NEW YORK — As he waited for his next swings in batting practice before Saturday's game, Michael Cuddyer explained why he thinks Juan Lagares is going to hit a lot better than expected, and he's going to be far better than a strong defensive player and marginal hitter.
The comparable player, in Cuddyer's mind, is a former teammate of his in Minnesota, Carlos Gomez, who struggled offensively for years before exploding in his mid-20s and becoming one of the best all-around center fielders in baseball.
A moment later, Lagares, swinging hard in the cage, mashed a ball off the facing of the second deck in left field at Yankee Stadium, then short-hopped a line drive off the center-field fence.