Jay Bruce has not played in a game for the Mets since Wednesday as his back flared up.
While the break in play was provided to help ease the strain on his body, Bruce believes it could have also eased some on his mind as well, as detailed by Tim Healey of Newsday.
“I’m taking these couple of days to get my body [feeling good], try to get out in front of little nagging stuff that I’ve had and get ready with a bit of a fresh feel both physically and mentally. I’m going to take the time to clear my mind as well.”
Despite his season-long slump being frustrating for everyone, Bruce believes he might finally be getting close to breaking out, but thinks some bad luck has stopped it from happening already.
“The results have been very fleeting and elusive so far, but the process and the way I feel haven’t really reflected that. That’s not an excuse, it’s just the reality. I feel so close. I hit balls at people. Fly out, just miss the ball. Stuff you really can’t control.”
On Thursday when the Mets decided to sit him for the next three games, Bruce spent about half-an-hour in the manager’s office with Mickey Callaway and they talked about a variety of things including his personal and team disappointments thus far, according to the outfielder.
“Little bit of everything. Personally, the team. Just the state of how everything is. It was a good, honest talk. He cares about guys in here, he cares about me, we care about him. It’s his first time [managing], too. You have to be able to keep that in mind. While that’s not any excuse for anything that happens, but there are better days ahead. And we both believe that.”
On the year, Bruce is hitting a lowly .216/.297/.327 with little power as he only has three home runs, 12 doubles, and 17 RBI.
With Bruce in the first year of a three-year, $39 million contract inked this past offseason, the team will need to hope that this season isn’t the start of a rapid decline for the four-time All-Star.
Bruce will get a chance to help the team today as he will return to the lineup as planned previously.
