Conforto still leading off shows Mets just don’t get it

SAN DIEGO — The focus is on the future and 2018. That’s because 2017 has been a nightmare for the Mets.

But if the focus is really on the future and what’s best for the Mets, what the heck is Michael Conforto doing still batting leadoff ?

Conforto, with that gorgeous lefty swing, is the classic No. 2 or middle-of-the-order hitter. That is where he is best suited and that’s where he should have been hitting Monday night when, the Mets beat the Padres, 5-3 at Petco Park.

Perhaps the most amusing thing about the Mets is that they live in this organizational fantasy world where they think will be able to just flip the switch to 2018 and everything is going to be OK. All the problems of this year will be gone in an instant. They will be magically a year ahead.

The Mets never anticipate the worst happening. They never fully plan out their future. There is a lot of hoping and guess work.

They have all this time now to let Conforto get comfort- able hitting deeper in the lineup, yet they probably won’t do anything of the sort.

They will keep Conforto at the leadoff spot.

There is no doubt Conforto is the bright spot this year. He has 19 home runs, second to Jay Bruce’s 25. He owns 52 RBIs, second to Bruce’s 65. He leads the team in walks with 44. He leads the team in batting average with a .293 mark. Sure, he’s had success at lead-

off, but he has hit everywhere in the lineup and the Mets are going to need more run producers in their future. As Conforto gets older, his lefty swing could work wonders in the middle of the lineup.

This is the time to give him a little more experience in that area.

“I just think I’m a better player this year,’’ Conforto said recently. “I’m older. More experienced.’’

In some ways, Conforto is the Mets’ version of Aaron Judge. A humble outfielder who plays the game right and is team-oriented.

In 55 games as a leadoff hitter Conforto is batting .284 (61-for215), but here is your small sam- ple size view of what Conforto could be in the middle of the lineup. He has 37 at-bats in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth spots and his hitting .324 from the middle of the lineup, including a .500 average in the three-hole. Yes, it’s only 10 at-bats, but it’s five hits in those 10 at-bats.

It’s about making his hits being more productive for the team.

The point is let him have more middle-of-the-order at-bats as the season finishes, so you get a better feel if he can be that type of hitter in the middle of the order.

The three spot is reserved, of course, for the The Franchise, Yoenis Cespedes, who came alive Monday night with a triple in the third.

Conforto had five at-bats Monday night, none with a runner on base. The first four came against lefty Clayton Richard. He struck out three times and doubled, then popped up in the ninth. Twice Cespedes was intentionally walked, it would be interesting to see how Conforto would respond to that challenge batting behind Cespedes.

Conforto is 24. His career is rising. He could anchor the Mets’ lineup for years to come with Cespedes in the three spot and offer some lineup protection.

The Mets have nine games left on this road trip and it would help get a feel for next season if personnel were used in such a manner to look ahead.

It’s not only about trying to make the best trades for the future, it’s about figuring out what’s best for your own players.

The Mets need to be better scouts in their own organization.

Remember in spring training, Conforto was set to be an extra outfielder and was probably ticketed for Vegas.

They didn’t know what they had then and they still may not fully know. This is the time of year to plug him into the second spot or middle of the order and find out.