Cubs manager Mike Quade has only given sophomore outfielder Tyler Colvin 81 opportunities at the plate this year following an intriguing rookie season. Colvin, a Clemson product, impressively pounded 18 doubles, five triples and 20 homers in just 358 at bats. On the other hand, his .315 on-base average and his 100 whiffs versus 30 walks were worrisome.
Rookies are notoriously inconsistent, so with a little coaching, it certainly appeared that the former first round pick could improve his plate discipline and get on base more often while continuing his ball-crunching ways. Then why is Quade refusing to play him?
Well, the .096 batting average may have something to do with it. That's right, in 81 plate appearances, Colvin is less than halfway to the Mendoza line. That's worse than all but one of the team's starting pitchers. Even with seven walks accompanying his seven hits, his on base average is .173. Where an OPS of 100 is an average major leaguer and an OPS of 85 is a futility infielder, Colvin's OPS is 12. Twelve.
If Miguel Tejada (.211/.237/.271) is a grape's worth of putrid at the plate and Reid Brignac (.173/.209/.182) an apple, then Colvin is a watermelon. Besides the oh-fer lifestyle he's engaged in, his party is in a corner outfield position. The difference between Colvin and a replacement corner outfielder is six runs. That's how much better the Triple-A scrap heap acquisition would be.
It doesn't get any better: all his hits came in April. Granted, he spent most of May in Des Moines, but 0-17 in the bigs isn't improvement.
What's wrong, his hitting coach says, is that he has holes in his swing, chases junk outside the zone and needs to make adjustments now that pitchers are onto him.
It's not like the Cubs are going anywhere this year with or without Colvin, but this isn't the way one positions himself for a future roster spot. Except on the West Tennessee Diamond Jacks.
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