Swanson doesn’t let social media flak affect his psyche

When Dansby Swanson hit .156 with a .433 OPS in April, the Braves’ heir-apparent Golden Boy was golden no more. At least not on social media, where shredding the photogenic rookie shortstop became popular sport.

And when his temporary surge in May was followed by a 2-for-29 slump in the final nine games of the month, “send him to the minors” became a mantra, not just on Twitter and Facebook but also in some blogs, columns and fan websites.

For a local kid from Marietta High who received so much adulation at Vanderbilt University and after being the No. 1 overall selection in the 2015 draft, it’s easy to think it might be soul-crushing and depressing having so many folks seemingly eager to chop you down from a pedestal on which many of those same people had helped place you.

“I mean, it’s different, for sure,” said Swanson, 23. “I think ultimately it helps you just kind of, in a reverse way, helps push you to understand that you just need to be yourself. That ultimately, what happens inside this clubhouse is what matters.

“It’s not that we don’t appreciate fans and everything, it’s just that at the end of the day, with things like that what matters is our team chemistry in the clubhouse and our effort each day. The other stuff you can’t really control anyway.”

He’s gotten back to doing Dansby things lately, hitting .407 (11 for 27) with eight RBIs in eight June games before Saturday. His contributions were pronounced in Friday’s 3-2 win, when he had a two-run double to put the Braves ahead in the sixth inning, made a tremendous defensive play, and hustled to stretch a single to a double in the ninth inning. He then scored the winning run on fellow rookie Rio Ruiz’s pinch-hit walk-off single.

Swanson said he avoided going on social media afterward to check the praise for the same reason he tended to avoid social media during his extended struggles.

“I try not to get in the habit of it,” he said. “I mean, sometimes it’s kind of unavoidable — even if you’re on social media not looking at anything and it just happens to pop up. But I try to ultimately just stay away from it, good or bad, because you’re never as bad as someone says you are and you’re never as good as someone says you are. So it’s best just to find that middle.”

JOHN BAZEMORE / ASSOCIATED PRESS Dansby Swanson, diving into second base with a double against the Mets on Friday, seems to have bounced back in June from his late May slump.