Terry Collins stresses the need for home runs to New York Mets - MLB Update
A position of being one of the lowest clubs in hitting home-runs raises concerns for the New York Mets’ manager Terry Collins. Offence has not been bad by-and-large. Only more reliance on run-manufacturing techniques and in comparison, dearth of home-runs
make the management grow conscious about possible loopholes.
Third-baseman David Wright has a batting average close to .400. The fact he also had not been striking home-runs frequently, gives way to a perception that the Mets as a club lack firepower.
Most of the hitters in the line-up have expertise in other areas, while mettle for thrashing flurry of home-runs in a single inning is missing.
Part of the concern of the manager grows from weakened pitching staff with the Mets. With pitchers leaking runs and allowing opponents to build a lengthy lead, only through home-runs, the Mets’ offence can put up effective resistance.
The manager realises that blowing a lead of five to six runs will not be easy through singles and doubles. Complete dominance during such situations requires fiery sluggers. Ike Davis was supposed to fit in this role and therefore his poor run of form has
come with huge cost to the club.
Presumably he had lived up to his potential, the Mets would not have had that bad a record regarding home-runs.
Clearance of Jason Bay by doctors for playing baseball brings a sigh of relief for the Mets. His career record of 206 home-runs reflects the kind of role he is going to play in the line-up.
Mets’ hitting coach, Dave Hudgens is optimistic and expects the batters to start finding hits soon. Once batters come across appropriate at-bats, home-runs will follow automatically, he hinted.
“I think they come in streaks,” Hudgens said. “You can hit five in a week and then all of a sudden guys are hitting homers — as long as we have good at-bats.“Jason Bay not being in the lineup, Ike [Davis] with his struggles, that contributes. Once those
guys are on target and healthy, things will be a little bit better.”
There is no decision yet made about Davis’ being sent-down to Minors.
Ideally, the Mets will want him to get back to his groove and will hope that, on his return, Bay will not take much time for adjustments in the Majors.
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