WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Sometimes less is more, and Lucas Duda is taking that to heart.
The Mets first baseman is cutting back on his batting practice swings this spring, hoping to stay away from the hip and back soreness that delayed his Spring Training debut until Friday.
On Saturday, he was back crushing the ball, going 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and an RBI in the Mets' 3-1 win over the Astros at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.
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"Feeling great, and hopefully will continue to do so, knock on wood, for the next 162 games," Duda said.
But Duda was quick to emphasize that results are secondary to the process, especially during Spring Training. That's not to say he is going to go absent from the batting cages -- far from it.
"I wouldn't say cutting out swings; I'd say less swings," Duda said. "But more of an emphasis on quality swings over quantity."
Duda could have avoided the short road trip and rested his hip and back instead, but he opted not to -- and he put together quality swings as a result.
"He didn't have to [make the trip] today," manager Terry Collins said. "He came in this morning and wanted to play. That tells me a lot."
Still, finding that balance remains Duda's biggest challenge this spring.
"It's all individual. Some guys take more and some take less," Duda said. "I'm still trying to find the right equation [for me]. It's just trial and error, I guess. When you feel good, get out of there, you don't have to take 50 more [swings]. If you feel good, leave."
Still, it takes discipline to know when to stop, and that is what Duda will continue to figure out as Spring Training continues.
"I like to hit, that's what I do," Duda said. "It's just a matter of finding that balance and staying in between too much and too less, finding that medium."