"I've always had like kind of a special place [in my heart] for Penn State," said Michael, whose Mets open the NL division series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday at Dodger Stadium. Sometimes youll have a rough patch and youll start to think you need to change a lot of things, but, like I said before, sticking with that routine and being consistent, I think that goes a long way in not freaking out or panicking when things arent going so well How do you view your role on the big league team? He's always hit.". Born: 3/01/1993 in Seattle, WA. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. The father knows about such hits, having been a short-yardage inside linebacker at Penn State, all 5-11, 220 pounds of him, his teammates including Matt Millen, Jimmy Cefalo, Chuck Fusina, Matt Suhey and ex-Jet Lance Mehl. New York Mets signed OF Michael Conforto. He's doing it himself. But Conforto did, as well, appearing in the prestigious tournament with Redmond North Little League in 2004. WebLettered two years in football as a quarterback and free safety Named second-team all-state in football. When the Mets popped him with the 10th pick last year, I was shocked he didnt go before that, Casey said. You can't pitch him a certain way. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Having watched you it seems like you have worked on your defense and throwing while improving both. He's made Little League World Series historyFormer teammate Todd Frazier is perhaps the big leaguer best known for competing in the Little League World Series. Shes doing all kinds of stuff. Nevertheless, he added, The front office is going to do what they deem is best for the team. Biggest Influence in your young career: Both my parents.I think with my mom, she obviously was in a different type of sport, but she knew how hard you needed to work to become the best in the world at something that you wanted to do and something you enjoyed. Concussion. Fastballs or flutter kicks, Tracie Conforto knows about high-pressure performances. Michael Conforto didn't just get the first, second, third and fourth hits of his big-league career in a 15-2 victory over the Dodgers. STAT TO KNOWFrom 2017 to 2021, Conforto's 308 walks ranked ninth among outfielders (minimum 200 games). (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images). In Reference to The Mississippi State freshman is a rare ambidextrous pitcher, the most notable since Pat Venditte appeared in 61 major league games from 2015-20. Maybe he was raw in comparison to the high school kids getting drafted, the Mets executive said. Conforto put together a superstar-caliber season during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, when he hit .322 with nine homers, 31 RBIs and an OPS+ of 154. But Confortos words and actions in September especially a red-eyed press conference following the Mets home finale Sept. 30 made it clear he was ready to test free agency and prepared to leave New York. Left hamstring tightness. first round (No. Michael played quarterback and safety up until his senior year of high school and was talented enough to garner interest from Washington, Idaho, and several Ivy League schools. Chosen 10th overall in the 2014 amateur draft, Conforto signed for a $2,970,800 bonus, spent the rest of the season at the Class A Brooklyn Cyclones, then started last year at St. Lucie before moving up to Double-A Binghamton on May 30. New York Mets activated LF Michael Conforto from the 10-day injured list. Kulpa admitted as much following the contest. You can't play him a certain way. Penn State moves up two spots after Rose Bowl win in final AP top 25 rankings of 2022 season. You try to find that balance between challenging the player and having them in a spot where he can be successful, DePodesta said. Nobody was happier than the man who gave Michael Conforto his name, and half of his excellent genes. Conforto the elder isn't predicting four hits on a nightly basis, but he knows his son's competitive wiring as well as anyone. 6 hitter, Conforto was moved up to third ahead of slugger Yoenis Cespedes in mid-April when the Mets started their second trip. Conforto's pedigree is much more unusual in baseball. He also saw up close what football did to his dad, who has had seven knee surgeries, including a pair of knee replacements. Im from Seattle, so he was always who I tried to look like when I was swinging the bat. I think youll all know what I mean when I say: this is the most Mets way for the Marlins to ever lose pic.twitter.com/BWJKjZhInW. Do you have a blog? The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. This from a team that had lost four of five and spent the first two games of this series swinging swizzle sticks. Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. But by his senior year, he decided his body now 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds was better suited to baseball. Draft: 2014, New York Mets, Ronda: 1, Seleccin Combine his own competitive pedigree with that of Michael's mother, the former Tracie Ruiz, an Olympic gold medalist in synchronized swimming (she is divorced from Michael's father), and you would have an insight into how Michael the Met got here ahead of his time. But he missed five weeks with a hamstring injury this year, when he was batting under .200 as late as Aug. 5 and didnt lift his average above .230 for good until the penultimate day of the season. New York Mets sent LF Michael Conforto on a rehab assignment to Syracuse Mets. New York Mets placed LF Michael Conforto on the 10-day disabled list. The interest was much greater for baseball, though, and he ended up at Oregon State, where he was the two-time Pac 12 player of the year. San Francisco Giants activated LF Michael Conforto. Are you upset that it took the Mets so long to bring you up to the majors? Name: Michael Conforto Age: 22 (March 1, 1993) Birthplace: Woodlinville, WA Bats/Throws: L/R Ht: 6 1 Wt: 211. And that left-handed swingConforto might not quite be Will Clark, but when hes rolling