Dubon feels explosive after adding 12 pounds, crazy diet

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After putting on 12 pounds since last September, Mauricio Dubon is just like the rest of us. Except he intended to do it.

When Dubon met with Farhan Zaidi, Scott Harris and Gabe Kapler after the 2020 season they asked him to add some functional weight to prepare for his first 162-game season. That meant staying in constant contact with Giants strength coach Brad Lawson and nutritionist Leron Sarig, and plenty of help from his wife, Nancy. 

"You've got to give the credit to my wife," he said during an interview that airs on Giants Talk on Monday. "She cooked for me, she made sure I had everything I needed. You can lift everything you want but (you need to) have the proper nutrition ... I could gain 12 pounds but if I don't put the good weight on it's going to be soft."

Dubon said he played last season just under 170 pounds. He reported to camp at 182, and he already has seen a difference. 

"I just hit a ball 450 feet, probably, in live BP," he said on a Zoom call with reporters Friday. "I feel like I'm faster and more explosive."

Dubon will have plenty of opportunities to put that explosiveness to use this year. He was primarily a center field in 2020, but the Giants plan to move him around more often this year. He has spent a lot of time early in camp working at shortstop, where the Giants don't have another good option to back up Brandon Crawford. 

Manager Gabe Kapler said Dubon looks great on both sides of the ball so far. He's hopeful the added muscle leads to more balls leaving the yard and getting over outfielders' heads. 

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"Part of the reason we thought that would be beneficial for him is he's such a great contact guy, he puts the ball in play, and he knows where the sweet spot on the bat is," Kapler said. "It's really paid off and sometimes when you put on lean tissue like he did -- he put on really good weight -- it also makes you more athletic in the field. Mauricio and all of us are seeing the benefits of a very productive offseason."

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Dubon said he put on the weight by eating about 4,000 calories a day, although on days when he was lifting or doing baseball work it was often more. He had to focus on eating right, not the fast food that he loves so much and can get away with given his slight frame. He's seeing it pay off now, although once the season starts some old habits might come back. Dubon smiled and said he's looking forward to that first trip to In-N-Out. 

"I think that's the first thing I'm going to get when I get back to California," Dubon said on Giants Talk. "Right now it's still spring training. I know they have it in Arizona but I'm going to hold myself a little bit."

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