Correa hopes cage time pays off at the plate
PORT ST. LUCIE — When speaking at the end of last season of holes he needed to fix in his swing, Carlos Correa declined to elaborate.
But five months later, the first week of spring training games have provided clues as to which areas the Astros star shortstop focused on in the offseason.
Slight adjustments to Correa’s stance have been evident through his first 12 Grapefruit League plate appearances. Among the most noticeable differences: He’s positioning his hands higher and standing a little taller.
Asked on Friday about the adjustments, Correa said he’s been focused on keeping his elbow lower and more relaxed so his swing “can be more fluid.” Last year his elbow was “a little higher,” he said.
“I don’t want (my elbow) to be above my shoulder,” he said. “I want it to be level in order for me to stay behind the ball and drive it.”
Correa, who is 2 for 8 with a double and four walks so far in spring, also acknowledged he’s standing taller in the batter’s box but “still staying strong in my legs.”
“In 2015 I was standing a little taller, strong on my legs, giving myself more room to drive the ball,” he said. “I’m working on my stride. I don’t want it to be too long, either. I want it to stay short.”
Over the winter, Correa worked in the Minute Maid Park batting cages about five afternoons a week with his father, Carlos Sr.
He also had his longtime hitting coach from Puerto Rico, Jose Rivera, fly up for the last month of the offseason.
Correa said on Friday he’s “been feeling really good at the plate” but made sure to point out several times that “it’s been only eight at-bats.”
“I want to do it for 600 at-bats,” he said. “Try to stay consistent.”
Simpler swing a clean hit
Maybe Jake Marisnick really has figured something out offensively.
The ninth-hole hitting outfielder, who arrived to spring training excited about improvements he made on his swing, accounted for three of the Astros’ eight hits in their 11-3 loss to the Mets on Friday.
After singling in the third and fourth innings, he cemented his afternoon with a solo blast to left field off Kevin McGowan to lead off the seventh.
“I think the biggest thing I’m worried about is making sure I maintain the work I’m doing and kind of adjust approach,” he said. “The only thing I changed today from the last couple days is just kind of what I was thinking in the game and timing. But the swing has been feeling really good regardless of the results. I’m pretty excited about it.”
If Marisnick hits even a little this year, he would increase his value considerably. He is an elite defender in any of the three outfield positions and a good baserunner but enters this season a .225 hitter with a dismal .607 OPS in 956 career at-bats.
Marisnick on Friday described his current swing is “simpler.” His hands are a set a little further back and he’s keeping his bat in the strike zone longer.
“It’s just cleaner,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “He controls the bat head a lot easier. He gets in the right position to hit. It gives him a little bit longer time to recognize pitches. He covers the plate a lot better. There’s a little bit of everything that’s impacted his ability to make better contact on more pitches.”
Pitcher Rodgers rocked by Mets
Astros righthander and Richmond native Brady Rodgers, who is likely to begin the season back in the Class AAA rotation, was shelled over two-plus innings of team’s 11-3 loss to the New York Mets on Friday at First Data Field.
Rodgers allowed six runs, four in the third inning and two more in the fifth. A two-run home run by Neil Walker ended the 26-year-old righthander’s afternoon before he was able to record an out in the fifth.
“It was a rough one,” he said. “I didn’t really have command of anything. It felt like if I was missing my spot it was either way off the plate or right down the middle. It’s just one of those days. You’ve just got to wear it sometimes and try to work on some stuff in the bullpen to figure out what was wrong.”
Odds and ends
Lance McCullers’ simulated game Saturday should last two innings. If it goes well, he could start as soon as Thursday. … Dallas Keuchel remains on schedule to throw hs simulated game on Tuesday morning during the team’s off day. … Will Harris threw off a mound Friday and could get into his next game within a few days. The reliever pitcher exited Tuesday’s game mid-inning because of groin tightness but he and manager A.J. Hinch have downplayed the removal as precautionary. … Evan Gattis (shoulder soreness) has increased his throwing but won’t catch his first Grapefruit League game until at the earliest Wednesday.