Just Mets

Since the start of Spring Training, it was clear Lucas Duda was adopting a new hitting approach to better handle left-handed pitching.

He needed to do something. He hit .180 against southpaws last year, and with the Mets bringing in both John Mayberry Jr. and Michael Cuddyer during the off-season, there was a legitimate reason to believe Duda could eventually land in a platoon at first base.

That may still happen eventually, but for now, Duda is doing everything he can to show the Mets he needs to be in the lineup every single day, regardless of the matchup.

He went 7-for-23 with a triple and a home run against southpaws during camp, and is already 3-for-7 with a walk against left-handed pitching during the regular season.

New Mets hitting coach has worked extensively with Duda since the start of Spring Training. Being that Long throws from the left side which he thinks has benefitted Duda early in 2015.

“With Lucas, it’s mainly just getting his direction,” Long told the New York Post on Wednesday. “I’m throwing a lot of [batting practice] to him, creating a lot of different angles, and I think at the end of the day he’s more comfortable.”

So much emphasis has been put on whether or not Duda can hit left-handers (which he has so far), it seems like the discussion never centers around the fact Duda is evolving into one of the most productive hitters in the game right now.

That trend continued on Wednesday when Duda went 2-for-5 with a home run, double and two RBI, all against right-handed pitching. It was Duda’s first home run and fourth double of the season. He now has seven RBI in the first nine games of the year.

His double went to the opposite field – nine of his 12 hits this season have either been up the middle or the other way.“I’m seeing the ball pretty well, trying to get a pitch up I can handle,” Duda said after the game.

Travis d’Arnaud batted in front of Duda in the second spot for the first time in his career on Wednesday and had two hits, including his first home run of the year. He feels having Duda protecting him in the lineup benefitted him during the game.

“It was nice having the ‘big dude’ behind me,” d’Arnaud told reporters on Wednesday night.

Manager Terry Collins is very pleased with Duda’s recent evolution and development, and thinks he is more confident than he’s ever been in his career.

“I do believe Lucas’ makeup has changed in the last couple of years,” Collins said after Wednesday’s win. “He knows that he belongs here and he can hit big numbers here.

“What we’ve got to get him to do is stay confident, stay upbeat and get some guys on ahead of him.”

Confidence has been the key for Duda. Knowing he is the everyday first baseman has done wonders for him, as many people around the team have said over the last year. He still struggles with breaking pitches, especially against left-handed pitching, but he seems to have grasped the concept of selective aggressiveness and understands his abilities in certain areas of the zone a lot more than he used to.

Is it confidence? Maybe. But it could also be simple maturity, as Collins said yesterday.