Mike Jacobs Catching Again?

According to Adam Rubin of the NY Daily News:

Yes, that was Mike Jacobs this morning, with a bag of catching equipment in front of his locker. Jacobs looks like he’s the leading candidate for the final bench spot with the Mets, and the organization has asked him to catch on a limited basis in order to increase his versatility. So Jacobs, who caught in the minors with the Mets before being converted to first base in 2005, is planning to catch Tobi Stoner’s bullpen session before today’s Mets-Twins game.

“It’s like riding a bike,” Jacobs told the Daily News.

Jacobs ordered his own Rawlings glove, which he was considering using for the session. But because it’s not broken in, he may settle for a Chris Coste extra instead.

Bottom line: Jacobs won’t be more than an emergency catcher in a major-league game. And when was the last time you saw the Mets use an emergency catcher?

“I don’t think this is a Brandon Inge situation where I’m going to be catching once or twice a week,” Jacobs said.

For the record, Jacobs also caught a bullpen session last year with Kansas City. He had not been asked to do that in his three previous years with the Marlins.

You know my stance on the matter — Mike Jacobs should be behind the plate again, specifically to increase his value.

If Jacobs can return to be barely adequate behind the dish, he suddenly is a no-brainer for the 25-man roster and I’d even consider — at least for a moment — a “Brandon Inge situation”.

On the one hand, I do understand and support the immeasurable value of a catcher’s defensive impact on a game. On the other hand, I don’t see any of the current Mets catching candidates as being SO impactful behind the plate that it overwhelms their woeful offensive skills; there’s not a Charlie O’Brien among them. It might not be so bad to have a Mike Piazza-like defender with Mike Jacobs-like offense catching once a week.