Josh Satin: The Mets' Smooth-As-Silk Utility Player That Can Hit

On Sept. 4, 2011, as they were completing another dismal season, the New York Mets promoted Josh Satin to the team from the Buffalo Bisons. In his first at-bat in the major leagues, Satin singled to left off ancient right-hander and former Met Livan Hernandez.

With Buffalo, Satin had continued his solid hitting as a minor leaguer. In 38 games, he batted .317/.381/.393. In his minor league career, Satin has batted .307/.397/.467.

Mets manager Terry Collins was impressed.

"He's going to be one of those...guys, if he continues to hit, you've got to find somewhere in the lineup for his bat," Collins said. Satin has played second base, third base and first base. He also can play the outfield.

Continuing, Collins thinks that the Mets will use Satin as a utility player in both the infield and outfield.  The feeling here is that Satin could follow in Tony Kubek's footsteps.

Kubek joined the New York Yankees in 1957. He played second base, third base, shortstop and the outfield while batting .297/.335/.381. Kubek didn't have much power, but during the 1950s, his .297 average was more important than the fact he hit just three home runs.

John Sickels, who writes and edits the Baseball Prospectus Book that evaluates minor league players, wrote that Satin "provides plenty of doubles, can draw a walk and seems to hit .300 in his sleep...my gut likes him."

A criticism is that Satin was three or four years older than many of the minor leaguers he faced.

I am not one of those doomsayers that have written off the 2012 Mets. I've been around long enough to know that there are no experts.

With Ike Davis, Daniel Murphy, David Wright and Ruben Tejada, the infield is adequate defensively and underrated offensively. Satin should have a tough time replacing any of the aforementioned.

Satin is an excellent minor league contact hitter. It is recognized that a tremendous difference exists between hitting in the minors and trying to hit in the majors, but that is more significant for power hitters. Satin should be able to make enough contact to be a fine major league hitter.