Swings of a long season
Thames knows about ups, downs
PITTSBURGH - Considering Eric Thames’ torrid start to the season, the inevitable first drop in production he experienced was certain to draw some attention.
So there the Milwaukee Brewers first baseman sat at his locker on Sunday morning at PNC Park. He wasn’t feeling all that well, still chilled from the previous night’s mid-40s temperatures, but nevertheless trying to explain that, despite a ninegame homerless streak, not much had changed for him at the plate.
“I feel like the way I’m being pitched is the same,” he said. “I’m a tad slower because I’m fouling everything off. But that’s the way it is. When I was going well I wasn’t fouling those balls off. But now I’m fouling them off when it’s 0-2 and 2-2 and I have to grind and battle.”
Then came that afternoon’s 6-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park, and all seemed right with Thames once again.
He singled in his first at-
bat, doubled in his second with help on a misplay from rightfielder John Jaso and then capped his day by homering in the ninth. It was the 12th of the season for Thames, good for second in the major leagues and, more important, good for his spirits.
“It was freezing the last three games,” he said with a laugh. The Brewers had battled rain and cold temperatures in St. Louis before facing more of the same in Pittsburgh.
“Timing was off, routine was off. It just felt good for the whole team. Sun was out and it was a nice day for the bats to kind of come alive, and to get hot again going into the off-day was huge.
“For me, I’m still trying to work out some kinks in my shoulders and I’m moving a little too much in my swing. But I’m trying to work through that and showing up every day to play.”
Manager Craig Counsell typically laughs at overreaction to small sample sizes and his response was predictable on Sunday morning when asked what he’d been seeing from Thames, who came into the day hitting .176 with just one extra-base hit over his last nine games.
“I’m seeing the baseball season. It’s just the baseball season,” Counsell said. “He’s hit some balls hard, they’ve been caught. It’s the baseball season. Guys make pitches on him.
“He’s doing great. He’s doing fine. I don’t see that anything’s changed for him. It’s just part of the season.”
A few hours later Counsell was amused as he addressed the same reporters after Thames’ 3-for-4 outing.
“He’s continued to have good at-bats,” he said. “He’s on a good pace. He’s having a very nice season.”
The first three or so weeks were incredible for Thames, who hit 11 homers in his first 19 games and was leading the majors in any number of major offensive categories. His streak of homers in five straight games from April 13-17 tied a Milwaukee franchise record, and his 11 homers and 28 runs scored in the month of April set new marks.
But just as he and most everyone else expected, opposing scouting reports began catching up. So did a nagging hamstring injury.
The homers went away, as did the extrabase hits, and Thames was forced to adjust. Not having Ryan Braun hitting behind him for the last week hasn’t helped, either.
Sunday’s game started Thames back in the right direction, he hopes, and Braun should return from his forearm issue soon. But Thames expects pitchers will continue to attack him just as they have over the last week and a half.
“I don’t see as many fastballs,” Thames said. “But this (Pittsburgh) series I’ve seen a lot because they can tell I’m a little bit slower. A lot of guys throw off-speed now. It depends who’s hitting behind me, too.
“Lot of breaking balls, lot of changeups. Hard and soft away. They’re pitching me like a power hitter. It’s expected. I thought they were going to do that. It’s on me now to make the adjustment physically and start pouncing on pitches.”
Thames learned all about patience and belief in himself and his talents as he tore up the Korean Baseball Organization the previous three seasons, so he hasn’t made any rash changes to his routine.
He still can be found walking around the clubhouse with a bat in his hand, visualizing his swing. He’s doing a little more preventive maintenance with regard to his body, trying to stay as fresh as possible and ward off any more potential lingering injuries.
Thames has learned to say no to interview requests now on occasion, too — not because his usual pleasant demeanor has suddenly changed, but because the constant attention had begun wearing him down.
“It was a blessing, obviously, but it was a little tiring talking,” he said. “There was just a lot of talking for a month straight. It was like, ‘OK, I just need to not talk for a few days and just focus on hitting and stuff.’ “It took a toll.” Thames and the Brewers welcome the Boston Red Sox to town for the first time since 2003 on Tuesday for a three-game interleague series. They’ll catch a big break by missing ace left-hander Chris Sale, but two other left-handers are slated to pitch in Drew Pomeranz and Eduardo Rodriguez.
Thames is actually hitting southpaws better than righties this season — .360 to .313 — so that won’t faze him. His season numbers still have him ranked among the best in baseball with a .308 average, the 12 homers, 20 RBI, 30 runs scored, a .424 on-base percentage and an OPS of 1.116.
He’s well aware that the video-game numbers are likely to return to earth over the coming weeks, and that another homerless spell could be around the corner. As Counsell says and Thames understands, it’s a baseball season.
“That’s how it is — the waves of the baseball season,” Thames said. “Sometimes you’re barreling everything up and sometimes you just don’t.”