Texas Rangers' García Takes Selective Approach in Spring Training
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If you were like Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy and this spring was the first time you thoroughly evaluated club, you’ll come to a few conclusions.
One of those being Adolis García is a patient hitter, which is a crazy conclusion considering his history. However, in camp, García is showing patience at the plate.
“I didn’t know Adolis until I came here this spring, and I saw him chase one slider, and it might have been a pitch he chased a lot,” Bochy said. “But he’s shown good discipline at the plate, so I haven’t seen it. That’s why I like to form my own evaluation until I see these guys.”
In 43 plate appearances, García has walked eight times. It’s similar to the numbers in Spring Training last year for García, where he walked six times in 36 plate appearances.
The positive that came out of that spring was García walked slightly more and marginally struck out less in more at-bats. While it was an improvement, plate discipline remained a topic heading into the offseason.
Last season, the Rangers finished second in the American League in strikeouts and drew the sixth fewest walks. García, meantime, struck out in 30.4 percent of his at-bats, and his 183 strikeouts were third in Major League Baseball behind Kyle Schwarber and Eugenio Suárez.
If you take the top 20 players in MLB in strikeouts, all walked at least 41 or more times, except García and Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Brandon Marsh.
“I’ve seen a guy this is not what you might read in the report or his evaluation,” Bochy said about García. “He is throwing out really good at-bats. His discipline has been very good this spring. That’s what’s impressed me about him.”
Don't expect García’s aggressiveness at the plate to ultimately deteriorate. However, what hurt him in his fantastic rookie season run were his struggles on pitches out of the zone.
Texas doesn't want to get rid of García’s free-swinging mentality, but pitch selection will be vital in reducing the strikeouts and raising the walks. This spring he's heading in the right direction.
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