NEW YORK – Mets second baseman Marcus Semien is showing signs of life in the batter’s box. During the three-game sweep against the Marlins over the weekend, Marcus Semien went 5-for-10 (.500) with a bro bomb and three RBIs.
Marcus Semien Breaks Out
It was sweet revenge on a team that limited New York to two runs in a three-game sweep last week in Miami. Semien, himself, went 0-for-10 in that series.
He said the Mets figured out what worked well against them. They had to stop chasing offspeed pitches and handle the high fastball. New York did just that by scoring 25 runs in three games at Citi Field.
“That’s what this league is about: Making adjustments,” Semien said. “The Marlins are a team with really good stuff. They threw a lot offspeed, but we know they have high velocity, too. We have to be able to handle velocity, but get it in the right spot and get the ball a little higher because we chase a lot. We are not going to be perfect. If everybody as a group goes with that approach, it makes it tougher on them. That was part of the conversation.”
By having a great three-game series against Miami, Semien raised his average from .213 to .226. Although the numbers say he hasn’t been inconsistent with the bat, Semien has a slash line of .354/.393/.438 with 14 RBIs with runners in scoring position. He is working hard in the batting cage to get even better.
“You work hard to make sure you go out and see the ball well, hit the ball, and hit the balls in the zone that you are going to hit. That’s always going to be the goal for me,” Semien said. “There have been a lot of ups and downs, but the work never stops. That’s what I love about this game. We basically have eight months to work as hard as we possibly can to get to a point where we are playing in a game. The ball slows down a little bit and the swing is right.”
Carlos Mendoza Is Rooting For Semien
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza is one person who wants Semien to play a huge role in the team’s success.
“It’s been hard for him, but the one thing about this guy is, he is going to continue to play and grind it out,” Mendoza said. “It’s good to see him continue to get results.”
Despite the slow start, Semiem has a positive attitude, thanks to his family.
“Family, especially for my wife and I, we have five kids to take care of. Those kids, they don’t care how I did out there. It could be a great day or a bad day, they are going to be the same. They are going to treat me with all the love,” Semien said. “For us, it’s about taking care of these kids, raising them and providing a safe place for them.”
