Meadows’ fast start tied to more time
Onetime Pirates prospect is over the shock of last year’s big trade
CLEVELAND — Austin Meadows admitted the moment felt more than a little strange.
As his teammates — OK, former teammates — prepared for a game July 31 against the Cubs at PNC Park, Meadows hurriedly packed his things, eager to join up with his new team in Durham, N. C.
In that moment, Meadows had no idea he would soon become an MLB AllStar or that his Bulls team would capture the 2018 Class AAA championship. Meadows just knew that the entire scene was awkward.
“It was pretty crazy seeing guys in the clubhouse you might not ever see again or you’re going to play against,” Meadows said. “It was kind of crazy, packing your stuff up, and they’re getting ready for a game.”
Suffice to say, things are a little better for Meadows these days. He has blossomed into a big part of the Tampa Bay Rays outfield, hitting .289 with 12 home runs and 41 RBIs through 71 games to earn his first AllStar nod a year after making his MLB debut.
His quick ascension created another interesting moment for Meadows, when he looked around the Grand Ballroom at Huntington Convention Center Monday and saw Major League Baseball’s best players, realizing that he, too, was one of them.
“It’s pretty indescribable to be in the same room as some of these guys that I grew up watching,” Meadows said. “It’s a big honor.”
It wasn’t that Meadows struggled a ton with the Pirates, especially early. He wound up playing 59 games in 2018 and slashed .287/. 461/. 785.
The difficult- to- process part came when Meadows learned he would not be part of the club’s future plans. All along, Meadows was touted as one of the club’s top prospects and never really thought that could change.
Until, of course, it did and he was forced to combat that reality.
“You get traded for the first time, you’re kind of shocked,” Meadows said. “You think you’re going to be a part of that organization for a long time. You see yourself as the future of the organization. It was a tough pill to swallow at first. But for me, it was more exciting to realize the Rays wanted me.
“Last year we had 90 wins with the Rays, so the team was going really good. It was good to come over to a team that was rolling. It was a good, fun atmosphere to be in.”
One of the players Meadows befriended was fellow All- Star Brandon Lowe. A few things about Meadows stand out to Lowe, most notably an awareness of what he can and cannot do, the ability to play within himself. Lowe appreciates Meadows’ humility, saying his excellent start to the season hasn’t changed his attitude.
“He’s a Georgia boy,” Lowe said. “He’s extremely humble. He’s taken everything in stride, but his experiences are insane. It’s pretty crazy to be there. It’s not effected him at all.”
The challenge for Meadows now will be punching back against the league. After hitting .346 with 12 home runs and 38 RBIs through his first 47 games this season, Meadows was hitting just .176 with no home runs and three RBIs over the next 24 games heading into the break.
Playing every day will help, and that’s one thing Meadows said has led to his breakout.
It was not possible last season in the Pirates outfield with Starling Marte, Corey Dickerson and Gregory Polanco together playing very well.
Without getting the atbats, Meadows might not have found what he has this season, but he didn’t find it until he got the at- bats — a classic Catch- 22 situation.