clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Mark Reynolds Considers Changing His Swing, Not Sure Why Considering His .209 Batting Average

If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

I am no baseball expert but I am guessing that Mark Reynold's .209 batting average and a league-leading 107 strike-outs are signs that things aren't going well. In fact, Reynolds has more strike-outs since 2008 than any other hitter in the game. Way more.

↵

So after two-plus years of consistently failing to make contact he is perhaps considering that maybe the time might be near for a change in approach. Maybe.

↵
↵

"I've seen it wear on him this year more than it did last year," (Dbacks skipper) A. J. Hinch said, referring to Reynolds' strikeouts. "I don't think he's taking it as lightly as he did last year or as acceptably as he did last year. He seems to be grinding more about it this year.

↵

"I do think there needs to be some adjustments because as much as strikeouts are a part of his game, it seems to be dominating it more than it should."

↵
↵

But look, you don't want to rush these things when every so often you happen to make contact and drive the ball to the moon.

↵

It's a classic baseball trade-off that makes you pine for the good ole days when punch-hitting shortstops could tap the ball over the wall with a flick of the wrist. Now, with the return of pitching (and un-juiced baseballs) guys like Reynolds actually need to put in the work and decide just how important making contact really is.

↵

In other D-backs road-to-recovery news, Dontrelle Willis has finally decided that throwing strikes is better than throwing balls and made this vow, "I have to hit the target. I'm going to do it."

↵

Good plan.