Texas Rangers’ manager Ron Washington looking to keep Nelson Cruz as performance dips – MLB Update
Texas Rangers’ powerhouse out-fielder Nelson Cruz started the Major League Baseball season with a blast, as he went into the first four games and smashed homers in all those fixtures. Unfortunately, his form seems to be cooling down causing concern for the
club.
Nelson Cruz was in the Texas Rangers line-up that went to the World Series, last year. Even though the club was not able to win the trophy by beating the San Francisco Giants, they added experience to players like Cruz.
The out-fielder has been unable to pack good power hits in the last few games for the Rangers. The star has gone with six hits from 37 At-Bats in the last ten games and that spells trouble for the player.
Manager Ron Washington has been led to believe that giving him some time to rest is not going to help the player and that is why the skipper wants him to play in at least one game as a designated hitter. So far, the player has not smashed a homer in his
ten-game stint and has just driven in two runs with the bat.
Washington believes there is no point in giving the player time off, as a designated hitter’s position would rest him up, just as well.
"The important thing is to get him going, and giving him the day off is not going to help," Washington said.
The skipper sees the player trying to pull the ball instead of giving the field a good look.
"It's important he stays in the big part of the field," Washington said. "Once he does that, the rest of it will take care of itself. It's nothing big ... he's just pulling off the ball. Pulling off against good pitching is not going to work."
Cruz was on a batting average of .360 in his first nine games. His last home run came against the Baltimore Orioles on April 9.
"I feel the same way I did at the start of the season," Cruz said. "The results just aren't there. I'm trying to go the other way. I'm not trying to pull the ball. I just have to keep working."
If Cruz can get a big hit off the Kansas City Royals tomorrow, that would ease the tension for the Rangers.
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