[dustyanddaflames]

Rasmus seeks consistent approach for whole year

Blue Jays center fielder has been known to tinker with stance when slumps occur

Rasmus has been known in the past for making rather frequent adjustments when things aren't going well, but this year, the club is looking to uphold a different philosophy.
"The talent in him is unbelievable," hitting coach Chad Mottola said. "The things he does, the way he gets to the front of the box, and we're just going to get his quick hands to work in his favour rather than going through swing changes all year.
"We modified [his approach] a little bit, but it's one of those things where as time goes on, we hope we're not going to see five different stances after an 0-for-4. We're trying to get a consistent base and then we're going to stay there."
The biggest adjustment Rasmus made last season occurred in May following a period of prolonged struggles. He opted to move up in the box and closer to the plate and for awhile, the adjustment worked wonders.
From May 21-July 8, he was easily one of the best outfielders in the league. During that stretch of 44 games, he hit .299 with 14 homers and 38 RBIs while posting an impressive .970 OPS......
"I remember a game against the Marlins he hit a home run, had a great game, was on a hot streak," Anthopoulos said of a game on June 23. "It was a day game and guys were going to go out on a Saturday night in Miami to enjoy themselves, but he goes to the cage. I was like, 'Wow.' It was non-stop.
"You almost got the sense that he was playing well and he had to work even harder to maintain that pace. I give him credit because his mindset is to work extremely hard, but I think as a young player it's learning when to back off and give himself time ... He did wear down and get tired."

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news...s_tor&c_id=tor