Don’t think, just hit.
Eric Young Jr. doesn’t want to know about the numbers, especially when it comes to a key statistic his manager has set as a goal — the .350 on-base percentage Terry Collins says can lead to the Mets outfielder scoring 120 runs this season.
Young would prefer to keep his head clear of distractions — such as numbers.
“I don’t put a number to it,” Young said. “Get on base. Period.”
Young got on base, period, during a road trip through Atlanta, Anaheim and Arizona in which the Mets finished 6-3, including a three-game sweep of the reeling Diamondbacks.
On the trip, Young reached base 19 times in 45 plate appearances (.422 on-base) and stole nine bases. For the season, he is 9-for-9 in stolen base attempts.
When the Mets open a 10-game homestand on Friday, beginning with the Braves at Citi Field, it will be Young atop the lineup trying to prove he can sustain the success.
For the first week of the season, Young was lost at the plate, prompting Collins to pull him aside for a chat. Young left that discussion feeling free to change an approach that wasn’t working.
“He tried some things early, he tried to make better contact and eliminate some strikeouts and he just felt very uncomfortable,” Collins said. “He has finally got back to his regular swing and he’s done a good job.
“What he tried to do was shorten his swing to hit the ball on the ground more, and he is a strong guy and that is a great philosophy, but you know what happens in the big leagues? You’re out. I told him, ‘You have the ability to drive the ball. Don’t be afraid to take a good swing at it.’ ”
As the Mets learned last season, when he led the NL in stolen bases with 46, getting Young to first base often means he will be swiping second. Young tormented the Braves with five stolen bases in last week’s three-game series at Turner Field.
Young entered Thursday tied for the NL lead in runs (12) and second in stolen bases.
“Sometimes when choosing not to run it also puts pressure on [opponents and] it gives the hitters behind me better pitches to hit,” Young said. “Catchers are going to try to make good throws and throw me out, so now hitters are going to get balls elevated in the zone and do damage as well.”
Before Juan Lagares was placed on the disabled list Tuesday with a pulled right hamstring, Collins was considering an outfield setup that would have included Young Jr., Lagares and Chris Young — who is expected to be activated from the DL on Friday — rotating around two spots. But until Lagares returns, Young Jr. can expect to play every day.
Collins just wants more of the same from Young Jr.
“I talked about it with Eric in spring training and said, ‘If you have a .350 on-base, you are going to score 120 runs on this team,’ ” Collins said. “Coming out of this road trip, his on-base is [.344] right now and he’s scored a lot of runs and that’s exactly how valuable he is.”