After hitting .281 with a .792 OPS, three home runs and 14 RBIs in April, RyanO'Hearn seemed to take a brief step back following back-to-back multi-games to begin the month of May.
O'Hearn endured a short 1-for-14 slump over a five-game period from May 3-8 before members of the hitting department noticed a difference in his setup where he was two inches wider, his hands were closer to his head and his left foot was turned six degrees closer to the third-base dugout rather than being more toward the pitcher. He made the necessary adjustments to get himself right and has seemingly returned to form as of late, going 3 for 4 with his second home run in as many days in the Pirates' 7-2 win over the Rockies this afternoon here at PNC Park.
“That's the kind of thing that just happens without even thinking about it," O'Hearn said. "That kinda helped me out, freed me up a little bit. Yesterday got to that fastball, that was a ball inside. That pitch has been blowing me up the last couple of weeks. It was a good adjustment. Seeing it pretty good right now, just going to keep riding the wave.”
O'Hearn signed a two-year deal in the offseason and has been worth every penny considering what he's been able to provide offensively. He's produced multi-hit performances in three of his last five games and is now batting .299 with an .849 OPS, seven home runs and 29 RBIs in 42 games. He's provided a steady veteran presence to the Pirates' lineup and has shown the ability to make adjustments and bounce back when rough stretches stand in his way.
“(The details) do make a big difference," O'Hearn said. "I think when you are in it every day and you are chasing different feels and swings you’ve had over the years trying to get back right, you don’t realize exactly what your body is doing. It takes a quality hitting department like we have to find it and bring it to my attention.”
THE ASYLUM
Adjustments revive O'Hearn
After hitting .281 with a .792 OPS, three home runs and 14 RBIs in April, Ryan O'Hearn seemed to take a brief step back following back-to-back multi-games to begin the month of May.
O'Hearn endured a short 1-for-14 slump over a five-game period from May 3-8 before members of the hitting department noticed a difference in his setup where he was two inches wider, his hands were closer to his head and his left foot was turned six degrees closer to the third-base dugout rather than being more toward the pitcher. He made the necessary adjustments to get himself right and has seemingly returned to form as of late, going 3 for 4 with his second home run in as many days in the Pirates' 7-2 win over the Rockies this afternoon here at PNC Park.
“That's the kind of thing that just happens without even thinking about it," O'Hearn said. "That kinda helped me out, freed me up a little bit. Yesterday got to that fastball, that was a ball inside. That pitch has been blowing me up the last couple of weeks. It was a good adjustment. Seeing it pretty good right now, just going to keep riding the wave.”
O'Hearn signed a two-year deal in the offseason and has been worth every penny considering what he's been able to provide offensively. He's produced multi-hit performances in three of his last five games and is now batting .299 with an .849 OPS, seven home runs and 29 RBIs in 42 games. He's provided a steady veteran presence to the Pirates' lineup and has shown the ability to make adjustments and bounce back when rough stretches stand in his way.
“(The details) do make a big difference," O'Hearn said. "I think when you are in it every day and you are chasing different feels and swings you’ve had over the years trying to get back right, you don’t realize exactly what your body is doing. It takes a quality hitting department like we have to find it and bring it to my attention.”
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