Early-season struggles might not mean a whole heck of a lot for teams around Major League Baseball. It’s how you’re playing in August and September that really matters. As long as your team doesn’t dig too big of a hole, everything should be okay. The same can’t be said for players who struggle out of the gate.
Find yourself under the mendoza line in April and see how long it takes you to dig out of that hole. Let’s check in on a few different MLB players stinking it up early season.
Prince Fielder, First Baseman, Texas Rangers
Not only has Fielder driven in a total of three runs in 12 games, he’s boasting a .149 batting average with a .249 on-base percentage for his new team. He has yet to homer and is only hitting .181 when he puts the ball in play. That’s downright atrocious. All the while, Ian Kinsler is hitting .302 for the Detroit Tigers. Fielder still has 150 games to turn it around, but he’s not proving skeptics wrong at this early point in the season.
Josh Reddick, Outfielder, Oakland Athletics
Courtesy of ESPN: It seems Reddick is long removed from his 30-plus homer days. Confidence is now an issue.
Reddick has gotten some solid swings in over the past two games, which could be an indication he’s about to turn it around. That’s going to have to happen sooner rather than later if the former Gold Glover is going to keep his spot in the A’s lineup. Not only is Reddick hitting .111 with a .179 on-base percentage, he has struck out in 33 percent of his plate appearances this season. No matter how good Reddick’s glove is in right field, he needs to step it up at the plate.
Dan Uggla, Infielder, Atlanta Braves
I can hear it now from the Braves’ faithful, “UGH.” Damn right, guys/gals. Uggla has been about the most atrocious baseball player in the Majors for some time now. His start to the 2014 season is no different. The veteran who once hit 30 homers in five consecutive seasons, simply doesn’t have what it takes to be a Major League caliber hitter anymore. Fresh off a 2013 campaign that saw him hit .179 with 171 strikeouts, Uggla is back at it again. He has eight hits in 44 at-bats and boasts a 27.3 percent strikeout rate. At what point to the Braves say enough is enough? That time has to be coming soon.
Billy Hamilton, Outfielder, Cincinnati Reds
Mark J. Rebilas, USA Today: Utterly atrocious is the best term to describe Hamilton’s early season performance.
I am not too entirely sure how the Reds didn’t see this coming. Everyone wants to talk about Hamilton’s amazing speed, and it’s awe inspiring, but he’s never really hit worth a lick, at least at the highest levels of the minors. Hamilton hit .256 with a pedestrian .308 on-base percentage at Triple-A Louisville in 2013. Expecting him to come to the majors and have an impact at the plate was foolhardy. In 39 at-bats this year, Hamilton has recorded just six hits and scored a grand total of three runs. He’s struck out nine times and boasts a sorry .195 on-base percentage. Equally as disturbing, Hamilton has struck out 22 percent of the time he’s been up to the plate in 2014. It might be time for the Reds to consider sending this youngster back to Kentucky.
Chris Carter, First Baseman, Houston Astros
As some point it becomes obvious that a player simply doesn’t have the fundamentals down to play in the big leagues. That time is quickly approaching for this massive power hitter, who simply can’t connect with a baseball to save his life. Maybe Carter should star in the remake of Signs 2, playing Joaquin Phoenix’ role. In any event, Carter once again leads the big’s with 18 strikeouts after posting a MLB high 212 a season ago. Over the course of his career, Carter has struck out in 40 percent of his at-bats. Just think about that for a second. This year, Carter .150 with a 39 percent strikeout rate. Unfortunately for the Astros, he has yet to hit a homer after knocking 29 out of the ballpark last year.
Photo: Kim Klement, USA Today