PORT ST. LUCIE – The Grapefruit League statistics are misleading, but the sound of the ball hitting Pete Alonso’s bat this spring is unmistakably real.
On a mission to remain disciplined on the plate and return to his rookie level in 2019, the Mets first baseman is “stuck”, according to coach Luis Rojas, and showing an initial level of consistency that was absent in your game last season.
“I am very happy with the way my spring is going so far,” said Alonso before Mets lost 4-2 to Marlins on Friday in Clover Park. “I played a lot of really good, quality strokes and made good plays on the defensive side of the ball. I’m just looking to continue to make progress and prepare for the season. I know we have a long way to go. “
To be exact, there are 14 exhibition games left before the Mets play their season debut on April 1 in Washington. Alonso, with a high double RBI against the Marlins, has a 1,312 OPS this spring with two homers. The double was even sweeter for the fans present, who won a double stack hamburger from a fast food chain.
The last season – a year after breaking the rookie record for 53 home runs – was hardly a disaster for Alonso, but in the 60-game sprint, his slow start became more pronounced. He ended up with a .231 / .326 / .490 cut line, 16 homers and 35 RBIs.
Now, the Mets are watching him follow a plan instead of messing around when he has a bad hit or game.
“He’s not trying to figure out what can work,” said Rojas. “It looks like he already knows what works for him and is just repeating it, even if he misses that hit he will come next time and you will see him repeat.
“He’s going to get his shot. He’s going to make out and just to see him [understand] that he will leave, he does not need to try harder, he just needs to bring his approach to the board and he will get results. He’s being consistent, so he definitely seems a lot more focused. “
When the camp started, Alonso said he would know what kind of spring he was having if he could control the number of pitches he had chased. He put that number at four on Friday, suggesting discipline within the strike zone.
“If you really went deeper, maybe one or two more, but I think the number is four,” said Alonso.
“I feel that my progression is going very well at the moment and I am extremely satisfied with the way everything is going and I just want to continue in this good shape, with good momentum. I just want to keep going and working diligently and following my plan. “
Earlier this week, Alonso had his contract renewed by Mets for $ 676,775, according to the Associated Press. This happened after the two sides failed to reach an agreement – but since he was not yet eligible for arbitration, Alonso had no influence.
“Absolutely without bitterness,” said Alonso, whose teammate Jeff McNeil has also been renewed. “At the moment, there is very little I can do because I am a player from zero to three and this is one of those circumstances where I can exercise the only right I have and I thought it would be better to exercise it.”
Alonso, Francisco Lindor, Dominic Smith and Michael Conforto form the core of a lineup that figures to compete with the majority in the National League.
“This will be a great year for us,” said Alonso. “We have a very talented squad with the new additions and with that there are expectations of winning and, for me, I just want to be locked up and ready to go.”
To complete a recent exercise, the Mets celebrated on the pitch as if they had just won the World Series. Alonso was part of that session and considers it a dress rehearsal for October.
“You have to practice if it’s going to happen, you know?” Said Alonso. “Practicing is a good thing because you kind of think that way. You are preparing for this and this is a tangible way to prepare and think about moving forward, because that is the ultimate goal. “