Jones shows power, working on consistency at the plate

This story was excerpted from Thomas Harding’s Rockies Beat e-newsletter. To learn the complete e-newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it recurrently in your inbox.

Rockies rookie Nolan Jones has some spectacular numbers, which must do with how laborious and much he hits a baseball. He additionally has to endure numbers that say he didn’t hit it sufficient.

However he carries with him good recommendation on how one can cope with all of it. At his mom’s suggestion, the phrase “BREATHE” is stitched on the again of the index finger of his glove. It’s serving to.

“I’m in an excellent psychological headspace,” Jones mentioned. “Day by day is a brand new alternative. Typically it will get irritating. Two strikeouts [Saturday]I wasn’t capable of put a bat on the ball and provides our staff an opportunity. However within the third at-bat, I used to be capable of put an excellent swing on the ball.”

That third swing was a 445-foot, three-run homer off JT Chargois within the Rockies’ 4-3 victory over the Marlins.

The typical exit velocity on his eight residence runs is 109.7 mph and the common distance is 440 ft. No participant with as many homers has averaged quicker or longer.

However in his 12 video games to date in July, Jones is slashing .162/.205/.405. In line with the blended numbers, half of his six hits are residence runs.

“If it goes over the fence, it goes over the fence,” Jones mentioned. “There are undoubtedly a whole lot of numbers that I care about much more than how far it goes.

“I take a look at strikeouts. I feel I’m the man that slugs and might hit the ball far, however that consistency is one thing I’m at all times attempting to work on. I’ve been hanging out manner an excessive amount of, and that’s one thing that hurts the staff. Slugging issues. Strolling issues.”