Forecasts for Fifteen: Lucas Duda

[Edgy MD]

Lucas Duda found himself last year. Does he have what it takes to keep himself? To find more of himself. For he is a big man, capable of punishing entire rooms full of people. Foolish people. They don't pull people's arms out of their sockets when they lose. Duda is known to do that.

[fimg=350]http://cdnmo.coveritlive.com/media/image/201405/phpXyfoJIDudebacca.jpg[/fimg]

Lucas Duda... what's his 2015 looking like?

[Guest themetfairy]

It'll be a big year for the big guy.

[smg58]

I'll set last year's performance as the median expectation for this year: 30 hr, 92 rbi, .253/.349/.481.

[MFS62]

He'll start to figure out left handers and get more at bats this season.
More at bats = more production:
.272-34-106


Later

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

He won't figure out left-handers, because he's, like, 30ish, and this is who our Boo is.

But he'll do the rest of what he does pretty damn well, and Cuddyer will play more against lefties than Soupy did, and the Duda concentrate will be a potent potable:

146 G, 550 PA, 72 R, 27 HR, 90 RBI, .283/.365/.484, 56 XBH

[Benjamin Grimm]

Of course I hope he builds on his 2014 for a better 2015, but I fear that last year was Lucas' peak and I expect he'll backslide, but hopefully not too much. I'll say 25 homers, 85 rbi.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

What do you think, Grandy is the only guy who's gonna benefit from the fences moving in?

FORTY homers, ONE HUNDRED-SEVENTEEN RBI, TWO-NINETY-TWO SLASH THREE SIXTY SLASH FIVE HUNDRED SEVEN

you read it here first.

[Lefty Specialist]

25/74/.250

[ashie62]

20-80

[Ceetar]

I think he'll split the difference between 2013 and 2014 which were both good years.

.255/.355/.455 130 wRC+ 26 HR. 2 SB. 155 games. (yes he'll sit against some lefties but he's too good not to at least PH)

But that's still very good. He was the third best NL First baseman by wRC+ last year behind Rizzo and Freeman. With some early Mets success keeping the casual fan in NY more focused, he'll garner more All-Star votes and be a legitimate first time All-Star.

[nymr83]

last year .253/.349/.481 in 596 PA. including a horrific .180/.264/.252 against lefties in 125 PAs

This year the Mets wisen up and play him less against lefties, resulting in 550 plate appearences (he loses ~75 against lefties as he never starts against them and then picks up about 30 more as he is never benched against a righty) this results in a .260/.360/.500 overall line

[Guest d'Kong76]

Studly 2015, will be near the top in several NL
list categories for much of the year.

[Centerfield]

I think he regresses a bit.

.245/.311/.485

26 HR's. 88 RBI.

[Vic Sage]

.250/25hr/85rbi, eventually benched against LHP

[ashie62]

Duda taking it easy with an injury to the dreaded oblique.

[Edgy MD]

My sources keep telling me it's the intercostal.

[dgwphotography]

Similar to last year, but up a notch:

.250 35 HR 105 RBI .500 SLG

[Edgy MD]

Got offseason coaching from Keith Hernandez, according to Hot Stove. Unfortunately, this coaching was reportedly limited to talks, rather than workouts, but hopefully there'll be some followup this spring.

I'd kind of like to see Rusty Staub coaching someone like Lucas.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Duda, maybe, but not Daniel Murphy. He wouldn't approve the "lifestyle".

[batmagadanleadoff]

St. Looey Cards say Duda'a a different hitter this season.

excerpt:

NEW YORK • One of the challenges that faced the New York Mets entering Thursday afternoon's game against the Cardinals was scouting lefty Jaime Garcia. They weren’t lacking video or data about the Cardinals’ data. Just recent video and data. “Jason Bay kills him,” manager Terry Collins told reporters. He mentioned another player as well, and neither of them had played for the Mets since 2012. Garcia’s absence from the game — nearly a year between starts — and his chronic shoulder soreness over the previous three seasons left the Mets wondering if Past Jaime was any sort of preparation for Present Jaime. The Cardinals ended up in the same dilemma with Lucas Duda. They looked for Past Duda. They got a long look at Present Duda. “Right now, he’s not the same hitter,” manager Mike Matheny said. Duda hit two home runs in the Mets’ 5-0 victory against the Cardinals. The win sent the Cardinals back to Missouri for a series against Kansas City after a four-game split in Queens. The Cardinals managed little (one run) in Matt Harvey’s start Monday night and they managed less (zero runs) against Jacob deGrom on Thursday. In between, they feasted for 19 runs and two routs of the Mets. Duda delivered four of the five runs the Mets scored on Thursday, and both of his home runs came against lefthanded pitchers. Duda, who hit 30 homers last season, was lost against lefties in 2014. He hit .180 with a .264 on-base percentage and a .252 slugging percentage. He had as many home runs on Thursday on two pitches from lefties than he had in 111 at-bats last summer against lefties. Duda struck out 41 times in those 111 at-bats. He was the reason Ol’ Abner invented LOOGYs. This past offseason, Duda worked his hands raw in the cage to improve his swing and his pitch recognition against lefthanded pitching. He got some tips from Keith Hernandez, as The Daily News reported this morning, and he got lots of time from hitting coach Kevin Long*. * Same hitting coach, you might recall, that had such a profound effect on John “J-Rod” Rodriguez that he slingshot to the majors briefly and helped the Cardinals in 2005-06. “Essentially, just trying to stay short, and take what they give you,” Duda said.

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/birdland/goold-how-duda-defied-data-flipped-cards-plan-against-him/article_b0936e26-0e84-5472-b605-6887a12cd595.html