. He was also tied for second in the league in homers (25) and was fourth in hitting (.31 . With 21 games remaining in Binghamton's season -- the B-Mets don't appear headed to the playoffs -- Jacobs has a chance to drive in the most runs in the Eastern League since Harrisburg's Andy Tracy knocked in 128 in 1999.
Oh, and then there's the little matter of the 19-game hitting streak the California native is riding heading into Tuesday's action.
"I'm feeling good lately and it's cool, but I'm not thinking much about it lately," Jacobs said. "I've never had one this long and each day you wake up and say 'hmmm, this might be the day it ends.' Hopefully I'll just keep it rolling."
Jacobs got hits in both ends of a doubleheader Monday night and currently has the third-longest hitting streak in the EL this season. Akron's Ryan Mulhern saw his hitting streak snapped at 20 over the weekend, while New Britain's Alexander Romero has a 21-game streak heading into Tuesday's action against Bowie. Binghamton's Hubert Mason has the longest hitting streak (38 games) in EL history, setting the mark in 1925.
"I was shocked more than I was angry when I went to Double-A," said Jacobs, who hit .329 with 17 homers and 81 RBIs in his previous stint with Binghamton. "I was the starting catcher at Norfolk when I got hurt so this came as a big surprise. It definitely took a few days to sink in but I talked to the coaches and to [director of Minor League operations] Kevin Morgan and I was reassured that it wasn't a setback. They wanted me get some time at first base, and there were no openings for that at Triple-A.
"It was a thing where they wanted to put me in an environment where I was comfortable. The thinking was that I'd go to Triple-A and press. So I go down there, get at-bats and play. That's kind of where we're at now."
Jacobs has played 54 games at first base this season but has only one appearance there since July 30. While no official word has been given, the organization is giving signals that the experiment with Jacobs at first base will be put on the shelf for the time being. Jacobs freely admits that he still has a great deal to learn about the position, but he maintains that he enjoyed playing first.
Being in the field for nine innings has kept him fresher than he would be if he were behind the plate, but his future -- whether it's with the Mets or somewhere else -- appears to be primarily behind the plate. New York hasn't finalized any decisions in terms of who will be called up in September, but Jacobs, who is on the 40-man roster, should get strong consideration.
"September has definitely crossed my mind," said the left-handed hitting Jacobs, who could be a free agent at the end of this season. "But right now I'm still here and I have a job to do here. I still have to play every day here and get my work in here. If it happens, that will be awesome but you don't want to count your chickens before they hatch."
One National League scout who has seen a great deal of Jacobs in the last three seasons says he has doubts about whether he could be an everyday player in the big leagues, going on to add that that he'd be a good backup behind the plate and at first as well as a solid bat off the bench.
"He can hit lefty pitching," the scout said. "If he can do that being left-handed he can fill a role coming off the bench for a club."
Kevin Czerwinski is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Re: Jacobs climbing ladder to bigs
Yeah, I would hate it if he left the Mets. If/when he comes up to the bigs, I would be a huge fan of his. Hopefully he stays with the Mets and continues to play well.
. With 21 games remaining in Binghamton's season -- the B-Mets don't appear headed to the playoffs -- Jacobs has a chance to drive in the most runs in the Eastern League since Harrisburg's Andy Tracy knocked in 128 in 1999.
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