Travis d’Arnaud recently discussed his up-and-down 2014 season with Bill Madden of the Daily News. The 26-year old catcher talked about his demotion to the minors and the adjustments he made after being called back up to the majors.
“It was a wake-up call,” d’Arnaud said. “It definitely humbled me. It taught me that nothing is given to you and you have to work for what you want.”
“I wasn’t myself,” he said of those first three months last season. “I was timid at the plate and I let that affect my defense. But when I got down to Triple-A, George Greer, the hitting coach, noticed right away I was standing too far off the plate and as a result I couldn’t reach any of the pitches on the outside half. He moved me closer, and everything seemed to come together again. I was myself again.”
He also said in the interview that simplifying his approach and being more aggressive at the plate helped fuel his turnaround. Travis batted .265 with 7 home runs and a .787 OPS during the second half.
Despite his inconsistent season, d’Arnaud seems confident that he can carry over his second half success into this season.
“I feel so much more relaxed and physically stronger, and confident in that I can swing harder. That’s what (Barwis’ workouts) do for you.”
