4/27/16

Mack’s Morning Report – 4-27-16 – Michael Conforto



Good morning.


A lot of writers are jotting down a lot of things lately about Mets outfielder Michael Conforto.

Monday, he hit a 414 foot home run, into deep right center, with an exit velocity of 105 miles per hour (he followed that with a single and then a double, raising his batting average at the time to .333)). According to Brian P. Mangan, Conforto went into that game leading the  MLB with 52.4% hard hit. He has a 8.3% swinging strike rate and 20% rate of swinging at balls, both above average.

He is also hitting .378 with four homers, 10 runs scored and eight RBIs since moving into the No. 3 spot in the order 10 games ago (yeah, yeah, Ernest... :)

Very few Mets have the ability to do this kind of hitting on a consistent basis. Can you imagine the potential of a 3-4-5 trio of Conforto, Yoenes Cespedes, and Lucas Duda, all hitting on  full jets?

I vividly remember the 2014 draft. The Mets brain trust always had Conforto projected as the top outfielder in the draft and no one in the organization expected him to still be around when the 10th pick came around. I had a friend who was in the Mets war room that night and there were high fives and dancing when the Mets were able to call in the name ‘Conforto’.

Of the top 10 picks in that draft, one never signed (#1 Brady Aiken) and only four have already reached the MLB level… Conforto, #3 pick P Carlos Rodon (9-6, 3.75 for the Chicago White Sox last year; 1-2, 4.05 in four starts so far this year), #4 pick C Kyle Schwarber (.246 last year for the Chicago White Sox; only four at-bats and on the disabled list this season), and #7 pick P Aaron Nola (6-2, 3.59, 13-starts last season; 1-2, 4.50, 4-starts this season for the Phillies).

Only one other first rounders currently is in the majors this season. 13th pick SS Trea Turner was there for a handful of games last year, but it’s 17th pick P Brandon Finnegan pitched six games for the Red last season and he’s had four starts so much this season.

So, what class is Conforto entering? Can we consider him for the big three?

Here’s a set of stat lines from three guys this season:

          Bryce Harper     -        .323/.405/.855/1.260, 9-HR, 23-RBI
          Mike Trout -                .300/.405/.529/.933, 4-HR, 9-RBI
          Michael Conforto -     .333/.435/.614/1.049, 3-HR, 11-RBI

Did you think we would get to the point this early in his career (he’s 23-years old!) to be comparing him to these two guys.

Michael, I know you are reading this. I hope this brings a smile to your face.

It does to ours.

14 comments:

Ernest Dove said...

I hope Plawecki also now starts to hit consistently to make this entire lineup even more dangerous.
Lets not forget Cabrera has like 1 homer and can still potentially hit up to 15.
If only Wilmer can hit the ball........at all.........for at least a single.

Ernest Dove said...

"I don't expect to see Conforto again in a St. Lucie Mets uniform when I go back there because he just simply looks like a major leaguer already, and so good luck to the man as he eventually heads to AA level to hit balls solid off his bat regularly like he did tonight."


Oh and i found this old quote from some macks mets writer named Dove from a 5-29-15 post about Michael conforto. ....




Tom Brennan said...

Written less than a year ago, Ernest. Hard to believe it, and great call by you.

Conforto is simply the reincarnation of early Don Mattingly, which is super high praise.
We could have a future HOF on our hands.

Cespedes' eXit velocity on that homer was 111 MPH. FASTER THAN A SPEEDING BULLET FROM SUPER HOMBRE.

Nats off to a 14-5 start, Mets awful in week 1, yet just 2 games behind the Mats. The 100 WIN EXPRESS is rolling. Still time for Yankee fans to climb on board.

Tom Brennan said...

I meant to write " just 2 games behind ARE the Mets."

Brian Joura said...

And if Michael Cuddyer hadn't been such a disappointment, Conforto would be in Triple-A right now...

Mack Ade said...

The important thing is he's here now and is producing the kind of numbers everyone had hoped he would do when he was drafted.

You lose some (Nimmo, Cecchini) and then you win some (Conforto) in the first round.

Reese Kaplan said...

The problem is when it's clear you're losing some, the team is loathe to admit their mistakes and lose face. Consequently the high draft picks get chance after chance after chance while the less flashy signings fight for every game appearance and often only get noticed when multiple injuries occur and there's no other choice available.

Tom Brennan said...

Reese, like T J Rivera, the undrafted guy who hits rings around Nimmo. TJ is getting everyday play, Muno none, so T J has vaulted over Muno. Hopefully TJ gets at least a Sept call up this year.

Mack Ade said...

Thomas, for some reason, the TJ's of the world never do.

Never did understand that.

Bob Sugar said...

Count Dom Smith as a winner pick. Super high on him.

Anonymous said...

Can someone explain how Flores who has reached the ML still looks unbalanced at the plate? How do you continuously fall over the plate with each swing?

Hobie said...

While Conforto-Trout-Harper would constitute a platinum OF, I don't see Michael as a 40* HR guy.

That next layer, with say, Pollack & Brantley is where I think he'll settle. And that's not too shabby.

Ernest Dove said...

Conforto is 'our' Harper and Trout.
Here's to watching him not go 40hr 135RBI but still go .300ba, 20ish homers 100rbis and help the aces get wins and hopefully a world series title within the next 3 years (this year included as a good time)

Mack Ade said...

Anonymous -

Flores has always looked like he's not ready to approach the ball yet. It's just how he's played since a child.