
Polar Pete has his bounce-back season
Really? Alonso hitting in the three-hole? Why would the Mets throw him back in the three-hole after his struggles last season?
Why not? Everyone is aware of the threat Alonso poses with his ability to go long. Nonetheless, there is no reason to think he will continue to struggle to hit the way he did in 2020.
There are multiple factors that go into him only hitting for a .231 average. The first being that hitting coach Chili Davis worked remotely due to COVID-19 concerns. This season, Davis is planning to rejoin the team and work with Alonso.
The second reason is how there is expected to be a normal spring training to pave into the regular season. Alonso was not the only hitter on the team that got off to a slow start due to the weird start to the season, as Amed Rosario also struggled early before a hot finish.
In fact, Alonso’s average approached the .260 mark he had his rookie season over the final month. In September, Alonso hit a .256 average, compared to a .217 mark in August, and .200 in July.
With better hitting combined with his power, Alonso will be viewed as that big threat he was in 2019. His on-base percentage will rise too as he will have more time to adjust and become more disciplined at the plate.
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Ultimately, this is Pete Alonso. He has quickly become the heart and soul of the Mets locker room, and the face of the team’s young core. This is a team with World Series aspirations, and nobody can have a bigger impact on the team succeeding in 2021 than Polar Pete.