TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -No one struck out more in the majors last season, no one committed more errors. Suffice it to say, Mark Reynolds has much to work on in spring training.
The young Arizona third baseman became the first player to lead both categories since Zoilo Versalles did it for the Minnesota Twins in 1965. Then again, Versalles was the AL MVP that year.
Whether it was swinging in vain at a pitch that was low and off the plate, or throwing the ball away on a routine grounder, Reynolds’ troubles seemed to come in bunches.
It was, Reynolds acknowledged, “kind of a snowball effect.”
“The media kind of started talking about it,” he said of what became a major league-record 204 strikeouts. “It got in my head a little bit, and I wasn’t able to get it out.”
The same could be said of his 35 errors.
“A lot of it is between the ears,” manager Bob Melvin said, “and if you get rolling in the wrong direction, sometimes it’s difficult to stop, especially if you’re a younger guy.”
et to the big leagues so quickly.
He was a utility infielder until he was made the starting third baseman for Double-A Mobile in 2007.
In May of that year, with a knee injury sidelining Arizona’s Chad Tracy, he was called up by the Diamondbacks and made an immediate impression as a power hitter. In 111 games, he hit .279 with 17 home runs and 62 RBIs to help Arizona to its surprising run to the NL West title.
Last year, in his first full season in the majors, the average dipped to .239 with 28 homers and 97 RBIs – and he struck out once in every four plate appearances.
The 25-year-old third baseman doesn’t buy the argument that he’s simply a power hitter prone to strike out.
“Of course I’m going to have some strikeouts, but not 200,” he said before Arizona’s spring training opener on Wednesday. “That’s just a ridiculous number.”
Asked to describe his main problem in technique, Reynolds said, “I get too far out in front out on my front foot. I drift more than I should.”
That gives him less time to see the ball, so he’s late when he swings.
Melvin said Reynolds simply needs to be more selective.
it as hard. … He’s athletic. He can put the bat on the ball.”
The Diamondbacks don’t want to change him too much lest they take away from his remarkable power.
“We’re still waiting with that to find that right mix for him,” Melvin said, “but I certainly would expect him to cut down on that this year.”
On the field, Reynolds is working with Matt Williams, who was one of the best defensive third basemen of his time.
“Matty and I are going out and doing a lot of work with arm slots and understanding what footwork to use on what plays, what arm angle to use in different scenarios, things like that,” Reynolds said. “I think that what he’s done for me so far in spring training has helped me immensely.”
Williams is even making sure Reynolds has the right footwork when he’s playing catch because “the more precise you can be, the more it will carry over into the game,” Melvin said.
Reynolds will make spectacular plays. The errors often come on balls hit right to him.
“A lot of times it will come on the routine play,” Melvin said, “when you’ve got a lot of time to throw across the diamond. That’s just setting your feet and getting confident and making an aggressive throw. The play where he’s on his stomach or down the line, he seems to be able to get up and get it across the diamond because he’s not thinking about it as much.”
Reynolds notes that he’s only played third full-time for two seasons. He also never had the benefit of Triple-A baseball.
“I think it all goes back to experience,” he said. “…Hopefully it will all come together for me this year.”
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