MLB: Five well-known hitters struggling at the plate this spring
It’s a fact that performances at the plate during MLB Spring Training aren’t always accurate indicators of how that same player will fare during the regular season. Some players take the opportunity to experiment with variations in their approach and swing, leading to skewed numbers. Other factors such as health and rust can contribute to declined production as well. With that being said, here are five prominent hitters who have been befuddled by their opponents’ pitching so far in spring 2016.
Next: Wil Myers
Wil Myers
Wil Myers, the 2013 American League Rookie of the Year, continues to struggle to reproduce that season. After slashing .253/.336/.427 in 2015, Myers has looked even worse at the plate so far this spring. In 19 at-bats spread over eight games, Myers has two hits with one run batted in and has struck out six times. He has drawn four walks to raise his on-base percentage to .261, but the San Diego Padres are going to need more from their center fielder if they are going to have any chance to compete in a loaded National League West division.
Next: Danny Santana
Danny Santana
Minnesota Twins shortstop Danny Santana showed that he was worthy of his top prospect billing after his call-up in 2014, hitting .319 with 40 RBIs and 20 stolen bases in 101 games. He regressed from those numbers in just 91 games in 2015, hitting only .215 while driving in 21 runs and swiping only eight bags.
Injuries and poor performance at the plate have hampered him so far this spring as well. Santana has just three hits in 23 at-bats and has yet to even attempt to steal a base due to what the team is calling a tender left wrist.
Tender wrist for Danny Santana. #MNTwins hope he returns by Wednesday
— Mike BerardinoNDI (@MikeBerardino) March 12, 2016
If the Twins are going to build on a surprisingly good 2015, they will need Santana healthy and productive both on the base paths and at the plate.
Next: Evan Longoria
Evan Longoria
Evan Longoria improved all of his slash numbers last season over 2014, but had a significant drop in RBIs (91 in 2014 to 73 in 2015) and the price tag on him is getting ever more costly (the Tampa Bay Rays owe him $105.5 million for the rest of his contract guaranteed through 2022, along with having to pay him $5 million in 2023 to buy him out).
This has led many to question whether the best move for Tampa Bay would be to trade Longoria. His performance at the plate so far this spring might add fuel to that fire. Longoria has recorded a mere three hits in 18 at-bats and has yet to drive in a run with seven strikeouts.
Not only will trade talks intensify if this level of production continues for Longoria, but the Rays might have a tough time finding a trade partner for a player with that salary who shows such a poor return on the investment.
Next: Melky Cabrera
Melky Cabrera
The 2015 season saw a significant uptick in strikeouts for Melky Cabrera, as he whiffed 88 times. That’s the second-highest single-season total of his career, topped only by a 94-strikeout campaign in 2011.
Through 18 at-bats so far this spring, Cabrera has a 3:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and has as many strikeouts as he does hits. Chicago White Sox fans can take heart, however, if history is any indicator of future success.
Cabrera followed that 2011 season with an All-Star 2012 in which he slashed .346/.390/.516 (all career highs) for the World Series Champion San Francisco Giants. The South-Siders could make good use of a repeat performance in 2016.
Next: Paul Goldschmidt
Paul Goldschmidt
Goldy enjoyed an MVP-caliber season in 2015. The Arizona Diamondbacks are hoping for even bigger and better things in 2016, for more reasons than just possessing one of the game’s best first basemen in Paul Goldschmidt.
So far this spring, it’s looking like Goldschmidt may have to make some adjustments.
Through 19 at-bats in seven games, Goldschmidt has a slash line of .211/.292./211 and seven strikeouts, though he does have three RBI. Conventional wisdom says there no reason to be concerned about a player of Goldschmidt’s caliber, but for his notoriety and meager numbers so far, he’s worthy of a mention here.