Davey Johnson busy streamlining Washington Nationals’ offensive front - MLB Feature
While Washington Nationals have a great time at Spring Training and winning five out of eight games they have played so far, Davey Johnson is conscious of the areas that his team need improvements in. Among the batters he is currently working to fine-tune
their techniques are Ian Desmond and Danny Espinosa.
Johnson was extremely impressed by Desmond last year, in particular at the end of the season when he glimpsed his aggression and controlled swinging. However this season, Desmond has not been able to continue with same attitude of batting as he dithers quite
often now and is not displaying the kind of command he exhibited in 2011.
For the same reason, Johnson is now set to indulge with him in person and help him get over the self-generated confusions he things are affecting his composure on the plate.
“The only guy I’m a little concerned with is Desi,” Johnson said.
When Desmond posted a .314/.352/.443 batting average during last 44 games he played in 2011, he was looked upon as one of the greatest prospects for Nationals next season but looking at his performance on Saturday when he managed only one hit in 14 at-bats,
it seems no more the case.
One of the reasons, manager Johnson believes is his obsession with something he is not good at and therefore he is planning an immediate counter re-enforcement for him.
Danny Espinosa is another player manager Johnson is taking time to help him work out many areas he struggles in. As he is a switch hitter with a left hand batting average of 223/.314/.393 and right hand average of 283/.361/.496 last year, he has yet to make
up his mind as to which way he prefers to bat for optimum performance.
As regard to his Minor League outings, he was best with left hand hitting but at Major League his strength was to be rendered his greatest weakness by quality pitchers who seized upon his loopholes which were perhaps unnoticed there.
“He’ll be my pet project to get him as consistent from the left as I know he has been in the minor leagues,” Johnson said. “But there was a drop off at the major league level. I thought his swing from the left side was a little long.”
The fact Johnson and a Nationals’ veteran Mark DeRosa are continuously having a chat with him and telling him that how he has been exploited in the games, Espinosa, now disillusioned about his batting flaws has started to show some improvements.
“He’s been a quick study,” Johnson said. “He’s been swinging the bat equally well now from both sides.”
Meanwhile, a glance at Nationals 2012 roster can easily help us pick out DeRosa, Adam LaRoche and Stephen Lombardozzi as hot contenders for opening day batters. Backed by 452 RBIs, 93 home-runs, fairly decent batting average of .272 and above all an impressive
slugging percentage of .416, DeRosa brings to Nationals an experience largely younger lot of players need immensely. Next to him can be LaRoche who boasts 584 RBIs to his name, 164 home-runs and a batting average of .267.
As veterans like DeRosa and LaRoche hardly need much attention, Johnson will do a great service by bringing younger players like Desmond and Espinosa at par with their fellow men in terms of hitting home runs and slugging percentage.
Essence of training is detecting bugs and flaws and removing them at the earliest. In this regard manager Davey Johnson appears fully aware of his duties and by helping Desmond and Espinosa bring improvements in their batting; he can lift the Nationals chances
for regular season in many ways.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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