Oakland A's outfielder is swinging often, and he's hitting the ball hard. Will it lead to different results than earlier this season?
A common strategy for hitters is to wait for their pitch. In the two games he's started since being recalled by the Oakland A's, Lawrence Butler has taken one pitch in the strike zone along with a handful of balls, and swung at the rest. Of the 23 pitches he's seen in these two games, he has swung the bat 17 times.
When asked whether this was his new approach or just a plan of attack against the Royals, Butler smiled and said, "They're throwin' it in the zone." Knowing the zone and hitting the ball hard when he swings the stick certainly help. "You get that first pitch in the zone, you might as well go for it. If you feel like you can drive it, you might as well swing. It helps me with contact.
He also says that being able to control the zone, along with his 85th percentile bat speed give him the tools he needs to still have success with two strikes. On Thursday Butler didn't have a ball called on him. Of the ten pitches he saw, he took one, whiffed on another, fouled off five, and put three in play. He was never ahead in the count, and managed to go 1-for-4 with a double that left the bat at 108.9 mph, and a groundout at 105.7 mph. He also reached base on a 91.
"It's no secret that the wins and losses will always be attached to me, but the success of those young players will also be attached to me. That's where the real joy and the reward comes from. Really watching these guys become big leaguers in front of your eyes."
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