It's as regular as the spring rain in the midwest.
Barry Larkin was a notoriously slow starter, regularly entering May while still below the Mendoza line.
Worked out OK for Lark. ;)
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After the way he finished last season it is fair to be disappointed with Bruce's start. I am sure many of us (myself included) were expecting him to shoot out of the gate.
Bruce entered Saturdays game with 10K's in 26 AB's he was still hitting .269.
7 of the 16 balls he has put in play have been hits.
I'd say he's not picking up the spin on the pitch as well as he'd like to. I believe he'll be fine.
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The Reds are 6-2, 2.5 up on Milwaukee and 4 up on St. Louis. They have the 3rd best run differential in all of baseball.
I think it's a little early to panic about anything. Enjoy the hot start.
As good as Jay was during the final push of the 2010 season, it is very discouraging to see him struggle now. As a Reds fan, one can only hope that his troubles with pitch recognition is a temporary diversion. The kid is at a cross roads, even if he is already the best defensive right fielder in the game.
For me, the better question is, when will Bruce start having better at bats? I still see him being badly fooled on off speed pitches, which gets him into bad counts, which leads him to either a.) striking out or b.) grounding right into the 2B.
I'm starting to feel like this is schtick. Right? It's hard to get internet humor, but this isn't serious is it?
You don't know that he lacks that confidence in his own game. I've seen some of the best players in the game, including Reds, get off to slow starts, and not just the first week but the first month.
That's not true. He's had more bad ABs then good ones, but it's only been 29 ABs. But he has had some good ABs.
No one denies his "struggles" over the last couple of years; but don't fall into the trap of prejudicing yourself what he may do in 2011 - especially after only 8 games - because of those couple of previous years. He just turned 24.
Also - last night he, as well as the rest of this lineup, faced one heck of a pitching performance by the D'Back's Hudson. The guy 3 hit us, and pitched a gem.
But having said that.... I do believe Bruce still has problems with breaking stuff, and that his swing is too long. He needs to learn to adjust better, shorten up, in certain situations. It was interesting, watching last night's game, and after Bruce K'd in the later innings with runners on, that Janish did just that (choked up) and got an RBI hit. Cowboy also talked about that.
I haven't read this whole thread because it's pretty silly. There are two things I'd like to say though:
1) I'm not worried about Jay Bruce. He'll be just fine. He's just a little streaky.
2) I don't believe he'll come close to being as good as Joey Votto. Bruce may be more talented and he's still young, but my eyes are telling me he'll never reach the level Votto is at right now. I'm not upset or disappointed in this, but there are those who think Bruce will get to Votto's level. I don't see it happening.
http://www.askgeorgeyeo.com/panic.jpg
http://www.jokeoverflow.com/wp-conte...erreaction.jpg
When will Bruce start hitting?
When he starts hitting.
Let's wait for maybe 100 ABs before we cut him.
Good post and I think its the actual point of the thread. Bruce will, in all likelihood, go through some hot streaks and more cold streaks, All players do. I'm sure when the season winds down, he'll have pretty decent numbers. The issue is really whether he is ready to step forward and become an elite player. I think its OK to question that with the approach that he is showing so far. IMO, for the Reds to perform at the level we want (championship contender), Bruce needs to become that elite player. Its the most likely spot for this tesm to step it up a notch from last season. If Bruce is simply status quo to 2010, that doesn't bode well for this teams championship hopes.
I don't have any problems with this thread. The wording may be a bit overly dramatic, but the underlying point is valid. Its possible that the player Bruce became in the last couple months of 2010 was simply a hot streak and not a permanent maturation. If so, its a problem for this team as currently constructed IMO.
Jay isn't struggling from a lack of confidence, he is struggling because as usual Jay Bruce is pressing to make something happen. I mean if what pitchers keep throwing him doesn't tell you something then you aren't paying attention. Jay Bruce would beat the ever living stuffing out of those breaking pitches if he was patient, think about it. Teams know he is swinging too soon and they will take advantage of it until he quits it. Getting that contract put even more pressure on him, so just as soon as he gets to rock bottom he will start hitting again because he will finally figure out that he needs to quit worrying about outside pressure and play the game. Heck he even said in an interview in spring training (30 in 30) that he was putting pressure on himself, problem was he wasn't even aware he was saying it.
(Talking about coming off a good year and getting that big contract)
Vasgersian - ..........how that status now may change your preparation if at all going into the new year?
Bruce - "Ya know what mentally it might change a little bit but physically I'm still ya know, coming out here with the same ya know approach the same goals......"etc.
The answer to that question should be "not at all!". Clearly this is Jay Bruce, a guy who always feels he has something to prove, when he lets that go and starts just playing ball he will fine. But his play is gonna come and go until the time that he "gets it". That time is different for everyone but most young players struggle with it.
I should add he'll get there much sooner the less fans give him a hard time about it. Once the people in the media and the impatient fans get started it's gonna be tougher.
Season starting slumps are always glaring, just like 5-0 looked more impressive than just a five game winning streak because a team is "undefeated."
Slumping hitters look clueless at the plate for a week, hit at 'em balls for a few days as they are coming out of it, then balls are flying all over the place for hits for a week. Been watching the game for close to 40 years now, and this is just the way the game works for major league hitters, even moreso for sluggers. Bruce is one of those, so hang tight.