After a game-tying home run and a couple of outstanding plays in the field on Friday and an early exit on Saturday, New York Mets first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith continued to make progress on Sunday.
Smith came out of Saturday’s win with a tight left groin but returned on Sunday to deliver a pinch-hit RBI double in the Mets 6-4 win over the Phillies.
In an article by Tim Healey of Newsday, both Smith and Mets skipper Mickey Callaway spoke about the strides the 23-year-old Los Angeles native has been making in his attempt to become a mainstay in Queens moving forward.
“I came up in my career being a patient hitter,” Smith said. “And I got up here and realized sometimes the best pitch is the first one you get.”
Clearly, being aggressive is working for the former first-round pick. Since being recalled on Sept 4, Smith has gone 3-for-9 with a home run, a double, and two runs batted in.
“If I’m able to just swing at good pitches, good things will happen,” Smith continued. “Sometimes those good pitches are early in the count and you start scaring [pitchers] out of the zone, then they fall behind and have to come to you.”
It’s certainly always nice to have a plan in place at the plate. After Sunday’s win, Callaway heaped praise on the steps that Smith has taken to improve his game.
“Dom is putting good swings on the ball. He’s confident, he’s going up there and he’s attacking the ball,” he said. “The last time he was here, he looked a little passive and not quite sure. Right now, he’s just taking the barrel to the ball and he’s having good results.”
Let’s hope that these high times continue for Dom Smith, as he gets a chance to prove he belongs in the Mets plans for the future.
