Duda, where’s my first baseman?
Only one word can describe Lucas Duda, and Mets fans can probably say it in unison at this point – streaky.While his seven homers and 23 RBIs in 172 plate appearances in an injury-shortened last season certainly impressed, a .229 average did just the opposite. His hopeful .285/.333/.545 line against lefties in 2015 had Mets fans thinking positive going into 2016, but that was brutally shot down with a .133 average, as his extreme lefty issues resurfaced.
An MLB.com’s Top 100 prospect in first baseman Dominic Smith makes Duda’s remaining time in Queens near done, but for now, the roster needs him to be anything but inconsistent in 2017, so as to lengthen the lineup power-wise.
A platoon with infielder Wilmer Flores is possible, and will surely be explored by TC should Duda struggle, but if he can gain any sort of semblance of consistency, then the lineup will be far, far deeper and more dangerous.
