Despite the plummeting numbers in the Red Sox' first 12 games of the season, Jarrod Saltalmacchia was swinging the bat well in the series against the Rangers, rifling liners and fly balls for outs.
Ever since, the catcher has found his groove. The peak of Saltalamacchia's power surge took place Thursday, when he hammered two home runs –– one to the opposite field –– to propel the Red Sox past the White Sox.
With the barrage, Saltalamacchia has tallied four long balls and nine RBIs to raise his average to a .261. His sudden streak confirms the fact that, despite his slow start, he's been making strides at the plate.
During spring training, the 26-year-old was honing his skills with hitting coach Dave Magadan in an effort to squash his habit of getting under the baseball. After some refining, Saltalmacchia looks poised to assemble a strong season.
It's a step in the right direction of proving that his 16-homer and 56-RBI performance last season was no fluke. It also shows that Saltalmacchia can deliver an offensive punch without Jason Varitek in the fold.
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