Arizona Diamondbacks: Four Takeaways from Game 3
Brandon Drury staying on the baseball
Brandon Drury took a step forward in his development in 2016, but he still needed a more balanced approach.
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The Diamondbacks second baseman hammered hard fastballs last season, especially those located up and in. But, opposing pitchers quickly figured out that he was susceptible to breaking and off-speed pitches. He swung and missed and whiffed at a high rate.
Three games is a small sample size, but Drury appears more balanced against off-speed pitches. Against Cueto, he singled twice.
The first hit came on a changeup that almost hit the dirt and the second came on a slider. He stayed on both of them.
We shall see if this approach continues, but it has helped him collect five hits in his first 12 at-bats. Brooks Baseball data shows that Drury has had a patient approach against breaking and off-speed deliveries and he has a lower-than-average chance to whiff.
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This represents a complete 180 from last year, and the Diamondbacks can only hope that it will continue.