and spraying the ball to all fields, its hard not to envision him as a franchise player capable of anchoring the middle of a lineup well into the back half of this decade. Still, as mom points out, her son's injuries occurred while playing baseball. Shes obsessing over all kinds of things. WebMichael Conforto. Do you have a sports website? "I'm being protected by one of the best hitters in the game," Conforto said. Consistency is huge. Just over a month into his stay at Double-A Binghamton, less than a year since his professional debut, the lefty-hitting left fielder has made the sort of impression reserved for the games most touted prospects. Michael the father has had four knee surgeries, and No. He didn't just pick up his second Mike, who walked on at Penn State, hails from Altoona, where many of his relatives still live. "Conforto's Career Single-Game HighsHits: 4, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Apr 15, 2012 Doubles: 1, 14 timesTriples: 1, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Apr 14, 2012 Home runs: 2, at Nevada, Apr 10, 2012 ; at Utah, May 11, 2012 Total bases: 9, at Utah, May 11, 2012 RBI: 6, at Nevada, Apr 10, 2012 ; at California, Mar 18, 2012 Runs scored: 4, Portland, May 15, 2012 Walks: 2, 6 timesHit by pitch: 2, at Oregon, Apr 24, 2012 Struck out: 3, vs Saint Louis, Mar 03, 2012 At bats: 6, at Utah, May 12, 2012 Stolen bases: 1, Portland, Apr 03, 2012. The recovery took up the majority of his offseason, and he has since admitted he may not have been patient enough with his rehab process -- perhaps evidenced by how poorly his 2018 season started. I don't do that now because now he's an adult. Manager Don Mattingly was furious about the call, and argued with the umpires over the ruling. Draft: Drafted by the New York Mets in the 1st round (10th) of the 2014 MLB June Amateur Draft from Oregon State University (Corvallis, OR). "Joe would always tell us that you're never as good as you think you are when things are going well, and you're never as bad as you think you are when you're not performing very good," dad said. New York Mets placed LF Michael Conforto on the 10-day injured list. Congratulations to you and the NY Mets for clinching! LF Michael Conforto assigned to Binghamton Mets from St. Lucie Mets. WebRated as the No. "I think he is prepared for this," the father said. Alongside his 4-for-4 and his five trips on base, he had two doubles, four runs, a nice running catch in left field, and oh yes, a batting average of .571. All Rights Reserved. in Seattle, WA 2023 Oregon State Athletics. WebView Mike Confortos profile on LinkedIn, the worlds largest professional community. "Offensively, he's scary," Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said. Decide for yourself. Fast track. "I always check up on them to see how they're doing in the fall.". Full-year historical Major League statistics provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports. When you were drafted there were a lot of draft experts that said you were below average defensively in left and you might not stick there. It's like in a football game, when you have jitters until your first hit.". There was some confusion over whether the play could be reviewed. Apodo: Forto. Perfect Game USA rates him as the No. "They don't want to pitch around me and kind of just give me a free pass, so I think I'm getting more pitches in the zone, getting maybe a few more fastballs here and there.". In this case, we did not know, but we certainly were hopeful.. High School: Redmond HS (Redmond, WA), School: Oregon State University (Corvallis, OR), Debut: NEW YORK (AP) Two years ago, before he was a budding star for the New York Mets and among the big league batting leaders, Michael Conforto returned home after his first summer of professional baseball and listened to some advice from his mom. The fact that people are looking for lefty bats makes him even more appealing.. The word conforto in Italian means comfort or support. So Im happy to still have him as a role model and as a coach today. Reports on his defense are mixed, but most observers believe he can hit plenty enough to justify his corner outfield position. The best insights from the ultimate insiders, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Yankees' options for left field continue to dwindle, Ex-Mets star headed to Giants after missing 2022 season, Who will be the Yankees' left fielder? You've got a gift from God. As a Boras client and the Mets player rep as well as a big-name free agent one tier below the Scherzers, Seagers and Marcus Semiens of the world Conforto is a prime candidate to wait out a potentially cold market until he gets what he and Boras believe to be fair market value. (Mike Stobe/Getty Images), FOLLOW THE DAILY NEWS SPORTS ON FACEBOOK. "LIKE" US HERE. R. R. The Miami Marlins walked Francisco Lindor to load the bases for Conforto. "He's got friends who played in the NFL who are now kind of starting to feel the effects of all that, all the collisions," the younger Conforto said. The Paterno family, members of Penn State's board of trustees and faculty and former players and coaches filed their suit last month alleging unlawful conduct by the Conforto breaks out for four hits with his father watching from the stands. His .216 first-half average seemed so out of character that the Mets even considered sending him back to Triple-A. At one of his gyms, Conforto trained a swimmer named Tracie Ruiz, who proceeded to win two gold medals in the 1984 Olympics and a silver in the 1988 Games for synchronized swimming. MLB rules also state if a player gets hit by a ball in the strike zone, that pitch should be ruled a strike. Just heArd on the radio that Mike Conforto Sr played linebacker at PSU. The Jewish Vues | Brooklyn/Five Towns Edition | P.O. She always said she wasnt the most talented, but she worked the hardest. Shortly thereafter, Smith appeared via Zoom and wept during an emotional press conference. If he wants to come here, bat third and make $1 million, let me know, one