Luis Torrens is up for his unexpected Mets challenge
NY Post
PORT ST. LUCIE — Luis Torrens helped inject life into the Mets’ season last year but now faces even larger responsibilities with the team.
With Francisco Alvarez sidelined for 6-8 weeks after he fractured the hamate bone in his left hand last weekend, it will be the 28-year-old Torrens at catcher for an extended stretch to begin the season. It’s hardly ideal, but also not a daunting proposal for the Mets given the credibility Torrens established last year.
Alvarez underwent surgery to remove the bone on Monday in Pennsylvania and will rejoin the team later this week to begin his rehab.
“We feel pretty comfortable with [Torrens],” manager Carlos Mendoza said at Clover Park. “He’s a guy that does a really good job handling a pitching staff, just like Alvi, his leadership skills. This is a guy who can receive and he can really throw.
“And then offensively, this is a guy that gave us some really good at-bats, so I am very confident with Louie behind the plate and we have got to take care of him, too.”
Torrens excelled in controlling the running game, throwing out 13-of-28 (46.4 percent) would-be base stealers last season. The MLB average for catchers was only 20.3 percent.
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Dylan Garand knew the number off the top of his head. He knew that, between the regular season and playoffs, he’d logged over 160 games with AHL Hartford, and he was right. Before the Rangers recalled him Friday, Garand had served as the Wolf Pack’s goaltender 165 times.
SAN DIEGO — As you may have seen elsewhere in this newspaper (and also if you haven’t deleted me yet from your social media), I have a book coming out Tuesday called “The Bosses of The Bronx.” Much of it details the 37 years’ worth of antics, winning, losing, winning again and overall mania of George Steinbrenner’s time with the Yankees.
The Knicks are on a five-game winning streak and flooded with concerns.