Manager Terry Collins sounded like he’s ready to pull back on his hardline stance that Michael Conforto would not start any games against a left-handed pitcher.
“There are some people here whose job is to hit left-handed pitching,” Collins initially said. “Down the road, this kid will be one of them, but right now I think we’ll stick with what we’ve done.”
That’s what Collins said a couple of weeks ago and then he reiterated those words three days ago before the team left for Los Angeles, “We already have guys who get paid to hit left-handed pitching.”
But after watching Michael Cuddyer go 0-for-3 against the left-handed Clayton Kershaw in Game 1 while also misplaying two fly balls into doubles – maybe Collins is having a change of heart.
Especially after watching the kid Conforto rip a line-drive home run off Zack Greinke in Game 2 that left the park with a jaw-dropping exit velocity of 114 mph.
Conforto was only expected to log one start in the NLDS and that was against Greinke, and maybe another if the Dodgers’ righty pitched again in Game 5. But knowing that, he took the high road.
“I wouldn’t say I was bummed,” Conforto said about his role in the NLDS. “I know there’s a great chance that I’m going to get into a game no matter what happens and who is throwing.”
“At this point, and since I’ve come up here, it’s all about winning games. And the way we’ve been doing things has helped us win games. Whatever my role has to be to do that, I’ll be completely happy and satisfied.”
However, according to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York, Collins is now softening his stance.
“Asked if Conforto might start Monday’s Game 3 against Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Brett Anderson, Collins did not rule it out.”
“We’re going to think about all the options,” Collins said Sunday.
Conforto batted .333 (17-for-51) against left-handers and .303 against right-handers (37-for-122) with Double-A Binghamton this season before his July 24 promotion to the majors.
Here’s hoping that Conforto supplants Cuddyer in left field on Monday and that we’ll see the beginning of his new phase as an excellent everyday player which nobody doubts he can be.
