I've been thinking about Andruw Jones and maybe the reason why he's been struggling so much... We all know that the NL West has arguably the best pitching out of any of the 6 divisions in the league... Cain, Lincecum, Peavy, Young(even though he sucked tonight), Webb and Haren are all pitchers we've faced this season.... who all would be considered above average pitchers...with Andruw coming here from the NL East where his teams only play teams from the NL West six times a season...he is probably unfamiliar with these pitchers while everyone else in the lineup has seen all these pitchers extensively.....
I believe they say that pitchers seem to have the advantage over the hitters when they see each other the first time....Jones can watch all the video tape and take all the extra batting practice he needs...but facing live pitching in a game situation is a million times different then facing a batting practice pitcher... he's pressing while trying to figure out these unfamiliar pitchers in a new division....
I'm not making excuses for Jones...he's been in the league and had enough success long enough that he should be able to avoid the kind of a slump he's in right now regardless of the circumstances...but obviously that's not the case..he is plain awful right now through the first 11 games...there are no other words to describe it....god awful..
I guess there are two reasons for Jones's struggle...what i just posted...or he's past his prime and he'll never be anything remotely like he was before.... I'm not ready to call him washed up 11 games into the season...and I don't think we can sit him....he needs the repetitiveness of playing every day to get out of his slump right now....and this is going to upset a lot of people...
Andruw Jones getting his bat going is more important than whether or not Kemp is getting enough bats and whether we should sit Jones and put Kemp in center.
Matt Kemp has a bright future in this league....he's going to be VERY, VERY good....he is going to have a tremendous impact this season and for many, many seasons...but right now...for this team to succeed and make noise in this race...Jones has to hit...when Jones is hitting...his home run threat scares opposing pitchers....It's very important to have someone in the lineup that you worry will hit a home run every time he comes into the lineup...Jones has had that potential every year he's been in the league....Matt Kemp doesn't scare pitchers yet...but he will...mark my words..he will.
How long do we give Jones to break out of this slump? I'd say to the middle of May..if he hasn't improved by the middle of May then we look at other alternatives.
Another reason we need Jones to hit...is that all those people who want to trade Juan Pierre...that will never happen if Jones doesn't hit...he will be with this club until then.
Hopefully after we're done playing the NL West tomorrow...the quality of pitching Jones faces will diminish and he'll be able to get back on track..We have the Pirates and the Braves coming up next week..Hopefully he can hit the Braves...cause he's never faced them in a game before...I believe he should be able to hit the Pirates....hopefully.
Go Blue!!!
