WASHINGTON — Lucas Duda slept only about two hours after his defensive lapse helped the Nationals celebrate a walk-off victory Saturday. But the Mets’ rookie right fielder also realizes he might become an insomniac if he lets every defensive miscue over this final month crush him.
“Those are the things you have to deal with, especially since it’s a new position and I’m going to fail,” Duda said after the Mets beat the Nationals 6-3 yesterday. “It’s not fun going out there and having a misread, probably my worst feeling in the world.”
Duda had another of those moments yesterday, misjudging Danny Espinosa’s fly to right in the fourth inning that became an RBI double and fueled the Nationals’ three-run inning against Mike Pelfrey. The flip side was Duda hitting a monstrous, game-tying solo homer in the sixth against Livan Hernandez as part of a four-run inning for the Mets.
Saturday, Duda went for the catch in the ninth on Ryan Zimmerman’s bloop to right and missed, allowing the ball to get behind him and the winning run to score in the Mets’ 8-7 loss. Had Duda just let the ball drop in front of him, only one run would have scored instead of two. Such plays are chalkboard material for outfield coach Mookie Wilson.
“He’s not your typical outfielder,” Wilson said of Duda, who is 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds. “I don’t want him to think he has to try to make the [highlight] play. Just let the game come to him and let him understand it’s going to take reps so that he feels comfortable.
“His defensive ability, it is what it is. He runs well enough, he has plenty of arm, there is not a question about that. It’s about trying to understand it’s going to take reps for him to be completely comfortable. Just don’t panic.”
Duda is better suited as a first baseman, but with Ike Davis still part of the team’s long-term plans, right field is the only realistic opening next season for Duda and his powerful bat — his homer was his ninth since the All-Star break, and he leads the Mets over that stretch.
To get better acclimated in right, Duda wants to play winter ball. But manager Terry Collins indicated he would prefer to have Duda rested heading to spring training instead of playing a full winter schedule in Venezuela or the Dominican Republic.
“Whatever they want me to do,” Duda said. “It’s their call, but I would like to play and get more reps in the outfield. But I will respect what they have to say.”
What has been Wilson’s primary message to Duda?
“That first step, don’t coast to the ball — run to the ball,” Duda said. “A guy like me, I don’t have a lot of speed, so I have to run and then read it. Guys like Angel [Pagan] and Jason [Bay] with pretty good speed, they have a better feel out there. It’s a work in progress and obviously there is going to be a learning curve.”
Wilson is satisfied with Duda’s approach. The two conversed after the misread on Espinosa’s ball yesterday, and Duda adjusted.
“He went back out and made two plays on line drives, and it was a tough sun,” Wilson said. “He’s going to be fine. We understand it’s going to take a little time. We just want him to understand, ‘Don’t get discouraged and just get your reps.’ “