With the Mets now getting a little more production from Ike Davis (3-7 in his last two games with two home runs and four RBI’s in his last two games), it’s high time that Lucas Duda starts contributing to the Mets’ bandwagon.
While the Mets lost in Miami last night 6-5, the team was right there in the mix after mounting another comeback, only to see it foiled by Frank Francisco.
For this team to score runs and win more games consistently in the future, Duda has got to start pulling his weight. There is no other way to spin it: Duda has not lived up to expectations thus far.
In last night’s game vs. the Marlins, Duda did go 2-5, but prior to that outing, he was only four for his last 20. Duda has only one home run in his last 21 games and is struggling to find a groove. For the season, Duda has a pedestrian .247/.342/.397 slash line.
While we should admire the fact that Duda has a great eye and has shown great discipline at the plate in his time with the Mets, it seems to me that he is playing a little timid. Maybe it’s just me, but Duda is looking at for too many hittable pitches. It’s good to be patient, but when you got a chance-go for it.
We all know of Duda’s erratic tendencies playing outfield, so for him to pull his weight with the team, he needs to start hitting-and hitting with some aggressiveness and authority.
What is also disturbing is Duda’s lack of success vs. lefties. Last year Duda was remarkably better hitting against southpaws, sporting a .274/.328/.387 line. This year those marks have dropped to .214/.281/.250. Some pitchers have adjusted to Duda and having him fishing for balls outside the zone.
Maybe Duda is just a slow starter. We all know about his pronounced slumps to start seasons and maybe he is more comfortable when the weather heats up.
Whatever it is, Duda has to start to contribute and once he does, then there is no telling how good the Mets offense can be. For the Mets to be 18-14 with the way Duda and Davis have underperformed, it’s actually quite astonishing.
For a guy who was described as nothing short of Thor, yielding his “Hammer of the Gods,” it’s about time for Duda to yield his big stick and start providing the Mets with some lumber-thumping hits
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Since April 14th, Duda has a .301/.400/.411 line. Sure, I wish he had a higher ISO than .110 but I’m not going to worry about a guy with a .400 OBP.
He’s also getting his strikeouts under control. Here they are broken down into three groups:
First 8 games – 34.4 K%
Next 12 games – 21.3 K%
Last 10 games – 17.6 K%
I think if Duda just keeps on doing what he’s doing the HR will come.
I don’t worry about Duda as much as I worry about Ike Davis and Kirk Nieuwenhuis.
All three have never put a full season together in Queens and Kirk will not progress hitting righties only.
Duda and Davis were no guarantee going into the season. That is what this transition season was about, except nobody told the team this. So now we see some exciting baseball and we evaluate who will be here in 2013 and beyond. The season is early, and if Duda and Davis pick it up then I’ll stop using transition as an adjective and maybe start using contending instead.