When it comes to the time Lucas Duda spent with the Mets, it seems baseball and good dumplings were about even in appreciation.
The former Mets first baseman, who was traded to the Rays on July 27, voiced his love for New York City in a piece for The Players’ Tribune on Thursday, saying how much he appreciated the Flushing faithful and how much he loved the food during his time in the Big Apple.
“Thanks to my teammates, and, really, to the support and encouragement of Mets fans, I came around,” wrote Duda, a native Californian who admitted to be put off by the speed of the big city. “Eventually, I just sort of blended in. I started to really explore the city and take in the culture and check out the parks and meet new people. And, oh my God, the food …
“I dove in.
“All of a sudden, Dumpling Man, in the Village, became my spot.”
As for baseball, Duda was grateful for the Mets’ run to the 2015 World Series, when he finally felt the heft of the fandom. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound lefty was called up in the middle of the 2010 season, and said he finally felt at home sometime in 2011.
“Once that transformation took place, I became a converted New Yorker,” he wrote. “What can I say? The Mets fans …. I love them. Those fans just kind of get me.
“But I should probably clarify things here for a second.
“I’m not talking about the fair-weather fans. I’m talking the real, hard-core Mets fans, the fans who bleed blue and orange. The 7 Line Army crew!”
Duda also made a big point to credit veteran Curtis Granderson for being such a good friend and leader, including a viral Instagram video from inside the Mets clubhouse when Granderson wouldn’t let go of Duda’s leg after he was traded.
“You guys know what type of person he is,” Duda said of Granderson. “I don’t have to tell you. We joke around a lot, and I don’t want to give him too big of a head here, but he’s special. And he’s exactly the type of person that you hope your own son would become someday.
“I owe so much to Curtis and the other guys because they really helped me to grow up.”
Now Duda has moved on to the Rays, who are within striking distance of an AL wild card and are giving Duda another chance at the playoffs.
“What’s probably most exciting is the opportunity to potentially play in the playoffs in a few months.” Duda wrote. “Once you’ve experienced that level of competition, you want so badly to get back. And for me personally, after what happened in 2015, I have a lot to prove to myself. I want nothing more than to get that shot.
“So that’s what I’m looking to do in Tampa Bay.”