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Hitting Is a Matter of Seeing the Ball for Bowie's Fontenot
By Steve Argeris
Mike Fontenot started the season sluggishly enough, going nearly two dozen at-bats without his first base hit. But the Bowie Baysox coaching staff had patience, figuring Fontenot would adjust to Class AA pitching sooner or later.
It ended up being sooner. Fontenot has raised his batting average more than 80 points in the past month and, heading into yesterday's home game with the New Haven Ravens, the second baseman was hitting .291 with a surprising amount of power. He has five home runs, second best for the Baysox.
"I'm feeling really good at the plate," Fontenot said last week.
Fontenot cites two major changes from April to June: pitch selection and contact lenses.
Early in the year, he had trouble seeing a clock across the clubhouse. Never having worn glasses before, he finally went to visit an optometrist three weeks into the season. The difference was immediate.
"Everything was a lot more clear," he said.
The second change was Fontenot's pickiness at the plate. His 5-foot-8 frame offers pitchers a small strike zone to work with and affords Fontenot the opportunity to be selective. His walks have increased -- 18 on the year -- and he has reached base in 33 consecutive games, including a current 14-game hitting streak.
Fontenot, listed as the Orioles' sixth-best prospect by Baseball America, had a similar breakout month around this time last season, his first full professional season. Playing at Class A Frederick, he reached base in 22 consecutive games between June 24 and July 18, hitting .377 with a 15-game hitting streak.
"He has settled in and played more according to the style that suits him," Baysox Manager Dave Trembley said. "He's stopped chasing balls out of his range."
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By Steve Argeris
Mike Fontenot started the season sluggishly enough, going nearly two dozen at-bats without his first base hit. But the Bowie Baysox coaching staff had patience, figuring Fontenot would adjust to Class AA pitching sooner or later.
It ended up being sooner. Fontenot has raised his batting average more than 80 points in the past month and, heading into yesterday's home game with the New Haven Ravens, the second baseman was hitting .291 with a surprising amount of power. He has five home runs, second best for the Baysox.
"I'm feeling really good at the plate," Fontenot said last week.
Fontenot cites two major changes from April to June: pitch selection and contact lenses.
Early in the year, he had trouble seeing a clock across the clubhouse. Never having worn glasses before, he finally went to visit an optometrist three weeks into the season. The difference was immediate.
"Everything was a lot more clear," he said.
The second change was Fontenot's pickiness at the plate. His 5-foot-8 frame offers pitchers a small strike zone to work with and affords Fontenot the opportunity to be selective. His walks have increased -- 18 on the year -- and he has reached base in 33 consecutive games, including a current 14-game hitting streak.
Fontenot, listed as the Orioles' sixth-best prospect by Baseball America, had a similar breakout month around this time last season, his first full professional season. Playing at Class A Frederick, he reached base in 22 consecutive games between June 24 and July 18, hitting .377 with a 15-game hitting streak.
"He has settled in and played more according to the style that suits him," Baysox Manager Dave Trembley said. "He's stopped chasing balls out of his range."
Would you like to send this article to a friend? Go to
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/admin/emailfriend?contentId=A28542-2003Jun24&sent=no&referrer=emailarticle
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