Jeff
debuted in 1998, made it to the finals in 1999, and then turned
into a hitting machine in 2000. He hit .344 that year (after hitting
.252 in 1999), and followed it up with a .355 mark in 2001. In 2002
he dropped back to .250, and looks to get back "where he belongs."
The drop in
his hitting is mainly due to his feeling the need to hit for power.
Casey Sylvester missed more games than usual in 2002, and Jeff couldn't
count on Dean Evans to drive in the runs, so he felt obligated.
He used to be able to slap the ball to all fields, but when hitting
for power, he loses that. He likes the ball down, but he has heavy
problems with balls in. He prefers to be able to extend his arms.
He suffered
an arm injury in 2000, and has slowly been teaching himself to pitch
with what is essentially a dislocated shoulder. He's been forced
to pitch with a new motion, and is starting to make the best of
it by relearning how to keep the ball down. He's still vulnerable
with his speed and accuracy, and it's not wise to have him throw
more than 3-4 innings per gameday.
Jeff doesn't
have the greatest range in the league, but he can cover a lot of
ground thanks to his height. He's got a veteran mind about positioning
and is adept with groundballs to either side. |
