Wilmer goes with Flo in OF
WEST PALM BEACH — Wilmer Flores was anxious. The natural infielder waited and waited. With the glove Yoenis Cespedes had gotten for him two years ago, Flores made his first play in left field in the fourth inning of the Mets’ 9-7 win over the Nationals at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.
“I felt weird, obviously, but I just wanted to get my first fly ball and get the first one out of the way,” Flores said. “I was getting a little bit anxious. I want to get that first ball. I am glad I got to play the first one, I feel good.”
Flores caught Wilmer Difo’s shallow pop up and that was his only action in the outfield. Saturday Mickey Callaway played Flores in the outfield looking for a way to get his bat in the lineup.
“That’s gonna be huge, because you saw why he needs to be playing multiple positions, because the kid can hit, he can hit really good,” the Mets manager said. “We need to get him as many at-bats as we can this season.”
Flores went 3-for-4 and is hitting .317 with two home runs and five RBI this spring.
“I felt pretty good, I got a hanging slider and I was ready for it and I put it a good swing on it,” Flores said. “I got two good pitches to hit and I did.”
A natural infielder who is not gifted with the speed required for the outfield, Flores would more likely get his atbats at first base. Adrian Gonzalez, who the Mets brought in on a major league minimum to push young Dominic Smith, is hitting .200 with one extra-base hit in 40 at-bats this spring. Smith has played in just one game because of a strained right quad.
But Saturday, Flores got a chance to try out left. He is willing to play anywhere that will help him stay in the lineup.
Callaway said they would be comfortable enough to putting him out there after working with outfield coach Ruben Amaro this spring.
“I think that the way he’s been working with Ruben, doing his outfield stuff, Ruben is totally comfortable with him going out and starting a game in left,” Callaway said. “It wouldn’t’ be out of the realm of possibilities.”