Pete Alonso wants Mets title and ‘massive’ block party

PORT ST. LUCIE – As someone who grew up in Tampa and still resides in the area, the past six months have been nirvana for sports fan Pete Alonso.

During that time, the Stanley Cup and Lombardi Trophy were lifted for the Lightning and Buccaneers, respectively. And a third professional team in the Tampa area, the Rays, have qualified for Game 6 of the World Series.

All of this whetted Alonso’s appetite even more to succeed in his job as the Mets first baseman. Simply put, Alonso wants to bring a missing piece of equipment to New York – the Commissioner’s Trophy.

“The goal for us is to be that last team at the end of the year and to be able to see how the city of Tampa was buzzing, it was full of energy and exciting and I can’t wait for that. it’s happening in New York, starting in Queens, ”Alonso said Friday after a team training session.

“To have that buzz, to have that energy, to have that swagger, that excitement, it’s a privilege and it starts now with paying attention to detail and going out there and competing with our asses and going out there and wanting to win and do anything for a win. Being in this type of environment is a privilege and I can’t wait for it. I hope the five boroughs turn into a big block party when we do.

Alonso followed his historic 2019 season, in which he set an MLB rookie record by completing 53 home runs, with a second slip, if you can call it that in over 60 games. All in all, he finished with a respectable .231 / .326 / .490 slash line with 16 homers and 35 RBIs for a team that finished last in the NL East.

No one will be harder for a return to a full season than Alonso, who said he was built for the marathon, but not necessarily the sprint.

“A sixty game season, I can’t give too much credit to it because I know it’s tough,” Alonso said. “Last year was a very freak year – not just baseball but I think for all of us. It’s a year of resilience and I’m just happy we get to play 162 this year.

Alonso collapsed early last season and showed improvement in mid-August, but the Mets were quarantined for a week after a player and coach tested positive for COVID-19, and that momentum stopped. Alonso started another wave late in the season.

“I’m really happy that last year went the way it did, because I feel very prepared for this year and last year I exhibited a lot of things that I needed to improve on. and I’m good to go, ”Alonso mentioned. “I’m ready to have fun and go play.”

Without the Universal Designated Hitter in place, Alonso will prepare as if he’s the regular first baseman. If a deal to implement Universal DH were reached before the season between MLB and MLBPA, it could put defensively superior Dominic Smith at first base most of the time with Alonso at DH.

“I think I’m a really good first baseman and I just really want to play ball,” Alonso said. “I’m a first baseman and I’m a position player. I am not a DH. I don’t want to be labeled like that because I worked too hard and I feel like I played well.

“In 2019, I played very well on the first goal. In 2020 I haven’t had my best year either in attack or defense, but this year I have a great opportunity and I want to grow as a person and as a player and I feel like that I will never consider myself a DH. I will always consider myself a first baseman.

Alonso arrived at the camp last year with the goal of winning a golden glove and finishing the season in a “drunk as hell” parade float. He said yes on Friday when asked if he had the same goals for 2021.

“It’s going to be a good year,” Alonso said.