They Like Him! They Really Like Him!

"He is just a real professional." 

"It's a real treat to get to throw to him because I don't get to do it that often." 

Those are two quotes from R.A. Dickey's postgame interview with Kevin Burkhardt.  Mike Nickeas once again caught Dickey today as R.A. threw seven scoreless innings.

Terry Collins called Mike a "really, really good" defensive catcher in his postgame press conference.  He managed to put heaping praise on him in about a sentence and a half.  It was almost overwhelming.

And in the studio on SNY, Ron Darling did his favorite thing. He also praised Mike Nickeas for his catching.

It is so awesome to hear Mike getting so much praise.  Clearly, he knows how to catch and call a game and the get best out of pitchers.  He caught a shutout today that was not only a shutout because the pitchers did their job, he did every part of his job as well.  That includes blocking a pitch in the dirt in the eighth inning that could have gone to backstop and allowed the tying run to score from third.

People are starting to give him credit.  I want to say 'finally' but the Mets clearly knew he was good.  When Josh Thole was a top prospect, Nickeas was teaching him in AA.  He was trusted with the top pitching prospects.  The Mets called him up with Jenrry Mejia so he could catch the Major League debut of their top prospect.  They knew he could catch.  Now, finally, everyone else is finding out.

He is making an impression at the right time.  I love it.

Let's Go Mets!