We are officially entering the best time of the year. Spring training is approaching, and baseball is coming! With it, we are starting to see stories about players being in the “best shape of their lives.” Typical stuff this time of the year. The New York Mets‘s ballplayers are already generating those kinds of news.
Noah Syndergaard has posted videos of himself training and getting in great shape. Marcus Stroman is another one working out in the offseason. And J.D. Davis, who is entering a crucial year in his career after his breakout 2019, is also working on his physique.
The third baseman/outfielder revealed at the 40th annual Thurman Munson Awards Dinner at Chelsea Piers that he lost seven pounds. He is doing it not improve his offense, but instead, to become a better defender and baserunner in 2020 and beyond.
Davis mashed to the tune of a .307/.369/.527 line with a .373 wOBA and a 136 wRC+. He belted 22 home runs and drove in 57 runs in 453 plate apperances with the Mets. However, his defensive performance (-9.0 “Def” rating according to Fangraphs and negative marks in UZR, UZR/150 and DRS) and baserunning (he was 2.8 base running runs below average) remain a work in progress.
The New York Mets need him to perform defensively
If he is going to secure the left field job and fend off a healthy Yoenis Cespedes, he needs to do a better job with the glove.
Davis has only been with the Mets one season, but is already a key piece of the lineup. Since there is no designated hitter (at least not in 2020) he will need to step up defensively. He’s said he’s down to around 222 pounds.
“I try to get better on my defense and agility at least,†he said. “I’m not the fastest, but I can have a high baseball IQ. … I do think being a little lighter on the field helps me out a little bit,†he said to the New York Post.