source from a second-division team said with a laugh. The younger Conforto credited Casey and his deputies, Pat Bailey (associate head coach) and Nate Yeskie (assistant coach), for improving his swing mechanics, his understanding of the strike zone and his mental approach to the game. He was good enough to go to Oregon State and start as a freshman. Chose Oregon State because of "it's a great program with great coaches and a great school. After his own football career ended Mike has 1 job listed on their profile. New York Mets activated RF Michael Conforto from the 10-day injured list. New York Mets recalled Michael Conforto from Las Vegas 51s. I think it would be fair to say he was a football player who played baseball, until he got to Oregon State, the elder Mike Conforto said. For Conforto's father, watching his son reach the highest level of his sport has been a treat. Conforto, whose Dad played college football at Penn State and whose Mom was an Olympic swimmer, has always carried himself with a maturity and self-awareness beyond his years. He didn't just pick up his second RBI in two games. His current We faces its own long run of empty Octobers and fields an offense amidst a terrible outage. His father, Mike is an Italian American who played inside linebacker at Penn State. Even the team's broadcasters thought Conforto should have been ruled out on the play. And just what is the value of a player whose advanced metrics do not match up to the eye test? Mike Conforto, a Nittany Lions linebacker in the mid-1970s, set up the visit through former assistant coach Fran Ganter, now a Penn State associate athletic director. Lopez credited Conforto with the sort of toughness that allows him to shake off in-game failure and still put together good at-bats. A guy that doesnt get himself out on pitches Just be a middle of the order guy that helps the team win. Video shows Cowboys Prescott taking snaps, moving well, Thamel: Millers firing tells truth about coaching in NCAA, Former Florida State, Giants WR arrested on murder charges, Rapinoe blasts Warriors Green for takes on womens sports. Born: But hes certainly done very well in the short time weve had him., I could see it happening, but I wouldnt want to see it, the first scout said. San Francisco Giants signed free agent LF Michael Conforto. "There is so many things involved to get there and to be able to consistently perform and have the right mental makeup, too, to handle everything. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. GAME 30 Penn State: Hanging on a Heart Attack. vs. LAD 3 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB, Rookie Status: The responsibility falls to Kulpa to make that call, making it hard for MLB to do anything to Conforto or the Mets. If the play looked bizarre in real time, well, that's because something else may have been going on. The pair of athletes married in 1985, and Michael was born in 1993. The Mets drafted him 10th overall in 2014, three picks after the Phillies selected Aaron Nola. If the play looked bizarre in real time, well, that's because something else may have been going on. In slow motion, it definitely looks like Conforto deliberately stuck out his elbow so he would get hit by the pitch. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. New York extended an $18.4 million qualifying offer in November to Conforto, who turned it down to test free agency. LF Michael Conforto assigned to FSL South Division All-Stars. If not soonest, then soon enough. This guys a warrior.. That wont be necessary, but its going to be a while before we find out just how many millions and how many years Conforto gets and from whom hell get them. Conforto adjusted in September, and he went 5 for 15 with four RBIs in the World Series against Kansas City, homering twice in Game 4. A letter from 382 former Penn State football players was released Wednesday showing support for Joe Paterno. Maybe it's just that it calms me a little bit. (Howard Simmons/New York Daily News). The Mets entered the bottom of the ninth trailing 2-1, but Jeff McNeil quickly evened the score with a leadoff home run. Conforto, 29, spent the first seven years of his career with the New York Mets. A history of the Sports Reference Sponsorship System. Oftentimes, we have pretty good feel for who would be there. The father did the next best thing, getting an early flight Saturday, flying across the country with his girlfriend, Heather, his sister Carleen and brother-in-law Scott. Hes lit a fire under me a few times when I needed it. Now, I don't do that now. "Reality is somewhere in between, and I think it's kind of helped him to not get caught up too much in the highs or the lows. Im the guy thats going to drive in runs. '", Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. BINGHAMTON Haggard town, run-down ballpark. Given Conforto's success, mom has even lightened up on the motivational messages. Mike Conforto's crowning football moment came in 1977. The uncertainty surrounding him only increased when he failed to sign last winter, owing to offseason shoulder surgery. (Howard Simmons/New York Daily News). His father was his football coach. As he grew older, Conforto recalls falling down a rabbit hole of YouTube videos, watching his mother swim. LF Michael Conforto assigned to New York Mets. As a professional, since his debut last July 19 for Class-A Brooklyn, hes at .311/.384/.472. Huge congratulations to Michael Conforto from two St. Lucie Mets season ticket holders. I was an athlete.. NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 02: Michael Conforto #30 of the New York Mets in action against the Miami [+] Marlins during a game at Citi Field on September 2, 2021 in New York City. Scary, '' Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said if the play has been a treat slow motion, it looks... Great school Gary Gillette of Hidden game SPORTS million qualifying offer in November to,. In the strike zone, that pitch should be ruled a strike the! 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