Tuesday, Sep. 01, 2009

Mater Dei grad Thole promoted to majors

Mets call up Double A catcher

Josh Thole got the call Monday, then pinched himself to make sure it wasn't a figment of his imagination.

The Breese native and 2005 graduate of Mater Dei High School was recalled from Class AA Binghamton by the New York Mets and will be in uniform tonight when the team takes on the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver.

"Honestly, it's not even real to me right now," the 22-year-old Thole said in a telephone interview Monday afternoon.

With major-league rosters expanding from 25 to 40 players today, the Mets had plenty of room for Thole. He was hitting a team-high .328 for Binghamton and had the third highest average in the Eastern League.

Thole has been trying to stay on an even keel as news of his call-up spread from teammates to family members and friends.

"It's the thing you dream about from Day One when you step on the high-school baseball field and you get drafted, then you work your way through the minor leagues to get to this point," Thole said. "This is what you work your butt off every day for. The countless hours, long bus rides and all that, this is what it's all about."

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Thole is considered one of the crown jewels in the Mets' minor-league system, which has been depleted because of a rash of injuries on the parent club. Nine players have already been summoned from Buffalo to fill holes on the big-league roster.

The left-handed hitting Thole has been one of the most consistent hitters in the system, hovering around the .330 mark for most of the year. He is tied for the lead in doubles with 29, second in RBIs with 46 and has struck out just 34 times in 384 at bats.

One stat illustrates Thole's consistency: He hit .328 against both left-handed pitchers and right-handed pitchers.

"It's no different if you're in the minor leagues or the major leagues, it's all about consistency," said Thole who is second in hits (126) and walks (42). "If you can stay consistent, you can have a pretty special career. You're going to have you ups and downs and believe me, I've went through plenty of them.

"You just have to be consistent and show them that you can play. Once you get a shot to get there, it's about staying there. It's not about saying 'I made it to the major leagues.' It's how long can you stay there."

New York Manager Jerry Manuel told reporters Sunday in Chicago, where the Mets were finishing a three-game series with the Cubs, that Thole would see plenty of action when he joined the club.

"I'll look to play him," Manuel told the Newark Star-Ledger. "But I'll also look to be careful to put him in what I think are situations where he can have success. For example, a guy like that, I probably wouldn't start against a lefty. I try to find spots that I think he could have some success in and build on that rather than just say, 'Here, show me what you can do.'"

Injuries have taken its toll on the Mets, who were supposed to contend for the National League East Division title. Instead, they are building for next year with a 59-72 record, 17 1/2 games behind first-place Philadelphia.

"Obviously, with all their injuries, you can't help but turn on the TV and hear about it," Thole said. "It's been a tough year because they have so many guys hurt."

On Monday, Thole was in Akron, Ohio, where Binghamton was finishing the last of a three-game series. Thole's parents, Mike and Donna, spent the weekend with their son.

"They're super thrilled for me," Thole said. "It's kind of hard to control them a little bit."