So wtf is wrong with this guy? Look at the 2004 splits. See September? 13-for-76, 26 Ks (34%), 8 BBs, a .171 / .284 / .342 line? See post-ASB, 57-for-243, 80 Ks (33%), 20 BBs, a .235 / .322 / .453 line? Even Dave Kingman limited the Ks to 27%. Wilson struck out 28% of the time in the (very good) first half of 2004.
As we close the book on April, we can state plainly that Wilson more or less repeated those September numbers. 15-for-64, 21 Ks (33%), 13 BBs, a .234 / .388 / .250. That's a lot of walks - .388 is one hell of an OBP on a hollow .234 performance - but we're not asking him to lead off.
Strikeouts are not necessarily a terrible thing. Adam Dunn struck out 33% of the time last year and he's up to the same tricks this year. But he's batting .292. The difference there might be luck. But three-quarters of Dunn's hits this year have been for extra bases. Only one of Wilson's fifteen hits have been for extra bases. The difference there is not luck.
What gives? Any theories? Why more Ks and no power? One extra-base hit in 64 at-bats is Sean Burroughsesque.
And may we not hear "he's pressing." That's got to be the laziest thing in the world to "report." If a ballplayer isn't pressing every day out, especially if he's starting for a team that has endured twelve consecutive losing seasons, then he's not worth more than a shit or two. No more Kordell Stewart bullshit about how it's all about having fun. That's mollycoddle bullshit. If a player doesn't enjoy "pressing," or doesn't perform at a high level when he "presses," then he doesn't belong in the big leagues.
I can understand why a player would tell the media that he's pressing. If he's having some very difficult time doing some particular aspect of his job at the plate, perhaps (a) he doesn't want to talk about it and (b) he thinks it wouldn't help to tell the media and help spread the word. As if ballclubs get their scouting information from the opposing team's newspapers. So what's the real story here? My hunch is that we will have to figure this out for ourselves. Where has all the power gone?
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