Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Matt LaPorta after 57 pitches

Last night, LaPorta chases a curve out of the strike zone. He pulls back and winces in disgust. Right now pitchers are trying to get LaPorta to chase breaking pitches out of the strike zone. They are only throwing him strikes 40% of the time (league average is 48%). LaPorta knows that this is what pitchers are doing, but he hasn't been able to layoff those pitches. He is swinging at 33% of the pitches out of the strike zone (league average is 27.4%).

Let's see, if LaPorta can make the adjustment. He is a key piece in the rebuilding process. Cleveland doesn't have any first base prospects waiting in the wings. Getting league average production from first base would be a huge step for the club.

Update: Interesting night for LaPorta. He swings at one curve out of the strike zone, but it was with 2 strikes. He gets a single on his first AB. He gets plunked by Reyes, and he hits a HR on Wakefield. I am guessing that LaPorta sits tomorrow. But I would like to see what he could do in day 2.

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