Hitting paradox: Slow Alfaro down to get him going
With Jorge Alfaro struggling at the plate, the Marlins are trying to get their catcher to play more under control. The Marlins won 4-1 over the Giants on Friday.
There are telltale signs — beyond just the abysmal offensive numbers — the Marlins can look at and tell why Jorge Alfaro is off to such a rocky offensive start to the 2021 MLB season.
It starts in the batter’s box, where Alfaro’s anticipatory bat wiggle is a little more tense than it typically is. It continues on the basepaths, where Alfaro is running noticeably slower as an act of caution for his dinged up left hamstring. They’re signs of change for the catcher, Don Mattingly said, and an intentional effort for the Marlins to unlock the best in Alfaro.
“We’re trying to calm him down,” the manager said.
“We feel like he’d be probably a better hitter at 80 percent.”
In his three years in Miami, Alfaro has carved out a role as the Marlins’ everyday catcher with obvious hallmarks to his often up-and-down performance.
His arm strength behind the plate is tantalizing. His raw power is undeniable. For a catcher, his speed is almost legendary. It all comes as part of the package for Alfaro, who’s always going “full out,” Mattingly said, and has never batted better than .262. The nickname “El Oso,” Spanish for “The Bear,” is fitting for the 6-3, 230-pound righty.
After Alfaro batted just .226
with a .280 on-base percentage and .344 slugging percentage last season, Miami (5-7) is trying to harness the best of his bear-like attributes by slowing him down. Mechanlike
ically, his issues at the plate come on his turn and the Marlins’ belief is, essentially, he’s trying to do too much to generate power.
‘That’s really where we feel
a lot of the problems come. When he starts to try to get more, he seems to do it with the turn,” Mattingly said.