April 26, 2016 — mannyonmlb
Rockin’ Joc: Pederson back to basics
By Manny Randhawa/for Sports On Earth
The Dodgers’ center fielder, who turned 24 last Thursday, posted an .851 OPS with 20 home runs in the first half of his 2015 rookie campaign, but he hit just .178 with six homers after. He also struck out 170 times, tying a franchise record.
“Failure in this game at any time isn’t fun, but it’s part of growing up,” Pederson said. “It’s part of the process.”
That process involved a lot of changes for Pederson this offseason. He has a new manager in Dave Roberts. He has a new hitting coach in Turner Ward. And he has a new daily routine with an emphasis on returning to the mechanics that made him so successful in a memorable 2014 Triple-A season.