Just Mets

.180/.264/252 with two home runs and ten RBI, 11 walks and 41 strikeouts in 125 plate appearances.

That was Lucas Duda’s line against left-handed pitching in 2014. These struggles have been well documented and discussed plenty over the last year.

Duda is aware of these struggles, of course. The media always talks about it – myself included – and the team has clearly mitigated their risk against Duda’s weakness by signing Michael Cuddyer, a capable first baseman who happens to be a right-handed hitter who has always fared well against southpaws.

Still, Duda believes in his abilities against left-handed pitching, despite what the stats suggest. In fact, he feels the topic is rather tired now.

“I think it’s a little bit overplayed, I guess. It’s monotonous to hear about it. It is what is, and I’m comfortable facing them on a daily basis,” he told MLB.com’s Paul Hagen. “Just seeing them more often and getting more comfortable. But, like I said, I think it’s an issue that’s talked about too much.”

The numbers suggest otherwise despite Duda’s confidence. It’s clear he knows this is a work in progress, evident by his request to face David Price on Saturday, during which he went 1-for-3 against for his first hit against southpaws this spring.

Duda’s successful day against Price carried into the following day against Yankees LHP CC Sabathia when he took him deep in his first plate appearance against the veteran southpaw.

“He does anything he needs to do to get ready and I tip my cap to him because he’s just faced two of the best lefties in the game and went up there with a great approach,” Terry Collins explained after Sunday’s game.

Dating back to last year, people with the team have suggested Duda will get every last opportunity against left-handed pitching. I don’t know if that means he would have faced someone like Price on Saturday if it were a regular season game, considering guys like Price can cripple left-handed hitters, But the team recognizes how difficult it would be to bench Duda’s power potential, especially in an era where power has become so barren.

But their patience can only go so far in these situations. Again, with Cuddyer and even John Mayberry Jr. on the roster, the Mets are prepared at anytime to turn first base into a platoon. If they can make Duda a more valuable player by protecting his weaknesses, that will translate into more success for the team, which is the most important thing.

However, Duda’s confidence – another topic he thinks is tired – is there against lefties, which is the foundation for his success. 

“I’m comfortable against [lefties], and that’s all that matters,” Duda told Hagen.

If that confidence can aid him in even a modest improvement against left-handed pitching, both discussions he is tired of having will finally be put to bed.