Travis Hafner is the oldest member of the Cleveland Indians, and with his contract continuing for two more seasons, it seems very likely he will remain an Indian through 2012, when his contract expires.
Hafner has been plagued by shoulder problems much of the last three season, and his 2007 season wasn’t up to previous standards either, even though he did hit 24 HR and knock in 100 runs with an OPS of 837. However, when you put up OPS numbers like Hafner did earlier (993 in ’04, 1003 in ’05, and 1097 in ’06), even a season where you have 100 RBIs is considered an off season.
Hafner is portrayed as the prototypical big hulking slugger, but do most people realize he’s only hit 40 home runs once in his career? And that he’s crossed the 30 HR mark just one other time?
While the slugger nicknamed "PronK" will likely never reach the numbers he put up in 2004-2006, he still had an OPS of 826 last season, and currently is at 817 for the 2010 season, both above average considering all American League hitters.
So, he’s still a productive bat in the Tribe lineup.
The point is in Hafner’s glory days, he didn’t put up overwhelming home run numbers. In fact, outside of his epic 2006 season (.308, 42 HR, 117 RBI), he has always had more doubles than home runs. He had 28 dingers in 2004, but 41 doubles. In 2005, he doubled 42 times to go with his 33 home runs.
What happened in 2006? Likely, some of the balls that normally went up the gap for doubles had more loft and sailed over the fence. And remember that Pronk’s big years came when he was 27-29 years old, the statistical peak years for most major league players.
Yes, the shoulder injury has taken a great deal of power away from the big man. However, he did have a .470 slugging percentage a year ago, and that number exceeded his 2007 campaign when he knocked in 100 runs for the fourth straight year. The problem was that he only had 383 at bats because of the shoulder.
He should top that number in at bats this season, but the power production hasn’t been there, although the slugging percentage is climbing at .444 for the season.
What is odd is that Hafner seems to do well against power pitchers, meaning the bat speed is still there. He seems to have more problems with soft tossers and recognizing when they are throwing strikes. This typically happens to older players, who start to "cheat" on fastballs, but are more susceptable to breaking stuff.
Hafner did hit one out against wunderkind Steven Strasburg. He’s also homered against Felix Hernandez and Javier Vazquez. He’s 3 for 6 against Justin Verlander of Detroit and 3 for 5 against Zack Greinke from Kansas City. Early in the season, he turned a 98 mile an hour fastball from the Tigers’ Joel Zumaya into a double off the wall in right at Progressive Field.
Whether or not he can make the adjustment to recognizing a breaking ball for a strike will determine if Hafner can be a guy who can hit 25 homers and knock in 100 runs again. That and can he stay healthy.
The Indians could use a productive Pronk in the middle of the lineup. He’ll never hit 40 bombs again, but if he could go back to being a 35 doubles and 25 home run hitter, he would be a big piece in the middle of the Tribe batting order.
KM
Cleveland Sports Perspective 