STILL AN NYC
Don’t Judge Mike on 4 Ks —
Michael Conforto doesn’t yet have his own special section of seats cordoned off at Citi Field, something similar to the “Judge’s Chambers” that debuted earlier this week beyond the right-field wall at Yankee Stadium.
Conforto endured a rare messy game — along with a less rare one from last-minute weather fill-in Rafael Montero and the rest of the Mets on Thursday night — striking out four times and losing a fly ball in the twilight before singling in the ninth inning of a 4-3 loss to the Padres.
He still has been a true bright light in a Mets season otherwise spiraling in the wrong direction and every bit the breakout revelation in Flushing that Judge has been so far this year in the Bronx. Right down to the fact that both risingstar outfielders struggled so mightily at the major-league level last season that neither — yes, unfathomably now — even was guaranteed a 25-man roster spot towards the end of spring training.
This didn’t turn out to be the right night to ask this, but when is “The ’Fort” section of seats going to be installed at Citi?
“I have no idea, I don’t make those decisions, you’d have to ask somebody with the team about that,” Conforto said with a laugh before the game. “But I think it’s awesome (with Judge)…For him to have all of that going for him right now, it’s been great.”
In a hot take world, especially in New York sports, the first inclination always is to make comparisons.
Clicks dig the long ball, that sort of thing.
And the debate recently among the fan bases between Judge and Conforto unmistakably has gained steam in recent weeks. The Daily News has been guilty as charged, too, with even Alex Rodriguez chiming in with his thoughts on the topic with baseball columnist John Harper last weekend. But my feeling firmly remains that New York baseball fans should cast aside such arguments for now and simply appreciate and enjoy what is transpiring between these two budding players on either side of town — especially with both playing like All-Stars (and dare we say, perhaps a level above that) following major adversity less than one year ago.
“MLB Network is always on and he’s gotten some deserved attention,” Conforto said of Judge. “It’s USA TODAY