The Arizona Diamondbacks have started the 2014 season in horrendous fashion. In case you don’t believe me, they went 9-22 in the opening month (including three games in March) and had a run differential of -62. For you math geniuses scoring at home, that’s not a good number to have.
However, there was one bright spot for the D’backs and it was the performance of their shortstop Chris Owings.
Owings led all National League rookies in hitting through the month of April, and was rewarded for his prowess at the plate by being selected as the NL Rookie of the Month for April.
Retweet to congratulate #Dbacks shortstop @cowings5 on being named the National League Rookie of the Month for April! pic.twitter.com/vJMJDfswP8
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 5, 2014
He had a .313 batting average, and also led all NL rookies with five doubles, six extra-base hits, 26 hits and 28 games played. Owings swiped four bases, which was second among NL rookies, and was tied for second in runs scored with seven.
One of the best attributes Owings has is how he runs the bases. He has great speed, but also superb technique – from the way he hustles out of the box, to the route he takes to first, to the way he rounds bases.
Another thing he does well is hit with runners in scoring position, as indicated by his .308 average in 13 at-bats during this situation.
This is Owings’ first career monthly award and the second time a D-backs hitter has been selected NL Rookie of the Month (Gerardo Parra, May 2009). Some pitchers for Arizona have also earned the award with Daniel Hudson (August 2010) Wade Miley (April 2012) doing so.
Though Arizona has started the season in a bad way, Owings provides a glimpse of the future.
Photo: Joe Camporeale, USA Today