PITTSBURGH — Since coming off the disabled list on August 3rd, Ryan Doumit has been swinging a hot bat for the Pirates. The switch hitting catcher is batting .325 with four homers with 14 RBI in 40 games.
“The one thing he brings is a very competitive edge,” Manager Clint Hurdle said. “He takes ownership of his catching. He wants to be the best catcher he can be. His strength is on the offensive side of the ball. I think he’s worked hard to tune up his right-handed side. The career splits were a little more drastic. He’s done a nice job right-handed this year, as well as left-handed. He’s been good all over the place.
The one concern for Doumit has been his ability to stay healthy. Doumit landed on the disabled list on May 30th with a left ankle fracture and was not reinstated until August 3rd, missing a big chunk of the season.
“How do we keep him healthy? How does he keep himself healthy?,” Hurdle said. “[That’s the] biggest question. [That] cant go away, can’t be pushed under the rug. That’s been the history as much as anything in his case,. That’s what’s been hard again this year, to only have him the number of games that we’ve had him. When he’s been healthy, he’s helped.”
The 30-year-old, who was drafted by the Pirates in the 2nd round of the 1999 draft, has had his struggles behind the plate. In 59 games this season, Doumit has committed six errors with four passed balls. He has thrown out 24 percent of base stealers this season, which has improved drastically since last year when he threw out just 12 percent.
Although Hurdle, in his first year as the Pirates skipper didn’t get to work with Doumit in the past, he believes his defense has improved this year.
“I didn’t get to see it day in and day out [last year],” Hurdle said. “My gut feeling is that it’s been improved. Just from the limited tape I’ve watched. I watch tape. But being in the dugout, watching the guy work, watching the guy handle a staff is completely different then watching a tape. He has done everything he can do to get engaged, to game plan and all those things. As far as being receptive to instruction, to having his ears open, he’s been very good this year. At times when he hasn’t performed the way he’s wants to, whether it be offensively in the game, he’s hard on himself. He expects a lot of himself.”
The Pirates have the decision of whether or not to pick up Doumit’s dual option for the next two seasons. Doumit has options for $7.25 M in 2012, $8.25 in 2013.
Photo credit: Yahoo! Sports
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