News
Bourn's new identity born from hard work
Astros center fielder blossoming in leadoff role
By Brian McTaggart / MLB.com
06/22/09 4:42 PM ET
HOUSTON -- In what is becoming an increasingly familiar occurrence, Astros center fielder Michael Bourn was again surrounded by reporters following Sunday's game. He tied his shoes and meticulously buttoned his shirt, moving at a much slower pace than he does on the baseball field. |
"MVP! MVP!" veteran teammate LaTroy Hawkins jokingly chanted from an adjacent locker.
Apparently, Hawkins -- and a few other Astros -- took notice that manager Cecil Cooper had declared Bourn the team's most valuable player through the first 11 weeks of the regular season.
"He's our MVP if I had to pick one right now," Cooper said. "I think he's probably the most consistent player we've had all year. You have to give him credit."
That's pretty strong stuff considering Houston outfielder Hunter Pence has been among the league's leaders in batting average for much of the year, and shortstop Miguel Tejada has led the way in hits and multi-hit games.
But Bourn's presence at the top of the Astros' batting order has been invaluable. Through 67 games, he's hitting .300 with a .378 on-base percentage, 41 runs scored, five triples, 19 RBIs and a National League-leading 24 stolen bases. His seven bunt base hits rank near the top in all of baseball.
"He's a spark plug," utility infielder Jeff Keppinger said. "If he goes, we go. It seems like when he's on base two or three times wreaking havoc on the bases, we can score some runs."
Bourn's progress has been nothing short of remarkable. A year ago, the majority of Astros fans were ready to give up on the hometown product, who came to Houston along with reliever Geoff Geary in the Brad Lidge trade on Nov. 7, 2007. While Lidge was piling up saves and leading the Phillies to the World Series title last year, Bourn was struggling.
He finished 2008 with a .229 batting average and a .288 on-base percentage that was among the worst in baseball. He walked only 37 times and struck out 111 times. Bourn, 27, has already drawn 31 walks this year, though his strikeouts are still high (56).
"I still feel like I'm a little raw and will be for a couple of years," Bourn said. "I have to do the best with the talent I think I have. I knew I could do it, and it's just learning how to do it from the people that are around me right now."
One of those people is hitting coach Sean Berry, who's put in countless hours with Bourn behind the scenes. Berry wanted Bourn to be more aggressive at the plate, while trying to get him to cut down on his strikeouts. A tough task, to be sure.
He also wanted Bourn, a left-handed hitter, to try to hit the ball to left field consistently and pound the ball into the ground more often to take advantage of his streak-of-lightning speed.
"He's buying into what we've been beating into him for a couple of years now," Berry said. "It's one thing to tell somebody this is the way to do it, but then you have to apply it, and he's applying some of the things he's learned and watched other players do.
"To say it's one thing that's made him a good ballplayer and do what he's doing now, that would shortchange all the hard work he's doing."
Not wanting to put too much pressure on him, Cooper hit Bourn mostly second to start the year before moving him to the top of the order in early May. Bourn, a natural leadoff hitter, never let up in the No. 1 hole and has helped lead the Astros to a 12-7 record since May 31. He's hitting.329 (25-for-76) in June.
"I try to approach things game by game," Bourn said. "I just try to get the most I can out of every game. To me, we have a good team. Look at our team, look at our lineup and look at the people around us. We haven't begun to start playing great baseball, but give us time."
Perhaps more than anything, Berry has noticed Bourn's confidence increase.
"A lot of this game is just getting confidence," he said. "All the great hitters have confidence. You could have a lot of ability, but if you don't have the confidence you're not going to be successful. He's improved in a lot of areas."
The area where Bourn still needs to grow the most is baserunning. He's one of the fastest runners in the National League, but his secondary leads could be better. But considering the progress he's made in just one season, the Astros shouldn't be worried.
"Last year, I was trying to do too much in each game and if I didn't do it, it was tough," Bourn said. "Even when you're in a hole, you still have to approach each at-bat and forget it later. Early in the season I was hitting some balls hard but I wasn't getting results. I had to keep pecking away in my mind each at-bat. That's how I still approach the game."
Brian McTaggart is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
