Christian Stringer helps top of Wingnuts’ order with put-it-in-play attitude

Pitchers don’t need to think too hard about how to strike out Christian Stringer, because Stringer is more than willing to provide the formula.

“Sometimes you get up and you’ll get a (pitcher) out of the bullpen that you haven’t seen before,” Stringer said. “He’ll have a changeup and you don’t see it until there’s two strikes, and it’s in the dirt. That’s usually when I’ll strike out.”

The particular nature of those circumstances equals the rarity with which they’ve been achieved. Stringer, the Wingnuts’ second baseman and leadoff hitter, has struck out nine times in a team-leading 180 plate appearances through Wednesday.

Never a high-volume strikeout hitter, Stringer has taken that ability to a different level in his first season with the Wingnuts. He recently struck out five times in seven games, which qualified as a cold streak. He struck out once in the 15 prior games.

“That’s just growing up with my dad coaching me when I was younger,” Stringer said. “It’s having a two-strike approach and choking up and trying to slap the ball and put it in play. I kind of attribute it to that and sticking with it through high school, college and professional baseball. It’s really helped out with keeping my strikeouts down.”

It’s not as if Stringer, who played collegiately at Rice, isn’t susceptible to strikeouts. He bats left-handed, making him vulnerable – in theory – to left-handed starters or relievers summoned for favorable matchups in the later innings.

Also, as a leadoff hitter, Stringer frequently works longer counts, as evidenced by his 23 walks, tied for third on the team. He may occasionally sacrifice harder contact in the name of putting the ball in play, but he doesn’t sacrifice his approach or become too aggressive in two-strike counts.

“I’m just trying to spoil (foul off) good pitches if you get in a two-strike count,” Stringer said. “A lot of those walks have been four-pitch walks that you didn’t even have to work for them. Just working counts and being a leadoff hitter, trying to see different pitches. Just trying to get on base any way I can, because we have guys behind me that will hit me in.

“I’m just trying to do my part, and they’re doing their part, and it’s working out for us.”

Stringer’s nine strikeouts are the fewest among American Association batters with at least 87 at-bats and have helped the Wingnuts rise to third in the league in runs, second in walks and first in on-base percentage.

Stringer’s strikeout ratio has more than doubled since college, when he struck out once every approximately nine plate appearances in two years at Rice.

Contact ability has become a valued skill in professional baseball as strikeouts have become more pervasive. Between 2008-13, the single-season strikeout record in the major leagues was broken each year.

Stringer spent three seasons in the Chicago White Sox organization, and if he returns to affiliated baseball his knack for putting the ball in play will surely be appreciated. But he wants to become more well-rounded, adding power to his game. He has 11 career home runs in 666 at-bats and none this season.

“Having some more power would be nice,” Stringer said. “A bunch of people look at home runs and doubles and triples. I’m just trying to take it day by day. If it works out, it works out. I’m just doing what I can.”

This story was originally published June 30, 2016 at 11:22 AM with the headline "Christian Stringer helps top of Wingnuts’ order with put-it-in-play attitude."