During Spring Training, Ian Desmond made some tweaks to his swing, such as starting his hands in a lower position to achieve a shorter path to the baseball. The objective? Increase his power. But after owning a.188 Batting Average through the first 33 games of the season, Desmond has decided to go back to his old swing.
“A few years ago, I made a commitment that I was going to be married to my swing,” Desmond said on the Rockies TV broadcast. “During the offseason and Spring Training, I cheated on my swing. You stray, you pay. She has made me pay for about a month and change. We are in counseling. Hopefully, we are getting back on good terms.”
In the midst of his two-home run performance that propelled the Rockies to a 3-2 victory over the New York Mets Sunday, a truly amazing stat was revealed. Desmond’s no-doubter off Noah Syndergaard in the second inning was his first hit in the air to left field since early September of last year. For a guy with 145 career home runs, that is hard to believe, but it may be the start of a resurgence.
In 73.3 percent of Desmond’s at-bats in April, the second-year Rockies utility man hit the ball on the ground. Only three players since in the last decade have had a higher ground ball percentage in a single month.
With Desmond reverting back to his old swing, he hopes to reduce his ground ball ratio and take advantage of the spacious gaps at Coors Field.
On Desmond’s first home run Sunday, Syndergaard came inside with a 97-MPH fastball that Desmond then turned around and deposited off the facade of the second deck at Citi Field. This was the type of pitch that Desmond routinely rolled over on in the first month of the season.
If Desmond can carry over the momentum from Sunday’s victory and continue to get the ball elevated at home, expect his slugging percentage to improve considerably at Coors Field. In 225 career trips to the plate at Coors Field, Desmond has only three home runs.
In an era where managers prioritize the long ball, the Rockies could really use more production from Desmond, who already has six round-trippers on the year. A year ago, he only hit seven home runs in 95 games after signing a $70 million contract in the offseason.
Desmond is currently expected to be in the Rockies everyday lineup, as 23-year old first baseman Ryan McMahon was sent down to Triple-A last week, leaving the team without a true first baseman on the active roster.
The Rockies begin a six-game home stand Tuesday night, hosting the Los Angeles Angels. It will be a chance for Desmond to get it going in his home ballpark. And a chance for him to earn his $22 million salary in 2018.