Dominic Smith could tell you he is in the best shape of his life, as so many other ballplayers do at this time of year, and it probably would be true. But he knows that doesn’t mean anything unless he performs when it matters.
Before he got his body right during the offseason, the Mets helped Smith do the same with his mind. Last season was the worst of his career, and at the end of it, he wasn’t sure where he stood with the organization. The new Mets regime, led by general manager Brodie Van Wagenen, settled that by telling Smith the team still believes in him.
“That’s all I needed to hear,” said Smith, who got a visit from executive director of player development Jared Banner and visited hitting coach Chili Davis. “To hear that, especially early in the offseason, it helped me get through this offseason and helped me feel more comfortable, relaxed and have fun on an everyday basis. They don’t have to let you know that, but for them to be open with me was awesome.”
With his concerns assuaged, Smith used the Mets’ vote of confidence as a springboard into an intense offseason and strong spring training, including a .400 average and 1.005 OPS as he competes with Pete Alonso for the first-base job.
All things considered, the Mets would be better off keeping Pete Alonso in the minor league to start the season anyway.