Lucas Duda had an addiction that not too many of us knew about, swinging. Mike Puma of the New York Post spoke with Duda and his hitting coach, Kevin Long on the issue.
Duda, was said to take an average of 200 swings between batting practice and the cage on any given day. It took an intervention from Mets officials and David Wright to get him to dwindle that down to 75 swings per day and so far Duda is sticking to the new regimen.
“It’s more about my quality of repetition than it is my quantity of repetition,” Duda said. “I am trying to get it through my thick head.”
Duda, who had some injury issues last year, was sidelined as the Mets started their big surge in late August. He had found himself on the disabled list for 2 1/2 weeks. It is hoped that lightening up his swing load, will have a positive effect on keeping the big man healthy as well as fresh all through the season.
“Duda is really one of the hardest workers I’ve been around,” hitting coach Kevin Long said. “Some of the challenge I have as a hitting coach is backing him off. We still have our days, some days I can’t keep him away from the field or away from some of the drills, but for the most part I would say instead of going six out of seven days max-out crazy, he is probably at one or two days, which is quite a turnaround.”
Duda, who can really be a force in this lineup when completely healthy and focused has hit 30 homers in 2014 and 27 in 2015. He has shown the capability of really being able to put a jolt on the ball when he is locked in. Staying healthy for Duda will be pivotal in the type of season he has and it is hoped this new program will do him well.
“The main goal for spring training is to remain healthy, get your work in and get ready for the season,” Duda said. “I think the program I’m on right now, whether it be 80 percent of what it was last year, I feel great, my body feels great and I’m looking forward to the season.”
Hopefully this new regimen for Duda will work wonders for him in terms of health, consistency and production. He certainly has the capability to be a 30 home run, and 100 RBI player year in and year out with the type of power he has.
