Mariners' Ackley red-hot again in July - as usual
Dustin Ackley is a confusing player. While the Seattle Mariners' outfielder hasn't quite made good on all the hype and attention he received as a prospect, he does occasionally flash signs of offensive promise.
Ackley's overall slash line is just .221/.280/.378 with six home runs and 18 RBI, but his gaudy line in July so far is .381/.435/.667, with five of those 18 overall RBIs driven in in just 10 July games.
So what's that all about? As Ackley told Bob Dutton of the News Tribune, he isn't quite sure: “It’s just one of those things. It’s weird. I can’t really explain it. I wish I could explain it. It seems like every year’s been different, though, as far as how things have happened."
As Dutton pointed out, Ackley is a career .229/.294/.337 first half hitter, compared to his second half slash line of .259/.321/.400. His quick start to July seems to indicate he might be heating again in time for another second half run.
A potential explanation for Ackley's consistent inconsistency could have to do with his mental approach at the plate. As he told Dutton, "All you can do is sit there and think and think and think. I think I started thinking about things that I shouldn’t have. It probably took my mind away from things I should have been thinking about. You need to take all of that clutter out of your mind. I'm sure that's the way it is with everybody. You can't have more than one thought up there. Just seeing it and hitting it. If you have more than one thought, you're kind of in a world of hurt."
Given the Mariners' desperate need for offensive production, a productive second-half Ackley would do wonders for their scoring potential.
