Puig's Strike Zone Get's Smaller

Recently I wrote that Dodger right fielder Yasiel Puig could repeat his rookie performance if he cuts down on his strikeouts ("Can Puig Do It Again?"). He was striking out 25 percent of the time, which is probably too high of a rate to hit over .300 for a season. It appears that Puig is demonstrating more discipline at the plate, which usually turns into fewer strikeouts and more hits. According to CBSSports ("It's Time to Start Thinking of Yasiel Puig as a Smart Hitter") Puig is swinging at fewer balls outside of the strike zone (down from 38.3 percent last year to 21.9 percent this year). So far, this has only translated into a slight drop in his strikeout percentage (22.89 percent), but he's walking more, which as Billy Beane figured out some time ago, is just as important as hits. All of this translates to good news for Puig. He should be fun to watch over the years. I just wish he wasn't playing for the Dodgers...