Notes: Renteria Battling Slump
Shortstop's bat has cooled off in the heat of August
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com
August 23, 2006
ATLANTA -- Since arriving in Atlanta, Edgar Renteria has proven to be one of the game's most consistent offensive threats. But since August began, Renteria has been unable to provide the production the Braves need to make a legitimate push toward the postseason.
Entering Wednesday night's series finale against the Pirates, Renteria had hit safely in 91 of the 115 games that he had played this season. Eight of those 24 hitless games have come since August began and he's hitting just .205 this month. Consequently, the Braves have not moved any closer to the front-running Reds in the National League Wild Card chase.
"It's really, really hard because the team needs everybody to be hot right now," said Renteria, who entered Wednesday hitting .299 with 11 homers and 51 RBIs.
The only other month he didn't hit at least .300 this year was June, when he batted .260 and saw his team win just six of 27 games. The 30-year-old shortstop's finest month was July, when he hit .374 and saw his team win 14 of 24 games.
"He's in the slot where he can make things happen and he usually does," Braves hitting coach Terry Pendleton said.
When Chipper Jones went on the disabled list at the end of July, Renteria was forced to begin batting in the less comfortable third spot of the lineup. He's hitting just .220 (11-for-50) there. While batting second, he's compiled a .308 batting average.
But more than the change in lineup, the fact that Renteria matched a career-worst 0-for-24 slump earlier this month had as much to do with late-season fatigue. But since getting a chance to catch his breath and simply get a pinch-hit appearance in last Tuesday's game in Washington, he's felt a little better at the plate.
"Everybody feels tired," Renteria said. "But you just have to go out there and feel like it's the first week of the season."
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