Padres Editorial: Why Jedd Gyorko Should Be In the Lineup Everyday
After an off-season where the offense was completely revamped, people were expecting a lot from the 2015 Padres and the 2015 Jedd Gyorko. For good reason, too.
I think everyone expected a bounce back year, sort of like the one Yonder Alonso was having before he was put on the DL. All the pressure was off him to carry an offense and was placed on hitters who have actually carried the offense before.
Gyorko was the starting second baseman for a good portion of the first month of the season, however he quickly made it hard for Bud Black to keep him in the lineup, only having 7 hits in 57 at bats to the tune of a .135 average. He only had two extra base hits and 3 RBIs.
Here is why Bud Black and us fans shouldn’t have worried too much early on: Gyorko is a typical slow starter. Career wise, he only hits .185/.257/.248 in the month of April. He also seems to be strangely unlucky, only having a .242 BABIP in that month.
In three years (248 at bats), he only has one home run in the month of April. These stats remind me of former Padre Kevin Kouzmanoff (KOOOUUUUUUZZZZZ), who was a pretty slow starter himself.
Compared to April, Jedd Gyorko (career-wise) in the month of May has been solid. In 254 May at bats, Gyorko has 12 career home runs, 14 doubles, and a .248/.297/.445. His BABIP skies up to .285 as well. This isn’t bad at all and seems to be a bounce-back month for him.
It has reigned true this season as well. So far this month, Gyorko is hitting .264/.339/.453 with a .792 OPS. His wRC+ is 121 and he has been playing a very good second base. There’s no reason why those stats shouldn’t have him playing every day.
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Baseball is fun. College sophomore that is aspiring to work someday in the sports industry. Follow me on twitter @Friar_Faithful. Go Pads!