It's funny, but just about everybody who's struggling at the start of spring training will claim that they are just working on stuff and feel great...except Luke Scott. He has yet to get a hit in 12 Grapefruit League at-bats and has struck out five times and he's not happy about it.
"Of course it bothers me,'' he said, "because I'm a competitor. I do not like not seeing the fruit of my labor."
Scott says that his timing has been off at the plate during games, though his batting practice sessions have been fine. He pulled out one of his bats to show me where the ball marks are, pointing out how few are right on the sweet spot.
"In the games right now, my front hip is leaving early, which is causing the problem,'' he said. "If it stays in, I'll be where I want to be. My timing is off. In the games, I'm speeding up and jumping at the ball."
To put it all in proper perspective, Scott just has to look back on spring training camps past and compare his performances between exhibition season and the regular season.
"The best spring training I ever had was in 2005 and I had the worst season I ever had in the big leagues,'' Scott said.
Associated Press photo