New York Mets outfielder, Michael Conforto was given a rare opportunity to start Sunday and he made the best of the opportunity.
The 23-year-old Conforto went 2-for-4 on the day with two singles and two RBI as he snapped an 0-for-10 skid. It was his first multi-hit game since August 2 and his first multi-RBI game since June 8. It has been a trying season for Conforto but Sunday was a step in the right direction.
“Obviously I want to be a regular player,” Conforto said. “Just take care of business, do my job in situations when I get in there and the rest will take care of itself.” (NY Post)
Manager, Terry Collins opted to sit another struggling Met in Jay Bruce to let Conforto have the opportunity to start in right field. It is worth noting that Bruce only has two hits in his last 26 at-bats. The Mets manager knows that Sunday’s game could only help Conforto regain some confidence.
“I think today helped him, for sure,” Collins said. “I talked to Jay today, tried to get him peace of mind a little bit. Tried to get him to relax a little bit. So, moving forward, I think we’ve got to consider all of the pieces we have, for sure.”
It is good to hear Collins finally admit that keeping Bruce in the lineup may not be what is best for a team fighting for a playoff spot with less than two weeks left in the season. Conforto deserves a look as many around baseball believe Conforto has lost all confidence at the plate, something not helped by consistently being benched.
The numbers are not great for Michael this season as he has hit to a .218/.305/.407 slash line to go along with 11 homers and 36 RBI. He has been demoted twice to AAA Las Vegas this season and has mashed in the minors. It though has yet to translate back to the majors.
Given the opportunity, one would hope that Conforto can find his way back to the player he was in 2015. Now though is the time to play the hot hand, whether it be Conforto, Bruce or someone else. The Mets have found themselves in a prime position to make the postseason for consecutive years for the first time since the 1999 and 2000 seasons.
