Fatigue or slump? Brewers' Segura admits to struggles
MILWAUKEE -- Shortstop Jean Segura was an offensive dynamo during the first half of the season, putting together some of the best numbers of any player in the National League and making the All-Star team. But, as might be expected with a young player in his first full season in the majors, has slowed down considerably in the second half.
After emerging from the mid-summer classic with a .325 batting average, Segura came out of Sunday's 3-1 win in Cincinnati at .305. After leading the league all season in hits, he had dropped to second.
Not known as a power hitter, Segura nevertheless was showing no pop, with just one homer in 53 games and none since July 30. He also had just one triple in the second half, leaving him with nine after being in position to be the runaway leader at one time.
So, is the 23-year-old Segura wearing down a bit?
"I feel OK. I'm just struggling a little bit," Segura told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "At some point, it's going to happen to every player in baseball. I feel OK. Just go out there and try to do the best I can. Now, the team is doing well. I know it's going to come, so I'll just keep grinding.
"I've never had a bad slump in a year. It's not easy hitting .300 in the big leagues, especially facing the same teams in our division. They've got good pitching. I'll just keep grinding and see how I finish."
Segura has appeared in 126 of the Brewers' 130 games, including 123 starts at shortstop. He has taken just one day off since the All-Star break and played all but four innings over that span despite some nagging injuries. Add a full schedule in the Dominican Winter League (where he was the batting champ) and 60 at-bats in exhibition play and it's understandable if Segura is feeling a bit weary.
"But I wanted to play every day," said Segura, who also has stolen 38 bases. "And everybody's getting tired -- pitchers, position players. Everybody's tired. Just got to keep grinding and keep playing like I've been doing all the way through."
Of the likelihood that he might give Segura some time off, manager Ron Roenicke said, "I could give him off days but he doesn't really want them. I try to give him some days here and there.
"He doesn't seem quite the same. I don't know if it's just fatigue. He was so hot early. I don't know but we'll try to watch him."
