It was Control, Alt, Delete for Wilmer Flores this weekend.
The beleaguered Mets shortstop had committed seven errors in his first 22 games in 2015, couldn’t convert the routine play more than most, and was taking his batting average with him in the process as he was 6-for-his-last-31 with seven strikeouts in his previous nine games.
Then came two games off behind a club off-day on Monday. Three days to sit back, reflect and reset, as Terry Collins essentially said was the plan after Friday night’s game against the Nationals, which was the latest segment in the struggles of Wilmer Flores at shortstop.
So reset Flores did, but in the process he watched his backup, Ruben Tejada, struggle defensively on Sunday and go 1-for-6 with three strikeouts in his absence.
On Tuesday, Collins said he met with Flores before the game not just to give him a pep talk, but to remind him he was an important part of the roster, something Collins said on Saturday was important while he was on the bench.
“I told him today, ‘Fresh start, Day 1. Let’s get after it, and be the player we know you can be,’ ” Collins explained of his discussion with Flores.
Flores felt that discussion with his manager was significant, he told reporters after Tuesday’s win.
“It makes you feel he has your back,” Flores said. “That’s special. It makes you play even harder.”
Flores did in fact look like the confident player that came out of spring training excited to prove the naysayers wrong on Tuesday. He laced a fourth inning double to set the stage for Kevin Plawecki’s two run double a few moments later.
He also played an aggressive shortstop, and threw the ball to first base with confidence. He successfully converted all four chances he had, although he threw low to Lucas Duda on one throw but was fortunately scooped.
“I’m pretty sure I’m going to hit,” Flores explained. “There’s no doubt about that. Just try to relax and get my confidence [at shortstop].”
The Mets are in a position right now where they have no choice but to keep their faith in Flores.
Tejada is not an everyday solution at this point, Matt Reynolds is still at Triple-A, not on the 40-man roster and still being evaluated as someone who can play the position everyday, and there are no alternatives available on the external markets.
But that’s right now.
So while Collins, Sandy Alderson publicly state they have Flores’ back, that could change if Flores doesn’t start to have more days like Tuesday, when he’s contributing to wins rather than losses.
“It’s very hard here,” Collins said on Tuesday. “This is not a place where mistakes are looked upon very well.”
Hopefully Collins doesn’t have to hit Control, Alt, Delete again.
Just Mets 