Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Steven Duggar has not physically grown in the offseason. That doesn’t mean he’s not standing taller.
With an influx of hitting minds, Donnie Ecker, Justin Viele and Dustin Lind focused on maximizing swings, this is the Giants camp of projects. There are more changed swings than static swings, tweaks galore as the coaches and players weigh what’s worked in the past and what can work in the future.
Duggar’s problem has been that not much has worked at the big-league level. In two injury-plagued seasons, the bat hasn’t come around, slashing .241/.286/.358 in his first years, the speedy and excellent outfielder becoming better known for his glove, and unfortunately best known for a pile-up of injuries. Left shoulder surgery ended his 2018 campaign and nearly his 2019 season, though he rehabbed the second injury rather than going under the knife.
He had a lot of time to think about what changes would have to be made for a bit of a crossroads season, trying to prove to Giants brass that he can be not just productive but healthy. He referenced his “rough” June, before injuries struck, in which he went 8-for-41 (.195) with 12 strikeouts. His solution, in conjunction with the instruction in camp he’s received, is to return to a stance he hasn’t eyed the pitcher from since high school.
“There was some reflection last year, especially after I got hurt,” Duggar told KNBR recently from Scottsdale Stadium. “… I felt like there was more to be had.
“In my history, I’ve been more successful narrow. For whatever reason I got to Clemson, started to widen out a little bit. I think the consistency part is what I was really searching for. I was able to find that a little bit [standing taller].”
Duggar is now nearly completely upright, little bend in his knees. He says it helps him see the ball better, and the (very) early returns have been promising: His two plate appearance Monday were both hard-earned walks, staring down disappearing pitches and laying off.
“It’s a philosophy of ours to kind of tunnel up and look for a pitch in a certain location and be especially aggressive on those pitches and passive on anything that’s not in that zone,” Gabe Kapler said Monday when asked about Duggar’s selection. “That’s something that our hitting coaches have harped on, something that Duggar has taken to … certainly looking good so far.”
One of the inspirations for Duggar’s evolving stance was in the opposing dugout for Monday’s game. Ketel Marte, a switch-hitter, has gotten narrower and taller over the years from the left side, and rocketed up to the All-Star Game last season. Duggar called Marte’s changes “a blueprint” for his own, while also mentioning he’s studied the Angels’ Tommy La Stella.
As much as he values the eyeline that he hopes improves for him when he stands more upright, he also just wants to be in a position to attack pitches. He looked back on first-pitch hanging breaking balls that he “froze” on. He wouldn’t see another good pitch to hit in the at-bat, and his offseason and camp have been about studying why he didn’t swing.
“I didn’t freeze because it fooled me,” said the 26-year-old, “I froze because I got stuck. I wasn’t in a good position to get a good swing off.”
The Giants’ outfield picture is jumbled, and any step-ups in camp would be welcomed. Two walks are a start. So is his steal of second, as well as his dancing off first that drew an errant throw. So is a powerful outfield arm that chased Starling Marte back to third on a fly to right.
It’s a good start to a meaningful camp.
“I think the timing part is coming. Still not exactly where I want to be, but I think we’re in a good spot,” Duggar said. “Being in a narrower position is going to help me tenfold.”