"What" is more important than "Why."

I was just talking with my friend on the phone and I started getting hysterical about this topic. I thought I'd better blog it out.


I am pleased and relieved that the tough New York press has finally noticed that David Wright is hitting .205 in August and that he has hit zero homeruns since signing his big contract.

Wallace Matthews summarizes:

"The cumulative numbers are still good - 22 home runs, 91 RBIs, a .294 batting average - but not so good when you remember that on July 9, the last day before the All-Star break, Wright had 20 home runs and 74 RBIs and was hitting .316. He finished that game with a three-run homer that gave the Mets a 7-6 win over the Marlins.

Except for his paycheck, it has been all downhill from there.

He hasn't homered since July 28, a span of 94 at-bats. He is hitting .200 for the month of August and is 2-for-his-last-25."

Is it the pressure of the contract? No. Couldn't be that.

When ARod slumps, it's because he can't handle pressure. When ARod slumps, it's because he's thinking too hard. When Wright slumps, it's just because hitting a baseball is difficult.

Will Wright's slump last? Of course it won't last. Just like ARod's slump won't last.

You can check the records of every baseball player who ever played. Check the records of every player in the Hall of Fame. They all had subpar games, weeks, months, seasons.


"Unlike the other third baseman in town, Wright has not fallen into revelatory bouts of public self-pity, or mentioned vague injuries even his manager was unaware of, or feigned not caring when it was obvious that the whole thing was tearing him up. He has not ripped his shirt off in Central Park or jumped between a kid and a speeding truck. And his fielding, steady but never spectacular, is as steady and unspectacular as ever."

I suppose all that may be true, though I'm still not sure what's so bad about sunbathing in Central Park or jumping between a kid and a speeding truck.

But guess what else?

David Wright is hitting .205 in August.

That's the bottom line.

Keep relaxing and letting the game come to you. Keep smiling in the dugout and giving good interviews with the reporters. Keep insisting you're healthy mentally and physically. It isn't working.

Maybe Wright should consider stressing out and taking some extra b.p., like the other third baseman in town.