The more telling (and optimistic) splits for Springer: April (55 ABs): .182/.262/.218, 0 HR, 5 BB, 19 SO May (49 ABs): .286/.340/.510, 3 HR, 4 BB, 23 SO The power is coming along. Strikeouts remain an issue, but we all knew that would be the case.
As this team gives up a ton of outs on the basepaths as is, there may have been a moratorium on being overly aggressive till the offense becomes a little less inconsistent. He'll get his steals eventually, but if they keep him at the 2 spot, they'll need some more Matty D production from the cleanup. I'd go with this lineup order for awhile if I was Bo (with the possibiliy of flip-flopping Springer and Fowler if GS keeps up his recent surge).
imagine what will happen when we have another bat (cough - singleton) to hit behind him and he gets to see a few more fastballs per game.
Berkman didn't try to hit everything out of the park either. This is something George needs to learn, but I'm having fun watching him try to crush everything. (for now)
Springer is going to have back issues taking those hacks. He needs to prove he can hit the off and away pitch that he will get all year. I'd throw him slider away everytime.
Seeing as HALF of his at bats are strike outs..... can you just imagine his average with a normal strikeout rate?
just over the past few games he's a) gotten better at recognizing and laying off (it was Biggio bad there for a few weeks) b) started to try and pop it over into right field instead of pulling it. Had one last night that could have been his second hit, but the second basemen was in perfect position I think he'll chill the swing back quite a bit over time, but it's a delicate balance because he'll lose a lot of power in so doing. The question is if the speed of the game slows down for him enough that he can still try and power through or does he have to adjust to have moderate success. I don't mind finding out while the team still blows instead of curbing his power and forcing him into a slashing singles/doubles hitter (who will always have a high s/o rate).
He needs to get on that juice. He needs to give Hunter Pence a call on that. I remember that kid at UTSA would literally cycle year around Springer has been respectable this month.
TRADE HIM NOW for a 2034 A.D prospect! (and watch him put up babe ruth numbers in his new team.) I know it's frustrating with how bad we've been the last 6 years, but patience with this kid.
You can't steal first base. He can't walk there yet, either. He's adjusting and getting more comfortable, and he's been great the past couple of weeks; that's all you can hope for with a guy with his raw talent I'd like to see him get more adjusted and fomfotable in RF.
Why would he lose "a lot of power"? Hitters gain power as they mature (physically and skillfully), they don't lose it. Of course he has to adjust to the rest of the league, they all do, and the rest of the league will adjust to him. How that gets handled is the single most important thing in the development of a young player. Who has ever suggested anything of the sort? Ever? Or suggested anything other than letting him play? Who has ever suggested that he would/should be "forced" into any role? Who has ever suggested that he could be groomed into some sort of slap hitter? This is HS psychology fantasy strawman stuff.
"He's adjusting and getting more comfortable, and he's been great the past couple of weeks" (minus slipping on the sunflower seeds in foul territory). His fielding "issues" had reeked of jitters, trying too hard, and attempting to make a spectacular play on every ball. Given his minors and college fielding scouting reports, much less concerned about this adjustment happening (if it hasn't happened already).
I think you misread or I poorly stated what I meant so let me clarify If he modifies his approach to go the opposite way, slow his swing down and simply keep his head on the ball longer to make contact - he will lose power over his go for broke approach at the plate. That's just a monster swing he brings out on almost every pitch regardless of the count. My point was that if he was on a contender, there might be more pressure to have him make wholesale changes to his approach - which theoretically would result in a higher batting average with lower power numbers. On this team, we are looking for maximized potential of the individual more-so than maximized potential of the team. Therefore, we can be patient with this hacking approach to see if he can make it play in the bigs. He might be able to. He might not.
Astros are 10 wins and 10 losses in May so far with Springer in the line-up. He strikes out a lot because he is an aggressive hitter but he is also hitting a lot. In May he is .291 batting average with an OPS of just under 1.000 with 7 homers which is really outstanding. Great numbers for just his 2nd month in the majors.
it's night and day with him in the offense. He's one of those guys that seems to bring energy and confidence to the team.
