Gary McDonald - Conforto will hit and Goodbye to a Legend

Michael Conforto can hit and field too.  That smooth, fluid, swing and the ability to hit to all fields, his knowledge of the strike zone,  will prove to be the fuel that makes him a star in this league. 

After being drafted by the Mets in 2014, Conforto came to Brooklyn to play for the Cyclones. His six week stint in Brooklyn left an impression not only with the fans, but with his first pro manager Tom Gamboa. I interviewed Gamboa in 2014 during the off season, (Cyclones FeverCast #14). Gamboa spoke of how Conforto hit it off with his teammates, has great poise, very relaxed and confident in his talent.  He was also impressed with his defense.  All the scouting report,and  notes said that Conforto's defense and his arm were "adequate". Gamboa said "I'm telling you this guy was anything but that. He's got unbelievable pride in his whole game and in the team concept and in wanting to win and be a part of a winning team".  That's just the type of player  we want patrolling the outfield in Citi Field. 

Conforto was called up in July of 2015 and made quite a splash, hitting .270 with 9 homeruns and 26 RBI in 56 games.  He finished that season hitting 3 homeruns in the playoffs (2 being in the World Series), and he looked like a can’t miss.  And then came 2016,  He got off to a fast start hitting  .337 with 15 extra base hits and 18 RBI during his first 23 games last season. He then entered a 20-for-133 (.150) slump that led to him being shipped off  to Triple-A Las Vegas in late-June. He bounced between the Mets and Las Vegas two more times before the end of the season, never hitting better than .240 for the Mets during either stint.  The wheels had come off for young Mr. Conforto, but he regrouped and played quite well in Las Vegas .  After a winter of hard work and soul searching, he is back and ready to fight for a position on this year’s Mets roster. He is intent on making it very hard on the Mets decision making process.   As I write this, Conforto is batting .421 with two HR, with  six strikeouts, in 22 at-bats playing in  eight games for the Mets this spring. He's looked like his old self at the plate, looking like he did in Brooklyn when he entered professional baseball. The kid can hit,  just let him , and don’t mess with him.

Condolences go out to the family of the legendary Mets TV Director Bill Webb who passed away this week .  Webb,the Mets lead television director since 1979, passed away after a long battle with cancer.

Webb, 65, worked 17 World Series during the course of his career. He is also a member of the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

Mets play-by-play announcer Gary Cohen spoke by phone on SNYs’ Geico SportsNite  about the impact Webb had on sports broadcasting.

"He was the Vin Scully of directors and I mean that without hesitation," Cohen said. "He re-invented how baseball is covered on television. All of the pictures that you see came from the playbook that Bill invented."

It is a very sad day in Mets Nation.

Until next time, Keep The Faith, Stay Optimistic, And Lets Go Mets!