Former Met Howard Johnson optimistic about Bo Bichette's move to third base
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – The third baseman of the Mets’ past stood just outside the lines at Clover Field Thursday afternoon observing the third baseman of the Mets’ future.
Bo Bichette, guided by manager Carlos Mendoza and bench coach Kai Correa, took grounders at his new position, working his way through the steps and even chastising himself once when he flubbed a play. And a few feet away, there was Howard Johnson – the shortstop-turned-third baseman who knows about the transition more than anyone.
“He’s going to be fine,” Johnson told Newsday. “He’s got a good arm and he’ll adjust.”
Of the handful of positional switches the Mets are attempting this spring training, Bichette’s is among the most intriguing. Signed to a three-year, $126 million contract this offseason, the former Blue Jay hasn’t played third base since travel ball. But there are elements to his game that make the case for a move to the hot corner.
Johnson, who came up as a shortstop but debuted as a third baseman and outfielder with the Tigers in 1982, took note of some similarities. Like Bichette, his arm keyed his ability to adapt.
“That really helped me a lot because I was able to play a little bit deeper and try to bring some shortstop footwork into it,” said Johnson, who played 1031 games at third and 273 at short, which he said was his preferred position. “There are a lot of times you have to play up close and that’s when the ball gets on you quick and you might not get that good hop that you want.”
It’s fair to note that Bichette isn’t a particularly strong defensive shortstop: Last year, his -13 outs above average were worst in baseball, as were his -12 defensive runs saved. The culprit is his range, and his limited lateral movement makes him a prime candidate for an infield transition – something the Blue Jays implemented by moving him to second in last year’s playoffs.
Still, it’s not going to feel natural for a while. Talking to reporters Thursday, Bichette said the timing will take some fine-tuning. The ball may get on you faster, but “having more time [to throw] at third base is something that I’m getting used to and understanding.”
It can be a tricky mental switch, Correa said, and not just because of skill set.
“A lot of it [is] about point of view,” said Correa, highly regarded around baseball as an acute defensive mind. “When you play in the middle of the field, you can see the pitch headed toward the batter, the batter’s hands, his hips, his shoulders. You have early information. At third base, you’re looking at the backside of the right-handed batter, so not only are you at a shorter distance, [but] the reaction time has shrunk in terms of your visual cueing.”
Then there are the tactical elements: covering bunts, applying tags, relays and cuts. “But [that’s] a much shorter list tactically at third base than there are [making a switch to] first base in terms of how you function within the context of them," Correa said.
There’s another part of the equation: Bichette is here to beef up the Mets lineup, and is penciled in to bat third behind Juan Soto. But defense “can absolutely” influence your offense, Johnson said, so getting up to speed quickly can help limit unwanted side effects.
“I remember in ’92, [Mets manager Jeff] Torborg wanted me to play centerfield…and that whole spring I hit fine, but all my thoughts were in centerfield because of all the extra work you had to do,” Johnson said. “After BP, you’re out there in the outfield catching fly balls. You’re doing stuff constantly, so it does take up a lot of your mental time.”
But Bichette?
“I don’t think that it’ll take too long,” Johnson said. “He’s basically a veteran guy so he’ll make the adjustment quick. I don’t doubt it. He’s a good player. He’s going to be fine over there but there’s always going to be a mental [aspect] to it.”
Notes & quotes: Clay Holmes, who will pitch in the World Baseball Classic, threw 46 pitches in a live bullpen Thursday. He put in “a lot of work behind the scenes,” Mendoza said. “The good thing is that he feels good and he was able to do it.”…The Mets officially announced signing outfielder MJ Melendez to a one-year contract; Tylor Megill (Tommy John surgery) was placed on the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move.
Newsday's David Lennon contributed to this story.
Laura Albanese is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. She's been covering MLB since 2014 after starting at Newsday as an intern seven years earlier.
