New Seattle Mariners outfielder Trayvon Robinson was an exception to the rule.
His former team, the Albuquerque Isotopes, play in one of the best hitting environments in professional baseball.
It is common for Albuquerque regulars to hit 100 points higher at home than on the road, and often players hit two-thirds or more of their home runs at Isotopes Park.
But the 23-year-old outfielder had nearly even statistics on the road, showing that his skills may translate to more pitcher-friendly stadiums – such as Safeco Field.
“He was one guy on our team who hit as well on the road as he did at home,” said Albuquerque hitting coach John Valentin, who coached Robinson for three years in the Dodgers farm system.
Robinson batted .306 with 14 home runs and a .979 OPS (on-base plus slugging) in home games, and he hit .280 with 12 homers and a .891 OPS on the road.
Among his 12 road home runs, Robinson went deep in Pacific Coast League pitcher’s parks in New Orleans (three times) and Nashville (twice).
Robinson’s 26 home runs is a career high – his previous high was 17 in 2009.
“I had him last year in Double-A and he only hit nine,” Valentin said. “From a development standpoint, he was trying to be more of a hitter last year, and he wasn’t trying to hit for power. He tried to do the same thing here, and the power just came with his maturity. He gained a couple of pounds, got a little stronger, and now his doubles are turning into home runs.”
Robinson has been a switch-hitter since he was drafted by the Dodgers out of Crenshaw High School in 2005. This year he hit .276 as a right-handed batter, and .300 from the left side.
“His natural side is the right side, but his left-handed swing is also very, very good,” Valentin says. “He has a little bit more raw power from the right side.”
The one flaw in Robinson’s game is common in the Mariners’ system right now: too many strikeouts. Valentin said part of the problem was that Robinson would get a little nervous when he had two strikes on him.
“He was getting a little anxious with two strikes, and that happens to young hitters,” Valentin said. “He was chasing balls down out of the strike zone early on. He did a better job with that, but he couldn’t lay off the high heat.”
In case you were wondering, yes, that is the same John Valentin who turned an unassisted triple play for the Red Sox against the Mariners at Fenway Park.
It was on July 8, 1994. On a hit-and-run, Marc Newfield hit a liner to shortstop Valentin for the first out. He stepped on second base to double up Mike Blowers, and then tagged Keith Mitchell for the third out.
Valentin recalls the play vividly. He said he checked the scoreboard before tagging Mitchell because he initially thought the second out ended the inning.
Mike Curto is the radio broadcaster for the Tacoma Rainiers.
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.