As yesterday’s game approached, many wondered if Michael Conforto would get his first shot against a big time southpaw like Madison Bumgarner on the mound. Manager, Terry Collins obliged and gave the 23-year old budding star a chance to show what he could do against one of the great pitchers in the game.
“I definitely wanted to be out there against Bumgarner,” Conforto said. “As a competitor, you want to be out there against the best guys, and he’s definitely a guy I wanted to see how I matched up with.” (NY Post)
Things would not go as planned for Conforto though, going 0-5 on the day. Bumgarner was able to sit Michael down on strikes three times, helping to end his streak of eight consecutive games with a hit and 17 consecutive games of getting on base. The Mets offense as a whole though could not muster much offense against the star lefty, as he pitched six scoreless innings in the Giants’ 6-1 win on Sunday.
“He got the best of me, and obviously that doesn’t sit well with me,” Conforto said. “It’s just motivation, motivation to tighten up some things and go get them tomorrow.”
Collins went against the grain yesterday and played Conforto against a great left-handed pitcher. Michael was the hot hand and Collins opted to sit lefties Lucas Duda and Curtis Granderson in Sunday’s loss. Collins knows though these are the type of experiences Conforto needs to eventually be able to handle lefties with more ease.
“I’m glad he faced him, because when it comes crunch time, that might be a guy he has to face again,” Collins said.
Collins did state after the game that Conforto may sit more against lefties in the near future, not due to skill but to get Juan Lagares some playing time. Over the last three years Bumgarner has held lefties to a low batting average of just .197. His deceptive, twisting pitching motion does not help in any sense.
“It’s definitely surprising when you go up there for the first time,” Conforto said. “It’s kind of amazing he can spot pitches from that slot. He’s got that angle going, and he’s got that competitive edge. He’s a fiery guy. That being said, I had opportunities. I had good pitches to hit, just missed them. Just wasn’t the best day at the plate for me today, but I’m excited to come out tomorrow.”
This season Conforto has shown though that he can handle left-handed pitching. In a small sample size he is batting .250 in just 12 at-bats. He is not hopeless as some lefties may be against there left-handed counterparts. In 2015 while playing at the AA level, Conforto hit .333 against southpaws over 51 at-bats. Obviously minor and major league pitching are not the same animal, but it shows his abilities and that he’s not an automatic out.
“I feel very confident. The results aren’t there right now, but I’m not shaken about facing lefties,” Conforto said. “I’m more excited to face them when I do get the opportunity. As far as just getting the experience, it’s huge. If I ever do face him again, or any other tough lefty, I’ll have that experience to fall back on.”
I believe it’s only a matter of time before Conforto becomes a force against both right and left-handed pitching. He has all the tools, frequently makes adjustments, and is driven to improve his game. He’s a a pure hitter with a perfect natural swing, and soon enough we will see him be a big threat at the dish, no matter who is on the mound.
