Not really a big deal. Springer's not swinging through bad pitches. His walk rate shows he lays off pitches outside the zone. On pitches inside the zone, he should be trying to crush them. I'm not sure it's a good idea for him to change his swing at this point. The Astros know that he's a feast or famine guy like most non-superstar power hitters. You take the good with the bad. His OBP has remained quite healthy since his slow start.
Can you pull up some percentage numbers on his swing and misses on curve balls?? He needs to learn how to lay off those.
Swinging at bad pitches really isn't Springers problem. He currently swings at 23% of pitches outside the zone. League average is 30%. When he does swing at balls, he hits them at a very low rate, which actually works in his favor in a way, because contact on bad pitches usually leads to weakly hit balls. His problem is swinging through strikes. He swings at strikes at a 74% clip, league average is 65%, so he recognizes strikes better than most, but he only makes contact 75% clip, league average is 88%. Springers career path and K rate are going to be an interesting thing to watch. He misses a lot of balls, but the balls he does hit he often crushes. If he has great success it could cause a shift in what has been long accepted as the way to have success.
Was at the game last night. Pretty nice crowd considering it was a Tuesday night, but I assume Singleton may have had something to do with it. As well as the fact we are playing a division foe. Team looks great, Springer struck out one some pretty ****ty pitches. It was nice to see Singleton get his first HR though he didn't look to hot at 1st base with 2 errors but that will improve. It was quite an exciting game to be at.
Crowds have been much better recently. Part of it is that school just got out last month, which always boosts attendance. Add to that the team has started winning and the air time given to Springer & now Singleton. Lastly, the team gave away a lot of tickets.
Last night was the first time in a long time that when they showed the batter between pitches, you could not see an empty seat.
How far out are the stros from playoff contention? If the starting pitching is this good, they could very easily make a run. Singleton needs to be batting 3 hole if his OBP is going to be in the 400's.
Actually most area high schools are still in session this week, trust me I'm typing this as I wait for lunch, lol Starting next week all schools will be out which could further boost attendance, gonna be a much more exciting summer
Used to, and this year is extended a few days for most districts cause of the ice days this winter. HISD got out yesterday I think, pretty much everyone else going through tomorrow or Friday
I expect Springer will be a success. I just don't expect he'll be able to keep up his on-base percentage as high as it currently is. I don't think Springer will lead to a new path of major league success. He is weird that he has a good eye, completely whiffs on a lot of pitches especially out of the zone, and makes great contact when he does.
But Adam Dunn was able to keep an elite-level OBP while posting a terrible K rate. Its not a "new path" of MLB success... its just that players are still able to be very productive despite strikeouts.
That was my favorite part of watching that live. The rest of the group is going nuts as soon as it leaves the bat and his dad sits there looking so unimpressed then at the last second he raises his fist in approval. Couldn't stop laughing.
I know SBISD, Katy, Alief and Fort Bend don't get out till tomorrow. The more impressive crowd so far was the 38K they got last Friday night. That was good stuff. I was there in the club section, and I haven't seen it that crowded since the prime time opener last year vs. the Rangers.
True, but the Astros have been playing better than all of those teams. Win two games in a row and you can pass up a few of those teams. Just keep chipping away.
