Rockies' Story Slugs His Way Toward Job Security
DENVER (The Sports Xchange) - Another historic achievement is imminent for Trevor Story.
The Colorado Rockies rookie shortstop figures to be selected the National League Player of the Week for his first week on the job. From April 4 through Sunday, Story went 9-for-27 (.333) with seven homers and 12 RBIs in his first six major league games.
The homer total is a major league record for any player's first six games.
He struck out eight times while compiling a .357 on-base percentage and a 1.111 slugging percentage.
Story, 23, homered again Sunday as the Rockies avoided being swept in a three-game series by the San Diego Padres, winning 6-3. His home run streak was stopped Saturday after he became the only major-leaguer in history to homer in his first four career games.
An opportunity for Story opened up in spring training when shortstop Jose Reyes was placed on paid leave stemming from an alleged domestic-violence incident. It is by no means predictable for a young player to take advantage of a situation like that and win a starting job.
"You see young players go either way," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "Sometimes it's too much for them at an early age. Trevor went the other way. He elevated his game. I never saw the game get fast for him in spring training. It's nice when pressure brings out the best in people."
Commissioner Rob Manfred is expected to announce a ruling on Reyes soon. Reyes was scheduled to go to trial April 4 in Hawaii, where the alleged incident occurred with his wife in October. However, charges were dropped when Reyes' wife refused to cooperate with prosecutors. Regardless, Manfred is likely to suspend Reyes.
That Story capitalized on his opportunity as he launches his career, Weiss said, is very revealing.
"The mental makeup up here is the X factor, as far as I'm concerned," Weiss said. "So when competition or pressure brings out the best in a player, you got a good one. I think certain players are able to channel emotions and adrenaline and turn it into focus, and some players, they get carried away by those emotions or adrenaline and it takes them away from the things they do well. Some guys use it to focus, fine-tune that focus. Those are the guys you see continually step up in big moments."
