Peralta looking to improve defensively
07/20/2006CLEVELAND -- The Indians expect their young players to grow every year.
Jhonny Peralta's body took that notion literally.
When he reported to Spring Training in February, Peralta, then 23, against all logic, stood an inch and a half taller than he had in 2005, when he was listed at 6-foot-1. He had also gained 10 pounds, bulking up to about 205.
It was, as general manager Mark Shapiro put it, "a very late time to have a growth spurt."
For an organization that has long pondered whether Peralta might outgrow his shortstop position, the spurt has been somewhat of a concern. And Shapiro said he's not ruling out the possibility that it's played a role in what has been a frustrating defensive season for Peralta.
"[The spurt] can't be overlooked," Shapiro said.
Nor can the limited range and erratic throwing tendencies Peralta, who was signed to a five-year, $13 million contract in March, has displayed in this wayward '06 season. Through 90 games, he's committed 13 errors, second-most among AL shortstops. What have often been more glaring, though, are the balls Peralta is unable to get to.
Despite Peralta's struggles, the Indians have no immediate plans to move him elsewhere in the infield.
"Ten months ago, this guy was an average defensive shortstop we felt good about," Shapiro said. "Nothing that's happened this season leads me to believe he can't [again] be an average defender at short."
If hot prospect Andy Marte wasn't waiting in the wings at Triple-A Buffalo to take over Aaron Boone's third base spot, the Tribe might be exploring the possibility of making Peralta a third baseman in '07 or beyond.
"When they signed me in the Dominican to play professionally, they said my body is going to grow," Peralta said. "So they said in the future I could play third base. But I want to play shortstop."
Second base could be open next season, depending on how free-agent negotiations with Ronnie Belliard go, and manager Eric Wedge said earlier this year the club might look to put Peralta there at some point. But Shapiro said he is 100 percent certain Peralta will still be at short next year.
Not that he doesn't recognize Peralta's need for improvement.
"Jhonny's problems have been with pre-pitch setup," Shapiro said. "He needs to do a better job of anticipation, just as a lot of bigger-sized shortstops do. He needs to play a very mental, heady shortstop."
In '05, Peralta's defensive foibles were most frequent in the season's first two months. He made nine errors in the season's first 46 games, but only 10 in the final 95 games.
This year, the errors have been committed with more regularity. The most glaring came on June 28 in St. Louis, when his ninth-inning throwing error allowed the Cardinals to score the game's winning run. That drew the ire of Wedge, who had also called Peralta out earlier in the year for not running out a ground ball to first in the eighth inning of a 3-0 loss to the Tigers on May 13.
Looking at Peralta's season, to this point, Wedge couldn't help but detect a lack of focus.
"What he has to control is his mindset and his awareness," Wedge said. "I want his standards for himself to be higher."
When players sign long-term deals, an organization's greatest fear is that once the ink is dry, the player's work ethic will dry out as well. But no one with the Indians is openly questioning Peralta's dedication to his job.
"I don't think Jhonny's changed," Wedge said. "He's going through some difficult times this year. He needs to learn from it and have a better second half."
For his part, Peralta admitted the contract has gotten in his head a bit this season.
"You want to do everything better than the last year," he said. "I think I wanted to go out and do more than I could. I tried to rush and tried to make everything better than last year. But I had to relax and let it go to do my best."
After a brutal first two months of the season, Peralta appears to be much more relaxed at the plate. On June 14, his average had dipped to .222, but he's hit .331 (39-for-118) since that time to raise it up to .258. The key has been laying off breaking balls and changeups that he too often chased early on.
"I feel more comfortable," he said. "I'm swinging at better pitches, and I'm making good contact."
Peralta feels just as comfortable with his improvement as a defender.
"I think I'm doing better," he said. "I've made some errors, but errors are going to happen. My range is getting better, and I'm working every day."
With that work, the Tribe hopes Peralta will grow in a more figurative sense.
Source: http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home