Along the way to their first World Series appearance since 2000, the New York Mets kept their clubhouse loose, even though few experts believed they’d even make the playoffs. Case in point: @wefollowlucasduda, an Instagram account run by right fielder Curtis Granderson (@cgrand3), that, as its name suggests, lovingly surveils first baseman Lucas Duda. Though he’s a 6’4", 255-pound slugger, Lucas is fairly shy with fans and media, so Curtis decided something must be done. “Duda’s a great guy and a great athlete, so we felt like we needed to share Duda with the fans. He’s really funny, even when he doesn’t intend to be. He enjoys sushi, music and likes to have fun, but is a serious guy when it comes to baseball,” says Curtis. Other teammates have joined in on the fun, filming him in the batting cage or having a pregame snack, even though Lucas acts frustrated by the attention. “I’m not sure which annoyed him most, but he’s taken my phone on many occasions and deleted a bunch of really good videos!” Curtis says. In the last game against the Cubs, Lucas hit a home run and had five RBIs to help the team win, but is he starting to enjoy the Instagram attention? “I think it’s 50-50,” says Curtis. “It’s growing on him.”
Video by @wefollowlucasduda