Michael Bourn wants to draw more walks, and strike out less.
The 26-year-old is still the starting center fielder, but he'll hit lower in the order, where on-base percentage and batting average aren't as closely scrutinized. Eventually, Cooper hopes Bourn will make his way back up to the top spot, but for now, that job goes to Kazuo Matsui.
Then this:
Houston's front office sees Bourn as a work in progress, one who needs more Major League at-bats before a true evaluation can be finalized.
But despite Bourn's good standing with the Astros, he's taking nothing for granted. He doesn't assume he has a job, opting instead to approach it as something he needs to win every year, regardless of the previous year's results.
Here's how Bourn stacked up among statistically qualified center-fielders:
.229 Avg - 20th out of 21
.288 OBP - 21st/21
.300 SLG - 20/21 (Willy Taveras was last. Ironic, huh?)
.588 OPS - 21/21
This should come as no surprise to us fans. Bourn knows what he needs to get better at, and if he made it to the Majors, he just might do it.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
