Conforto learns how to adjust
The Mets have asked a lot of Michael Conforto this year and he’s modified his game for the better in all respects. In spring training, the Mets promised Conforto he would only play in right field. Once Brandon Nimmo got bit by the injury bug, Conforto traded his usual position for the more demanding one in center field. He bounced back from an early-season concussion, fell into an offensive lull, and snapped out of it by batting in a different spot and changing his approach.
Michael Conforto: the king of adjustments.
During the Mets’ 3-2 victory over the Twins on Tuesday, it all came together for Conforto. He recorded a hit in each of his four at-bats and add- ed a spectacular leaping catch at the wall. Tuesday night was Conforto’s first four-hit day since May 18 of last season. He went 1-for-5 in Wednesday’s victory
The 26-year-old is batting .3892 (7-for-18) with four RBI and a home run over the Mets’ last four wins. He’s helped the Mets reach their first four-game win streak since May 20-23, when they swept the Nationals at Citi Field.
Four days ago, Mickey Callaway plugged Conforto into the 2-hole, directly ahead of baseball smasher Pete Alonso. The idea was Conforto would get better pitches to hit, because no pitcher in his right mind would want to face a 245-pound rookie with 31 home runs on his docket. Since then, Conforto has broken out of a 4-for-40 slump and
is making hard contact again.
Conforto credits his recent success at the plate to a simple change in approach. He and hitting coach Chili Davis worked together to get him to attack pitches earlier. The numbers showed that during Conforto’s three-week slump, pitchers were getting ahead in the count.
“I’m being more aggressive in the zone and that’s the approach I need to stick with right now,” Conforto said. “I’m going to continue being smart and hit the ball hard.”
Out of his four hits on Tuesday, Conforto said his favorite was the weak ground ball to left field that represented the Mets’ game-winning hit. The ball trickled into left because the Twins infield was shifting, leaving the thirdbase side wide open for Conforto to poke one the other way.
Conforto said teams aren’t shifting him as much as they used to throughout his five years in the majors. He credits that to opening up the playing field. Conforto is no longer a one-trick pony who either hits to right field or parks one over the fence.
By remaining perceptive about his approach, Conforto is opening options for himself. “It’s been up and down a little bit, a little more down lately,” Callaway said on Conforto. “But I think we’re going to look up at the end of the season and see a good year. Hopefully this will break him out of his little slump.”