Yunel Escobar

Yunel Escobar's traditional numbers of .215 0hr 8rbi look atrocious but a closer look at his sabermatic numbers shows some more promising details.

Escobar's walk rate is up to 10.1% from 9.4% last year while his K rate sits nearly a full percentage point lower than his career average. Improvements in these two areas often lead to an increase in production. Another bright spot is how his contact percentage has risen 3% above his career average to 88.7%.

Escobar's struggles are most likely due to his uncharacteristically low .243 babip and 11.6% line drive rate. The low babip isprobably a mix of luck and his struggles to put the ball where he wants it. The drop in line drive rate shows he isn't making quality contact.

Yunel is likely heading for the DL and a nagging injury may be partly to blame for his struggles at the dish.

When he returns from injury he could bounce back to form if he continues to improve his plate discipline and makes the solid contact he had shown in his previous 3 big league seasons.