Kyle Schwarber, leaner and healthier, off to un-Schwarber-like start for Philadelphia Phillies
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - It took six games for Kyle Schwarber to record a walk. Schwarber had stolen a base before his first walk, a rare feat for a player of his caliber to have more steals than walks at any point of the season.
Schwarber has been a sneaky threat on the basepaths because of his leaner figure, one that's allowing the Philadelphia Phillies' leadoff hitter to hit to all fields and have five singles through six games. The knee issue that plagued Schwarber through last season is gone, and he's feeling significantly better now that he's off his feet as a full-time designated hitter.
"I feel good," Schwarber said earlier this week. "The training staff and strength coaches put me in a good position this offseason. I felt pretty good coming into the season. Body-wise, batting-wise, things like that. It definitely feels a lot better. I'm happy about it. I just got to be able to keep that up through the course of the year."
Schwarber is off to an un-Schwarber-like start, and that's an excellent thing for the Phillies. He's batting .280 with seven hits in 25 at-bats. Five of those hits are singles and the others were a leadoff home run in Sunday's win over the Atlanta Braves and a solo homer in Wednesday's 4-1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.
Schwarber has yet to record a double and has just one walk this season (he had 19 doubles and 126 walks last year), but those will come in due time. Even the strikeouts are down - Schwarber has six in six games after leading the majors with 200 and 215 strikeouts in the last two seasons.
The power numbers aren't there for Schwarber yet. Other aspects of his game are better, like going from first to third on a Trea Turner single that ended up being a crucial moment in a seventh inning as Alec Bohm drove both he and Turner home to give the Phillies the lead for good in their first win of the season Sunday.
Schwarber didn't get surgery on his ailing knee last season, nor will he use it as an excuse for hitting .197 (even with a .343 on-base percentage). The Phillies don't plan on having him as DH all season, wanting to get him some games in left field.
That will come in due time.
"He is moving better," Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. "I'm not afraid to play him in the outfield, but we're just trying to get everybody going right now. He looks fine moving around."
Schwarber hasn't suddenly gained confidence in his ability as a baseball player. His knee is healthy enough that he can do the little things that don't show up in the box score.
"I don't think the moving better thing matters," Schwarber said. "You just have to keep rolling."
