After getting swept in a four-game series against the Washington Nationals, Terry Collins said he plans to address his team again, and made some pointed remarks to the team’s rookies.
“You’d think some of these guys would grab the opportunity that’s in front of them because of the injury issues on our club to say, ‘Here’s my chance to show I’m a major league player,'” Collins said after Thursday’s 7-2 loss. “And we’re not seeing it. We’re not seeing it at this moment, I can tell you.
“That leads to feeling sorry for yourself. And I will not stand for that. Not in this clubhouse, not in this league. You don’t feel sorry for yourself in this league. Nobody feels sorry for you in the game. Our guys in that room, because a lot of them are young, they better learn that lesson real fast.”
I think his frustration stems mostly from Travis d’Arnaud, Matt den Dekker and Wilmer Flores who Collins has to play for lack of better options, and the fact that all three are struggling.
While Flores has an excuse and is playing in pain with a sore ankle, the other two are fine.
More than one scout told ESPN New York, that d’Arnaud is going to have to make his swing more compact.
“Right now, he is helpless against breaking balls. And it seems like he is not catching up to the fastballs he is sitting on.”
D’Arnaud is now hitting .152 with one HR and three RBI in 20 games since joining the team. He acknowledges that he is pressing.
The young catcher’s struggles has led to Collins dropping down to eighth in the batting order. He has just three hits in his last 30 at-bats and is now chasing many balls that are out of the strikezone.
“He’s a real sharp guy, he’s going to get it, and he’s going to know what he has to do when he comes in next year to play at the quality we need him to play,” Terry Collins said earlier in the week.
What difference a four game-sweep can make…
I’m not worried about Flores who was driving in runs and hitting the ball to all fields up until the day he got hurt. He’s an exciting player at the plate when he’s healthy. Unfortunately, because of the injury we weren’t able to see Flores get the time at second base to see if he could play the position longterm.
As for den Dekker, I’m not as concerned about him because I don’t see him as anything more than a utility outfielder going forward.
