Michael Conforto is just 24 years old, but he’s emerging as a clubhouse leader in Flushing, New York.
After the Mets traded veterans Addison Reed, Lucas Duda, Neil Walker, Jay Bruce and most recently Curtis Granderson, the number of experienced players that remain is small. Conforto, the Mets best position player, seems to have been thrust into a leadership role.
While he certainly seems up to the challenge, manager Terry Collins doesn’t seem to think this is a good time for establishing himself as a leader in the clubhouse. Speaking to reporters including Daniel Popper of the New York Daily News, Terry voiced his concerns.
“I think Michael really needs to focus on just finishing the year strong,” Collins said. “There’s enough going on right now with him that he needs to go just play. We’ll worry about the leadership at another time. But he’s got to show up and go do his thing and finish strong.
“I think ultimately down the road, in the big picture, he will be a huge force in the clubhouse. But he’s got enough going on to finish the last two months the way he’s came into the last two months, and that is playing well, swinging the bat well and finishing with great numbers. And then we’ll worry about all the other outside, off-the-diamond kind of stuff later on.”
Conforto went 0-for-3 in Sunday’s game and is currently entrenched in a slump having gone 6-for-his-last-39 (.154). While that slump certainly doesn’t have to do with his trying to be a leader in the clubhouse, he is on the same page with Terry.
“Message received,” Conforto told reporters after talking to his manager. “We’ll let it happen naturally.”
While many veterans are gone, he will still be able to look to established leader and Captain David Wright for guidance. One veteran that remains might not be the best example for Conforto, and that’s Yoenis Cespedes. After dropping a routine fly ball off the bat of Christain Yelich in the seventh inning, Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez had some choice words for him in the booth.
Cohen knocked Cespedes for not stepping up despite having been given a $110 million contract, often acting nonchalant like he did in last night’s game. This time is not only cost him, but it surely embarrassed him. His lack of hustle often hurts the Mets, opponent’s singles turning into doubles, or not getting to balls quick enough to be able to have plays on baserunners.
Keith chimed in a stated that just because you’re a great player on the field, doesn’t make you a good leader. Though Collins would make his statements about Conforto after the game, Keith preemptively agreed with him saying that because Conforto was in the minors as recently as last season, it’s not fair to ask that of him at this point.
Conforto is hitting .275/.382/.551 with 26 home runs, 65 RBIs, a 143 wRC+ and 3.9 WAR this season. He will surely be a Metropolitan for years to come and during that time, it’s easy to foresee him becoming a leader in the clubhouse as he leads the team on the field as well. For now, he should focus on improving his on-field play and continuing hustling to set a good example for the slew of rookies coming up to the Majors.
