ST. LOUIS — Wilmer Flores may be the Mets’ shortstop or second baseman of the future, but he’s taking his cue from the greatest shortstop in Yankees history.
Flores said yesterday at Busch Stadium that Derek Jeter is his baseball idol and that he has modeled his game after Jeter’s. They both are tall, and Flores said he is trying to learn the mental game of playing shortstop and not just use his many physical tools.
“The shortstop is the captain of the team,” said Flores, who is 6-foot-3, the same as Jeter. “That’s what Jeter is so good at. He controls the game. That’s what I am trying to learn to do.”
Flores, 17, is the youngest player in his league, playing for Class A Savannah, and was the youngest player at the Futures Game. His World Team beat the U.S., 7-5, scoring four in the last inning. He started, played second and grounded out twice.
Flores doesn’t turn 18 until next month. He was 1 when the Yankees drafted Jeter.
“We really think a lot of Wilmer,” Mets GM Omar Minaya said of the right-handed hitter, who is batting .280 in 75 games. “He has made some great strides at such a young age.”
“He’s got a good future,” said World manager Jose Oquendo, pointing three or four years ahead for Flores.
Flores is from Venezuela. His mother was a volleyball player, and she was the one who first took him to play baseball when he was 4 years old. His father is an engineer.
“I didn’t like baseball at first,” Flores said. “Then when I was 10 years old I looked at it more like it was a business.”
Flores was so good he saw he could be a success at the game, and has excelled ever since. He said he tries to make every game fun.
“I’m trying to enjoy myself and do the best I can,” he said. “I was nervous today because the game was televised back to Venezuela and my whole family was watching.”
Flores admitted he has much to learn.
“The key to making any play is anticipation,” Flores said.
Jeter gave the best example of that when he trailed Shane Spencer’s throw from the outfield in the 2001 ALDS, and made a back-handed flip to Jorge Posada to nail the A’s Jeremy Giambi, who neglected to slide.
Flores smiled and said, “I can make plays like that, too.”
The Mets, he said, don’t want him to be too flamboyant, though.
The Mets had a second player tabbed for the game, RHP Jenrry Mejia, but Mejia did not come because of a strained middle finger on his pitching hand. The injury was supposed to clear up in a few days, but has lingered, the story of most Mets injuries.
The Yankees had two players, catcher Jesus Montero (0-for-2) and LHP Manny Banuelos. Montero is only 19 and already has played in two Futures Game. A Toronto scout was at the game, checking on the young talent.
With the Roy Halladay sweepstakes heating up, young stars are under the microscope. Banuelos did not get a chance to pitch.
The game was delayed 4 hours and 9 minutes by rain. Starting pitcher Junichi Tazawa (Red Sox) was scratched. The Red Sox also have intriguing right-hander Casey Kelly, who pitched one scoreless inning for the U.S. Kelly will play shortstop the second half of the season. He could have been the starting quarterback at Tennessee, but chose baseball.
