We are seven games into the Blue Jays season, I thought it would be a good time to take a look at what's happening with the bats.
First, it's not going as easy as we hoped it would. The offense hasn't been the world beaters we were expecting (it's early, I think I'll say it's early 50 times in this little post). Seven games in and we've scored more than 5 runs once. And that game we lost. Averaging 4.1 runs a game isn't what we expected. As a team we are hitting .223/.291/.373 with 21 walks and 71 strikeouts. Yeah we all know about the strikeouts.
There are two guys hitting the way we would expect. Josh Donaldson and Jose Bautista have been great. Bautista's hitting .286/.500/.667, showing his usual great eye at the plate. He's been terrific. I often think I'd like to flip him and Donaldson in the batting order, but it's working like this.
Donaldson says he's not happy with his swing, but he's hitting .310/.355/.759. He does seem to have the odd bad at bat. but he's allowed. The tightness in his leg isn't effecting his power.
Beyond those two? Ryan Goins is hitting about what we'd expect (.286/.318/.333). He has a better average than we should expect, about right with the on base. He has only one extra base hit, so far, but it's early. He's been pretty reasonable at the plate. Edwin Encarnacion has a good batting average (.296), but doesn't have an extra base hit yet, which isn't like him, but he's usually a slow starter. And Michael Saunders hasn't been bad, .263/.300/.474 with a home run. I have worries about his leg still, haven't seen him run full out since early in spring training, but he's been hitting decent.
Beyond those 5:
- Kevin Pillar hasn't been the leadoff hitter we'd like, at least yet.He's hitting .207/.233/.310. It would be helpful if he could get on base in front of Josh and Jose more. He does seem to be a streaky hitter. Last year he had some great months and some terrible months.
- Russell Martin has 2 singles, no walks and 10 (!) strikeouts in 20 at bats. He has made good contact on occasion, but no one can be successful striking out half the time. It's early and all, and he's looking great behind the plate. Yesterday went a long way towards resting people's minds about whether he could catch Estrada or not.
- Troy Tulowitzki hasn't looked good with the bat either. .120/.207/.240 with 1 home run. He had an ok spring, but hasn't looked good since the season started.10 strikeouts in 25 at bats isn't what I'd expect. In the field, he's been great, other than a couple of bad moments with his old glove. Once a ball got stuck in the glove, once a ball went through his glove. I do think it's pretty unforgivable to mess up a play because the ball goes through you glove, but then I have the same glove I've had since I was 15. I don't know if I could catch with anything else.
- Chris Colabello has just 1 single in 12 at bats, with no walks and 5 strikeouts.It isn't really fair to get on him since he hasn't really played enough yet, but I wish he would take walks when they are given. I have doubts that he can continue to be a valuable hitter if he won't walk. I'm not sure that the whole platoon thing doesn't play a bit with his head. I'm sure there are times when he thinks 'I have to hit today or I'll sit tomorrow'.