Marlins’ Dee Gordon out to prove last season was no fluke
Dee Gordon is one of Major League Baseball’s fastest players, and he’s certainly enjoying a quick start to the 2015 season. Through ten games he’s collected 15 hits, four of them for extra bases (three doubles, one triple). The 26-year-old second baseman currently sports an eye-catching .366 average and .386 OBP, along with six RBI. Add to that six stolen bases in nine attempts, and it’s a welcome sign from a player some thought would regress from his breakout performance a year ago.
In his first full season on the Major League stage, Gordon played a key role on last year’s Dodgers team, using his breakneck speed, athleticism and slick glove to earn an All-Star nod and help Los Angeles capture the National League Western Division title. When it came to ruling the base paths he had few rivals, comfortably pacing both leagues with 12 triples and 64 steals. In a league where some think the running game is fizzling, players like Gordon and the Reds‘ Billy Hamilton (co-runner-up to the stolen base crown with 56 swipes) were a breath of fresh air.
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Impressive though his stat line was at the year’s conclusion, it didn’t quite tell the whole story. Gordon was buoyed by a red-hot April in which he hit .344 with a .378 OBP. His performance fell off notably from there, when his lack of plate discipline seemed to catch up to him. After walking 27 times in the first half, he drew just four in the second. He ended up striking out in 16% of his plate appearances. Unsurprisingly, he hit a far less remarkable .279 after that first month and his OBP dipped to .326 by season’s end. With less time on the bases, his running habits naturally suffered as well. The lion’s share of his steals (43) came before the All-Star break.
Other statistics suggested a comedown could be in the cards. Last year’s .346 BABIP was markedly higher than it had been earlier in Gordon’s career. It remained below .300 over 125 games in the previous two seasons, calling into question whether he could maintain it. Gordon’s speed definitely comes into play here, with his ability to beat out ground balls for base hits. A handful of other quick players have also leveraged this skill into a high BABIP, such as Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, who rode a .360 BABIP to the American League batting title.
The debate heading into the winter focused on determining which type of player Dee Gordon really was: the one who had an electric first month, or the one who was solid but far less extraordinary the rest of the way. The Miami Marlins banked on the former being closer to the case, as they acquired Gordon from the Dodgers in December to bat atop their improved lineup. Gordon certainly didn’t lack for support in Los Angeles, but it’s hard not to like hitting in front of one of the game’s premier sluggers in Giancarlo Stanton, or emerging outfielder Christian Yelich.
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Gordon has continued to benefit from an elevated BABIP in the first couple weeks, as it currently sits at .385. Doubters might point to this as further evidence that he needs to maintain that high number to look anything like the star he was in 2014.
It’s worth noting, however, that he does appear to be showing a more discerning batting eye as well. He has struck out three times thus far in 44 plate appearances. Though it may be ambitious to expect him to stick to a 7% strikeout rate throughout the season, it’s better than last year’s by a wide margin. He’s only worked two walks in that span though, so wholesale adjustments may not exactly be coming. However, if he can continue to limit the strikeouts, see more pitches and improve his overall plate discipline, Dee Gordon possesses the dynamic quality and talent to remain one of baseball’s top catalysts, even if he cannot quite replicate all of last season’s highs.
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