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Without presuming to speak for all Major Leaguers, it stands to reason that most would want to be their own children's favorite player. St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas admits he may be losing that battle to his teammate, centerfielder Michael Siani.
Mikolas confirmed as much while speaking to reporters on Monday after the Cardinals blanked the Washington Nationals, 6-0.
Miles Mikolas on Michael Siani: "He's doing some incredible stuff out there in center field. He's quickly become my youngest son's second favorite player. Maybe his most favorite, but we're still just going to assume I'm his favorite. He's always cheering for Mike." #STLCards pic.twitter.com/mvwIwzJi7n
— Bally Sports Midwest (@BallySportsMW) July 8, 2024
“He's doing some incredible stuff out there in center field,” Mikolas said. “He's quickly become my youngest son's second favorite player. Maybe his most favorite, but we're still just going to assume I'm his favorite. He's always cheering for Mike.”
It's easy to see why. Though Siani isn't lighting the world on fire at the plate, he's quickly become one of the best defensive centerfielders in the game. Or, at least, one of the flashiest.
Siani made a few web gems on Monday, including a play where he tracked down a Juan Yepez ball in the gap that left his bat with an exit velocity of 100.2 mph. According to Cardinals beat writer John Denton, Siani had to cover 67 feet of ground to get there.
OK, seriously though, Michael Siani: Best defensive outfielder in baseball? #STLCards
📺: Bally Sports | 📱: Bally Sports app pic.twitter.com/1w4y2TwRwl
— Bally Sports Midwest (@BallySportsMW) July 8, 2024
Michael Siani has also earned admiration in the clubhouse
Siani isn't just making fans out of his teammates' kids. Others in the clubhouse seem in awe of his ability in the field and his approach at the plate.
His manager, Oliver Marmol, recognizes that the game-changing plays may make the headlines, but his at-bats are starting to improve as well.
“He does it every game,” Marmol said Siani's outfield exploits. “He plays a really nice center field, and he's taking a good at-bat. … He's playing the game the right way, and he's helping a ton.”
Playing in his first full MLB season, Siani is still a work in progress offensively, but he's showing signs of life. Though he's only hitting .227 for the season, he's batting .283 over his past 22 games. That includes a .712 OPS. He's still striking out more than he should, fanning 17 times and drawing just one walk in 62 plate appearances in that stretch.
Until he really gets going at the plate, however, the Cardinals are plenty satisfied with watching him steal runs from the other team.
“He's one of if not the best centerfielder out there in the game right now,” Lars Nootbaar told KMOTV in June. “The way he just goes out there and it seems like he tracks down every ball. And it’s one of those things where it’s like if the ball doesn’t get caught out there, you’re like, ‘alright that’s a knock. No one could have done it.' It’s just night in and night out… Human highlight reel out there. He’s saved us a number of times this year.”
Alec Burleson said almost the exact same thing in an on-air interview on Monday.
“He means so much,” he said. “Obviously, we've played in a lot of tight games this year, and some of those may come down to balls he makes plays on. It's a lot of fun to watch him.”
Even better for St. Louis: He's only a rookie.
