<!--quoteo(post=37808:date=May 14 2009, 01:30 AM:name=Clapp)-->QUOTE (Clapp @ May 14 2009, 01:30 AM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=37804:date=May 14 2009, 12:00 AM:name=KBwsb)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KBwsb @ May 14 2009, 12:00 AM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Man, what the hell has gotten into Theriot? Can we really expect him to be a mini power threat? It's good to see him cracking the lumber like this.
I recall that when he first came up (late '06?) he had some power, but it was doubles power.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Like Lou said again today, he routinely does it in BP. He's just turning on the ball with authority after Lou told him to. He knew his role on the team and was just trying to get on base for the middle of the order. Now he's making an effort to drive the ball in hitter's counts and with guys on base. He's always had a quick bat and been capable of it, just never really made an effort to do so.
What worries me is as they showed on CSN, he's hit these 5 homers this month, but he's also only hitting .256 compared to .317 last month. Yes if he keeps driving in runs, awesome. But odds are he won't hit too many more, and hopefully he doesn't get away from what he was so good at before, smacking singles to right field and getting on base a ton. He's currently on pace to walk 64 times and strike out 103 times. Last year he walked 73 times and struck out just 58 times, which was a career high. He's already at 21 this year, including 9 in just 40 at bats this month. That's very unlike him.
All of these homers have been on inside fastballs, so hopefully he's just turning on those with authority and will still go to right field on pitches away like last year. He's talking the same as he always has, "I'm not a power hitter, I'm just trying to get on base for Aramis, Lee, Bradley...", but after you hit some bombs, it's gotta feel pretty badass, so who knows.
If it's some combo of how he was last year with some homers tossed in, even better.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I think it's just an adjustment. Everyone in the world knows he can handle an outside pitch, so he's showing people that if you pitch him hard and in, he's going to turn on it.
