Michael Conforto

New York Mets: Michael Conforto Year in Review

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Michael Conforto had a quiet, but very consistent year for the New York Mets. After his injury riddled 2017 season, Conforto has become someone who can be counted on the play everyday and produce.

Conforto had his best offensive year for the Mets. He hit 33 home runs with 93 RBIs and an .856 OPS. He did a great job not just hitting, but getting on base with runners in scoring position. Conforto had a .435 OBP and 63 of his RBIs came with RISP.

The Mets Go How Conforto Goes

During Mets wins, Conforto hit .330 with 23 home runs and 69 home runs in wins while only .181 with 10 home runs and 23 RBIs in losses. The Mets asked him to play right field a majority of the time after spending the last two seasons splitting time in the other two outfield positions.

He was a below average defender in center field, but in right field the metrics were in his favor. With J.D. Davis, Jeff McNeil and potentially Yoenis Cespedes crowding left field, Conforto will likely see most of his action in right.

Conforto is arbitration eligible and should see an increase in his salary, which he deserves. He should be predicted to make just under 10 million dollars which is over double what he makes now.

Grades:

Contact: B-, still struggles to make contact against good lefties, but had a lot less swing and miss this year

Power: A, best power season of his career

Defense: B, bad in center, good in left. Strong throwing arm

Speed/Baserunning: B+, best stolen base year for a guy with limited speed

Intangibles: B, very quiet but underrated leader on the team

Overall: A, great year for the young star

New York Mets: Reaction From Friday Night

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The New York Mets had just a three percent win probability but managed to pull off a comeback for the ages against the Washington Nationals. Citi Field was electric throughout the night and the walk off victory completely blew the roof off the building.

Friday night had a postseason atmosphere from the second you parked your car to walking through the exits into the pandemonium in Flushing.

The Ups and The Downs

They went down 3-0 in the fourth after Marcus Stroman cruised through the first three innings. Immediately the Mets responded with back to back home runs by Pete Alonso and J.D. Davis.

Those back to back homers brings back memories of Curtis Granderson and Daniel Muphy against Jordan Zimmerman in 2015. Stroman battled all night for the Mets, especially during the top of the sixth. He went six plus innings and allowed four runs in his Citi Field debut.

The Nats had a runner at third with no outs in the top of the sixth and there was a feeling there was no way to keep them from scoring. Thanks to Amed Rosario’s leaping catch and the chance to face the pitcher, they got out of it. Stroman came storming off the mound yelling “Lets F***ing Go!” after striking out Stephen Strasburg to end the sixth.

Late Inning Heroics

Anthony Rendon hit his 21st career home run against the Mets to continue his butchering of the Mets. It gave the Nationals a two run lead and sucked the air out of the building through the rest of the seventh. Trea Turner stole a run in the eighth on a wild pitch that Wilson Ramos and Luis Avilan were too lackadaisical to pick up quickly.

The Mets had opportunities to even the game in both the seventh and eighth. Fans who started to leave early thought the Mets were finally coming back down to Earth. Those fans were in the small minority as the the fans who left their seats walked around the stadium just incase a miracle occurred.

The Ninth Inning

The stadium would have emptied out after the wild pitch during June and early July, but these new look Mets have instilled hope back in their fans. The Mets had Sean Doolittle’s number earlier in the season and they had the middle of their order up. With Davis, Wilson Ramos and Todd Frazier up there was hope they could comeback, especailly if the first two men got on.

No one could have predicted this magical comeback tonight. Of course, anyone who watched five minutes of ESPN, MLB Network or scrolled through social media knows the ending. Frazier wraps one around the Chick-Fil-A sponsored foul pole in left field then Michael Conforto one hops a shot off the right field fence.

What Is Next?

Due to every wild card contender except the Nationals winning, the Mets only gained a game on the Nats. They have two more against the the Nationals with Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom on the mound. Winning both would put the Mets in the top wild card spot heading into a three game series against the NL East leading Atlanta Braves.

The Mets have taken 14 out of their last 15 and erased half a season of disappointment. With still a month and a half to play the Mets line themselves up to play meaningful baseball for the remainder of the year.

What Do The New York Mets Do When Michael Conforto Returns?

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Michael Conforto is set to return to the New York Mets before his original May 1 date. The Mets have to figure out how to make room for Conforto in their crowded outfield.

There will be no changes when it comes to Yoenis Cespedes or Jay Bruce in the outfield. The decision to demote either Brandon Nimmo, Juan Lagares is a difficult one for the organization to make. The Mets could also demote Phillip Evans, if they choose to have five outfielders.

Brandon Nimmo vs. Juan Lagares

Nimmo has shown his prowess for working deep counts and ability to be the Mets leadoff hitter. He can also play all three outfield positions and is a solid bat to have off the bench. Nimmo has shown he is a quality outfielder and has solidified his spot on the Mets roster. The Mets have been high on Nimmo since they drafted him and they likely will not want to remove the hustle and patience he brings to the Mets.

Lagares is a gold glove center fielder but has always struggled with being a consistent hitter. It is unlikely the Mets move Lagares because he is undoubtedly the best defensive outfielder they have. His glove has been a game changer in the years past which keeps him on the Mets roster year after year. If the Mets were to choose between Nimmo and Lagares, they would likely go with Nimmo. Nimmo is younger, a better hitter and can play all three outfield positions.

How the Mets Will Handle Conforto When He Returns

Conforto’s will likely be worked into everyday action slowly and with caution. Manager Mickey Callaway has said he does not want to overwork guys in the regular season and make sure his bench players do not spend too many consecutive games on the bench. The days of 150-plus games being played is most likely over.

Conforto will likely reclaim his spot as the Mets leadoff hitter and center fielder when he returns. In order to give Adrian Gonzalez some rest, Bruce could play first base which would move Conforto to right and Nimmo/Lagares to center. The Mets can do a lot many different things with their lineup and they do not have a player Callaway is afraid to play.

Getting Conforto back healthy makes the Mets lineup even more dangerous. It gives the Mets and outfield that is one of the very best in baseball and can all be All-Stars. Conforto was one the few bright spots of a dark 2017 and will be one of the key pieces the Mets need to make another World Series run in 2018.