Garrett Jones turned 28 last month. He has spent most of the last year-and-a-half in the minors. During that time he has consistently put up some solid power numbers – averaging 20 homers and 30 doubles during full AAA seasons.
Prior to this year, his MLB experience consisted of 84 PAs, a .208 BA and a 60 OPS+. Prior to this year, it wouldn’t have been unheard of for him to have never seen the light of a Major League field again. Yet, here he is. And he is producing. In 11 games he has five home runs and has scored nine times. He has homered in three straight games.
Without being cruel, he is a fringe player on a last place club. This might be his last chance to forge a name for himself. So, given that this club isn’t going anywhere, I suggest that he try to homer every time up. Swing from his heels and leave his shoes behind. Turn into Dave Kingman. It won’t hurt the team in any appreciable manner – maybe they’ll lose or win a couple of more depending on how much success he has. Who knows, maybe he’ll hit a homer in 8 straight games. Maybe he’ll hit 20 second half homers and make a run for the Rookie of the Year and then follow in the footsteps of Kevin Maas and Bob Hamelin.
That’s my hope for the second half – that a fringe Rookie who wasn’t even on the 40 man roster this time last year tries to crush one every time up in an attempt to make a name for himself.
