51s catcher Centeno keeps base thieves on best behavior
In only his second game in the majors last season, 51s catcher Juan Centeno became the answer to a baseball trivia question: Who was the first person to catch Billy Hamilton stealing in the big leagues?
Hamilton — the Reds’ speedster who set a minor league record with 155 steals in 2012 — was 13-for-13 in the majors last year before Centeno gunned him down at second base Sept. 25 in the New York Mets’ 1-0 win over Cincinnati.
“The day before we were talking in the bullpen, and I said to the guys, ‘I’m going to throw him out,’ ” said Centeno, 24. “I did it the next day, so I was happy.”
When Hamilton reached base on an infield single off Daisuke Matsuzaka, Centeno predicted correctly that Hamilton would attempt to steal immediately.
“I knew he was going on the first pitch,” he said. “I went to Matsuzaka and said, ‘Let’s do a quick pitch, a fastball down and away.’
“He threw it perfectly for me, and I got him out.”
Centeno, who patterns his game after Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez — his boyhood idol and fellow countryman from Puerto Rico — sprang up and fired a strike to catch Hamilton, who praised Centeno after the game, saying, “He’s good.”
Las Vegas manager Wally Backman wholeheartedly agrees.
In parts of two seasons with the 51s, Centeno has thrown out 39 of 86 runners (45 percent) trying to steal, and the team’s record is 55-25 when he’s behind the plate.
“He stops the running game for any pitcher who gives him any chance to throw runners out,” Backman said. “His ability to catch and throw are his big-time assets. And he knows how to call a game.”
Centeno caught Reno shortstop Nick Ahmed stealing during the second inning of Las Vegas’ 6-5 loss to the Aces (35-24) on Tuesday night at Cashman Field. Centeno also singled and scored in the 51s’ three-run second.
A career .276 hitter who’s batting .293 this season for Las Vegas (35-24), the only part of Centeno’s game that might prevent him from being a No. 1 catcher in the big leagues is his lack of power. He has only three home runs and 52 extra-base hits in 341 games in the minors.
“I always try to stick with my game plan. Hit the ball the other way, get good at-bats and walk,” Centeno said. “I feel happy catching a good game, get a couple hits and win the game.”
Backman said Centeno’s stellar defense more than makes up for his lack of power.
“His ability to catch is special because he throws so well. With the right team, he could definitely be the No. 1 guy,” Backman said. “Everybody’s looking for the big homer numbers. For me personally, the ability he has to catch and throw changes the game a lot, because it stops the running game.
“If you have enough of a lineup where you’re not worried about a guy hitting singles, I’d want him.”
Drafted by the Mets in the 32nd round in 2007 out of high school in Puerto Rico, Centeno has steadily improved throughout his career.
He was called up to the majors for the first time by New York on Sept. 9 and went 2-for-4 with one RBI in his big league debut Sept. 18.
Centeno’s confidence was further bolstered this season, when he was promoted to the Mets on May 15 and started six games before getting optioned to Las Vegas on May 29.
“Going up last year and this year made me feel like I can play at that level,” he said. “I feel comfortable at that level.
“There’s not that much difference here. They hit more than in the big leagues. The ball flies more at these ballparks.”
Growing up poor in Puerto Rico, Centeno used to sell the fish he caught to make money for his family.
Now he hopes to catch some more runners stealing in the majors to provide a better life for his mother, father and sister.
“That was my goal when I signed, to try to help them,” he said. “We are better now.”
Centeno crossed paths with Hamilton again in the Puerto Rican winter league, but didn’t get a chance to try to throw him out.
“He hit doubles and triples against us,” Centeno said. “He was just joking around. He’s a good guy.”
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354. Follow him on Twitter: @tdewey33.