HOPE SPRINGS
Conforto blasts off to begin big push for Amazin' roster spot
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Michael Conforto began his seemingly uphill battle to make the Mets outfield out of spring training with a bang on Friday.
Conforto homered in the Mets’ 3-2 win over the Red Sox at JetBlue Park in the spring training opener for both teams. He also added a single against lefty starter Henry Owens.
“That’s the start we were looking for,’’ Conforto said. “It’s Game One and I definitely want to get off on the right foot. It felt good to go out there, get a couple hits and put some runs on the board.”
All he has to do next is keep it up throughout the spring — and then find a way to get on the roster.
With Curtis Granderson, Jay Bruce and Yoenis Cespedes all in place and the Mets looking to get Conforto regular at-bats, it’s hard to figure out a spot for Conforto — especially since Terry Collins emphasized again Friday he doesn’t want to put Conforto at first base while he tries to get back to being comfortable at the plate.
The manager came away impressed by what he saw from Conforto, who followed his strong debut in 2015 with a rough season a year ago.
“Just the swings,” Collins said when asked what he liked about Conforto’s day. “His bat quickness is very good. The plane of his swing is much better than I saw last year. Those are all great signs. I know he worked hard this winter to go back and rekindle that old swing. It looks like he got it.”
Conforto opened with a hit to left in the first and then hit a solo shot to right off right-hander Kyle Kendrick in the third.
If he wants to stick around in the majors, Conforto will need to have more success than he did the past two years versus lefties.
When he made the jump from Double-A Binghamton to the Mets two seasons ago, Conforto finished with an ugly .481 OPS in just 15 plate appearances against lefties.
Last season, the results were even worse, as his OPS dropped to .295 in 53 plate appearances — one of the reasons he ended up spending time with Triple-A Las Vegas.
“I think it’s definitely something I need to work on,” Conforto said. “I was happy to get that hit in the first at-bat. I’m happy it was against a left-hander. That was a good opportunity for me. I’m looking forward to more of them.”
Even if he finds that success, though, there’s that problem of the three outfield spots already being taken.
That could be solved if one of them goes down with an injury or Bruce ends up being dealt. If not, it seems to leave Conforto as the odd man out — unless the Mets decide to keep Conforto as a fourth outfielder over the righthanded Juan Lagares.
“It’s all possible,” said Collins, calling upon the optimism of the first game of the spring. “He may make the team, too. He may squeeze someone else out. Today was a great start for him.”
Conforto will spend time at all three outfield positions and insisted he’s not affected by the situation.
“I don’t feel the pressure,” Conforto said. “My job is to go out there and work hard, be a better player at the end of spring and stay healthy.”
Friday, then, was promising.
“He’s got to show he belongs back in the big leagues,” Collins said. “He has to show us his swing is back. Today it was back. … It’s all about confidence, and having a good first day rebuilds that confidence, no doubt.”