Port St. Lucy – Lynn Staneck saw the Mets' new center field additions when he was a Houston teammate because part of the two seasons were non-faithful.
Jose Ciri's speed and defense are elite.
“I like him to confusion,” Stanek said Wednesday at Clover Park. “It always happens when he gets involved. Whether he steals the base, hits a wall or plays, he always does something to affect the game in some way. He's definitely not missing talent for him. He's a pretty freak talent.”
With a lineup that includes Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso and Mark Vientos, many of the offensive possibilities among headliners, the Mets have the opportunity to defend their valuable pieces of Ciri's anemia. He was willing to overlook the bat.
The 29-year-old Siri was the team's first notable offseason acquisition, and arrived on November 19th in trade with Eric Orze with Rays.
“I was surprised that Tampa had exchanged me,” Siri said through an interpreter. “But then I thought about it: [New York] It was a big city, it was a great team, and then I started thinking about the opportunities I could have. ”
Among them was a good chance to return to the postseason. He reached the playoffs for the third year in a row with the Astros and the Ray before last season was missing.
Offensively, I don't really love Siri, who posted the .187/.255/.366 slashline last season with 18 Homer and 47 RBI. It included 170 strikeouts in 402 at-bats.
Upon arriving at camp, Ciri told manager Carlos Mendoza that his goal was to improve discipline at his plate. According to Statcast, Siri's 35.2% tracking rate placed him in the 12th percentile of MLB last season. His whimsical rate (swings and misses) was 41.9%, making him the first percentile.
“There's a swing there and that's what he raised us,” Mendoza said. “He wants to get in touch more. He wants to play the ball. There's strength there. There's room for improvement… he can make better swing decisions. But I think we'll end up playing the ball.”
Siri is expected to see Harrison Bader play a role as fewer player than full-time on last season's team. Tyron Taylor, who is in his second straight season, is expected to receive the opportunity in that position as well.
Both Soto and Siri are from the Dominican Republic and know each other. For Siri, the opportunity to play alongside one of the game's biggest stars will only add to the appeal of New York.
“We have a really good relationship and it's going to be a lot of fun in the outfield,” Siri said. “I also think there's a great opportunity to do a lot of good things offensively. Something I respect. [Soto] It's how he talks about hitting, his thought process, and his overall approach. ”
Defensively, Siri is at the top of his class among the center fielders. His 16 outs were above average in the 99th percentile for MLB last season.
According to Statcast, his arm strength and sprint speed are also elite levels. The 6-foot-2 Siri is a highlight reel for its ability to reach above fences (and sometimes surface) to steal home runs.
“Having an elite defense behind you, especially in the center field, will not hurt your feelings,” Stanek said. “You're not too worried about contact because there are people like that there. The gap to the gap, [Siri] Covers a lot of ground. The speed is real. The gloves are clearly authentic. ”
Siri was asked if he was defensively better in the centre fielder than him.
“We know when the season begins,” Siri said. “I don't want to go any further than myself.”
For now, Siri is just absorbing his new environment.
“I feel very fortunate and grateful that God has given me the opportunity to come to a team like this,” Siri said. “A great fan base, a great organization.”
