The opportunity to watch two of the B-Mets four game series with Harrisburg left me impressed with the defensive play of Binghamton catcher Kevin Plawecki. I was already aware that Plawecki’s introduction to Eastern League pitching from the batter’s box was progressing just fine, and that shows as the catching prospect sports the third highest batting average of any of the starting catchers in the Eastern League at .307.
Yet, it was Plawecki’s work behind the dish that had me shaking my head in wonderment in the Harrisburg series. The stat sheet reads that on Thursday night, when the B-Mets toppled the Senators 12-6 in the series opener, Plawecki had three chances to throw out runners stealing. To be totally fair, Plawecki really had only two; since both successful Senator base swipes came on a double steal. Plawecki did gun down Brian Jeroloman attending to swipe second base in the opener.
It was Plawecki’s instinctive execution on a Harrisburg bunt attempt Thursday that really impressed the B-Met faithful. With a runner on first and no outs, the Senators chose to attempt a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner. The bunt was fouled behind the plate, tipped at a decent clip on a low trajectory slightly to the right side and behind the dish. Plaweckli was off like a flash, as his only chance to catch the ball, was a full body extension dive toward the edge of the grass in front of the dirt track separating the playing field from the field level seats.
Watching the play unfold and correctly assessing that should Plawecki catch the ball he would be airborne with his backside to the playing field, a heads up Matt Skole tagged up at first and intended to advance to second. After catching the ball, in a singe motion, Plawecki bounced to his feet firing the ball to second base nailing Skole to complete a very impressive double play.
In Sunday’s pitching duel, my second visit to NYSEG during the series, Plawecki was at it again, this time gunning down three Senator runners trying to pilfer second base. That contribution proved enormous in the B-Mets 2-1 victory.
After Cutter Dykstra, representing the tying run, led off the fourth inning with a single, Plawecki erased the speedy second baseman trying to steal second. Harrisburg pinch hitter, Quincy Latimore led off the sixth with a single to center field; but when Tyler Pill got Michael Taylor swinging at a third strike on an 80 mph curveball, Plawecki nailed Latimore trying to swipe second. Two batters later, after Pill hit Caleb Ramsey with a pitch, Plawecki made it two in one inning, gunning down Ramsey trying to steal second base.
Plawecki’s impressive showing behind the plate left me wondering how well he and B-Met backup Xorge Carrillo have done this year denying opposing baserunners attempting to steal. Of course, a stolen base in not all on the catcher, because a pitcher’s ability to hold runners close to first or second base is of paramount importance when catcher’s go about their work throwing out runners.
To date, 28 Eastern League runners have attempted to steal bases against Plawecki and the B-Met catcher has nailed 10 of those runners for a 36 % caught stealing percentage. Two speedy second basemen, Jon Berti from New Hampshire and Mookie Betts of Portland, total 7 of the 18 swipes against Plawecki. Berti and Betts lead the Eastern League with 15 stolen bases apiece.
Carrrilo, too, has been busy behind the dish for the B-Mets as nine runners have attempted to steal on the Binghamton backup catcher, with Carrillo gunning down two of those runners.
On a side note, Plawecki went 2-for-4 in the batter’s box on Sunday, his third inning double scoring Kyle Johnson with the first Binghamton run in the game.
Plawecki just continues to show that he has an all-around game worth watching.
