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JUPITER, Fla. \u2014 It would be difficult to have a worse spring than Dom Smith did a year ago.<\/p>\n
He showed up late for a meeting and was scratched from his first Grapefruit League game as a result. And when he finally got on the field, he hurt his quad in his first \u2014 and only \u2014 game of the preseason.<\/p>\n
The slow start led him to begin the year with Triple-A Las Vegas and splitting time between first base and left field and between Las Vegas and Queens.<\/p>\n
So far this spring, Smith has been much more productive, going 8-for-16, including three hits and a homer in Sunday\u2019s 10-8 win over the Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium.<\/p>\n
\u201cI came in healthy, which is the main thing,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI was trying to dig myself out of the hole from the beginning [last year]. To be able to start with a clean slate with a new GM and we have some new coaches, I just want to make the most of my opportunity and show what I can do. I\u2019m happy with what I\u2019m doing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mickey Callaway is, as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe got to see one game and then he pulled up lame last spring,\u201d the manager said. \u201cThis is the Dom we all think he can be and we were hoping to see this last spring. We just couldn\u2019t because he was injured. This is a special thing we\u2019re getting to see right now. \u2026 He does look like he\u2019s in a better spot.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smith\u2019s first seven hits of the spring were all singles, but he changed that Sunday with a three-run homer in the seventh against ex-Yankee Giovanny Gallegos.<\/p>\n
The 11th-overall pick in the 2013 draft still has a long way to go before he reclaims his spot as one of the organization\u2019s top prospects and he faces a potentially crowded field at first base, where Pete Alonso, J.D. Davis and Todd Frazier are all possible options.<\/p>\n
But Alonso and Davis have yet to establish themselves in the majors and Frazier is out with an oblique injury, and fellow infielder Jed Lowrie is sidelined with a left knee injury.<\/p>\n
Callaway said there was no firm timetable for the return of Frazier or Lowrie.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt this point, it\u2019s hard to speculate what\u2019s gonna happen with them week to week,\u2019\u2019 Callaway said. \u201cThey\u2019re on that day-to-day schedule.\u201d<\/p>\n
Perhaps that will help Smith\u2019s cause as he tries to get back to where he was in 2017 and Callaway said he was giving the team something to consider.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s definitely doing that for sure,\u2019\u2019 Callaway said. \u201cObviously, the defense is always gonna be there and the offense looks special right now. He\u2019s putting great swings on the ball. He\u2019s got great energy and I love what I see so far.\u201d<\/p>\n
So does Smith.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m finally playing like I know I\u2019m capable of,\u201d Smith said. \u201cYou look at my numbers in the minor leagues, I\u2019ve had spurts where I\u2019ve won Player of the Week and Player of the Month. It\u2019s definitely in there. I haven\u2019t shown it on a consistent basis. I haven\u2019t shown it at the big-league level every day. It\u2019s fun to showcase it like this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Baseball is littered with players who had impressive minor league r\u00e9sum\u00e9s that never translated to big-league success.<\/p>\n
Smith is still just 23, but all his obstacles are not yet behind him.<\/p>\n
He blamed Saturday\u2019s 0-for-4, three-strikeout performance against the Astros on the fact he forgot to wear his sleep apnea mask the previous night and that made it \u201ctough to concentrate\u201d during the game.<\/p>\n
Smith made sure to use it Saturday night and felt better on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just happy the Mets are giving me the opportunity to go prove myself,\u201d he said. \u201cI feel confident in my game. I feel confident in what I can do on defense and on offense. I\u2019m one year removed from playing good baseball. I just wanted to get back to that and help the team win games.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n