Slumping Michael Conforto sitting for Mets, but outfielder believes he is close to snapping out of #
Channel: Mohamed Atef
Date: 03/05/2018

Michael Conforto was out of the lineup in part to try and snap him out of his start-of-the season slump. The outfielder was five for his last 31 at-bats (.161) and his hot rate of drawing walks was slowing in the last five games.
Mickey Callaway attributed Conforto's .209 start in part to missing most of the offseason and spring training after shoulder surgery.
"He's really getting to that point right now, where he has 67 at-bats, that's what you get at spring training, 60 at-bats," Callaway said before Wednesday night's game against the Braves at Citi Field. "He went out early, took early (batting practice) today, really working on staying in the middle of the field with his swing coming around the ball and getting on top of it. He looked really good.
"Part of the reason we gave him a day was to really work on some things and not be tired in the game," Callaway said. "He's going to be just fine. He's a really good special player who doesn't let things bother him too much."
Conforto said that after dislocating his shoulder and having surgery to repair the torn anterior capsule in September, he had to go through the longest drought of his recent year.
 
Michael Conforto believes he's close to breaking out of his slump. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP)
  
"It was probably as long as I have gone without swinging a bat since I started Little League," Conforto said. "I am not going to make excuses. I feel like I am catching up now, I feel like I am really close."
VARGAS ADJUSTMENTS
Jason Vargas' season debut was one that the Mets would rather forget. The lefty got lit up by the Padres, allowing nine runs on nine hits in just 3.2 innings.
Callaway thinks that he and pitching coach Dave Eiland figured out the issue that may be the result of his rehab work of pitching from behind a protective screen.
"Obviously there were some cobwebs, whatever you want to call it, but Dave and I discussed it, he was throwing (behind) this screen for a month, and we think he changed his mechanics a little bit," Callaway said. "He was really diving in with his shoulder like he was trying to throw around something. So I think they really worked in between (starts) and he is where he needs to be.
 
Jason Vargas made some mechanical adjustments after his awful season debut. (Kyusung Gong/AP)
  
Signed to a two-year, $16 million deal to be insurance against injuries to their rotation, he missed the first month after a freak accident in which he fractured his hamate bone and needed surgery on his right hand. Because he could not squeeze his glove and protect himself, Vargas pitched behind the screen and had just one minor league rehab game. That affected Vargas' arm slot, Eiland said.
"His arm slot was really low, pushing the ball and he couldn't make the adjustment," Eiland said. "He's not going to make any excuses, neither am I. I don't worry about Jason, I know who he is, what he is.
"He is the least of my concerns right now."
The 35-year-old lefty will make his first career start at Citi Field. A former Mets farmhand, Vargas is making his first home start as a Met since May 17, 2007, when he started at Shea Stadium vs. the Cubs.