Michael Conforto never played worse in his career.
But Conforto said he reflects on his time with the Dodgers last year as a positive experience, a feeling that was amplified when he received a reward he pursued for more than a decade.
Now a reserve outfielder for the Cubs, Conforto was presented with his World Series ring on Friday before the opening game of a three-game series against his former team at Dodger Stadium.
The Cubs’ Michael Conforto received his Dodgers World Series ring on Friday. AP Conforto was met by a group of Dodgers that included Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, Kike Hernandez and Tommy Edman.
“Seeing this ring, holding it and putting it on, it’s one of the cooler moments of my baseball career,” Conforto said.
Batting a career-worst .199 last year, Conforto wasn’t on the Dodgers’ roster in the postseason.
“Being back here, it’s kind of a weird experience for me,” he said. “I wasn’t on the roster, but I very much felt like I was part of the team, and I was able to support these guys and just be there for them,” Conforto said.
As much as he struggled, Conforto drew high marks as a teammate.
“I know he didn’t perform the way people would have liked and he would have liked, but I loved him on the team,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I loved what he brought to the Dodgers.”
AP “I’ve had good role models, guys who let me know one of the most valuable things in a clubhouse is a guy who’s always the same,” he said. “Consistency is huge, especially when you’re seeing others [for] eight months every day.
“I wanted to make sure that the way I was playing didn’t affect my relationships with guys on the team.”
Conforto recalled being next to Kirby Yates on the top step of the Dodgers’ dugout when Miguel Rojas tied Game 7 with a ninth-inning home run.
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“Just think about that all time and I’m sure Miggy is thinking about it if I’m thinking about it,” he said. “Just pretty cool to be there to experience one of the best games ever played.”
Conforto entered the game Friday with a .304 average, and he credited his turnaround to lessons he learned with the Dodgers.
“I kind of brought a lot of things that I learned from this past season with me to Chicago and into my workouts in the offseason,” he said.
He said his conversations with Roberts were especially important.
“Doc really just kind of being brutally honest with me, saying, ‘I need to see more, I need you to make some baseball plays, move guys, get them in from third with less than two [outs], focus more on that stuff rather than slug, big swings and all that stuff,’” Conforto said. “I really took that to heart. And I think in my role with this team, it’s pretty valuable stuff to bring.”
