ROSARIO MAKES HIS METS DEBUT:
Misplay in 9th spoils Amed’s arrival as Mets fall Reyes takes on role of mentor to rookie
DENVER — Amed Rosario followed half a step behind Jose Reyes, just behind his left shoulder as they climbed out of the dugout at Coors Field and onto the grass for pregame stretching. The one-time star of the Mets showing the man who will eventually replace him the ropes hours before his majorleague debut.
Tuesday a new chapter began for Rosario and the Mets. The highly anticipated 21-year-old top prospect made his debut playing shortstop and hitting seventh.
“Well I am anxious to see him play. I hope he can just relax and play the game without thinking he’s got to prove too much,” Terry Collins said. “He’s an exciting player, he’s got great skills. We saw it in spring training. Now is his opportunity to show it.”
Rosario, who wore No. 1, was called up from Triple-A on Monday as the Mets shift their focus to next year. Mets GM Sandy Alderson said he wanted to use these last two months of the season to get a good grasp on what he could expect from Rosario — as well as other top prospect Dominic Smith and some young pitchers — for next season.
Rosario just wanted to get his feet wet Tuesday night after months and years of dreaming about playing in the majors.
“First off, I am so thankful to God for this opportunity,” Rosario said through team translator Melissa Strozza. “I was actually on my way to my English classes when I got the call. I am really at a loss for words, I am so, so excited.”
Rosario has played 94 games in Triple-A this season, 26 shy of his career high. He was hitting .328 with 58 RBI and seven home runs for Triple-A Las Vegas. He also has 19 stolen bases and is rated as an above-average defender.
Collins said he expects the addition of Rosario will add some speed and range to the Mets, who are now eight games below .500.
“Certainly there are a lot of things he does well. He’s a good runner, he’s got a good arm. I think he handled himself at shortstop very well,” Collins said of watching Rosario in big-league camp during spring training. “I thought his range was very good. Saw him hit some balls, not necessarily in games, but in batting practice he’s got some power in his bat. I really don’t get too caught up in spring training. … We will draw a lot more conclusions when we see him at the every day at this level.
“What he’s going to do, how he handles things, if the speed of the game catches up with him. It’s going to be certainly an exciting time for us.”
Clearly the Mets hope that bringing the highly-touted Rosario up will create some excitement around a team that returns to Citi Field on Friday out of contention. The Mets are 11 games out of a National League wild-card berth.
As the Mets under Alderson have tried to do, they gave Rosario a chance to get himself acclimated to the big leagues away from the glare of New York. With fans clamoring for Rosario all season, the Mets know that there will be a hullabaloo when he makes his first appearance at Citi Field.
Rosario, however, looks at it as just a first step.
“I would say it’s huge for me to take those first few steps on that field because it starts a whole new chapter in my life,” Rosario said, “it’s me starting to reach those dreams I have been wanting.”
And helping guide Rosario the last year has been the man who was in his shoes 14 years ago. Reyes and Rosario have talked or texted almost every day since spring training. Reyes talked to Rosario about handling the big leagues and New York, especially after Rosario sent a tweet last month that seemed to be questioning why it was taking so long to get the call-up.
“He’s really been there for me since last year when we started developing that,” Rosario said. “It means a lot to me.”
And Tuesday, when Rosario followed Reyes out onto the field, asking questions and listening to the veteran, it was the final steps of that mentorship. Now, it’s up to Rosario to prove himself.
“He’s going to be great,” Reyes said of Rosario before the callup, “he’s going to be fine, he’s ready.”