James Loney’s ongoing quest for an extra-base hit
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James Loney is hitting his way out of his prolonged slump -- or is he?
Well, he’s getting a few hits, and that is progress. As The Times’ Dylan Hernandez noted, he’s 13 for 34 (.342) over his last 11 games. His batting average has risen from .170 to .226 during the ‘streak.’
But it’s about as modest a streak as can be imagined. All 13 hits have been singles, which is not exactly a new theme for Loney. In his 128 at-bats on the season, he has exactly two extra-base hits.
Two. As in one plus one. Comes just before three. Right after embarrassing.
Loney has one double and one home run on the entire season. His last extra-base hit was on April 6 when he hit a solo homer. The 13 hits in his current streak produced one RBI.
His numbers on the season are stunningly feeble (.227 batting average, .263 on-base percentage and a .258 slugging percentage).
Which unfortunately is something of an ongoing trend. He hit .211 after the All-Star break last season. His slugging percentage the final two months of 2010 was a paltry .335.
Research by Mike Petriello of Mike Scioscia’s Tragic Illness website shows Loney’s lack of extra-pace hits puts him on an historic pace for first basemen, as in the worst in 60 years.
I’m not one of those hung up on his limited home-run output for a first baseman. Not when he’s driving the ball, lacing doubles, collecting RBI and playing some outstanding defense.
Only now, he’s just playing outstanding defense. And finally lacing a few singles.
Maybe it’s a start. Maybe hits turn into line drives, which turn into doubles, which turn Loney back into the player his dwindling supporters still carry the flag for. He just turned 27 on Saturday, so it’s silly to toss him to the curb.
But on a team struggling for offense, there figures to be a limit to the amount of patience Loney ultimately gets this season. None of the other current options are great -- Jerry Sands, Jay Gibbons, Marcus Thames, and Casey Blake when he returns -- but they are options.
At the least, if he doesn’t turn it around, platooning figures into his future. Against left-handers this season he’s a miserable .194-.188-.194.
The Dodgers look at his sweet swing, his youth, his past success, and cross their fingers and hope for the best. Then they look at his numbers since last July and begin to think that they might be forced to make alternate plans.
-- Steve Dilbeck