Tim Beckham’s nine-plus seasons within the Tampa Bay Rays organization haven’t gone exactly as planned since the infielder was selected first overall in the 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
Saying that actual results have failed to live up to expectations is putting it lightly.
But rather than delving into past frustrations, Rays fans should be focused on what’s happening right now. The past is the past and that’s not changing.
So let’s look at Tim Beckham at the present. The 27-year-old isn’t supposed to be starting at shortstop. That’s where 2016 acquisition Matt Duffy should be. But Duffy’s lingering ankle issues led Rays manager Kevin Cash to plug in Beckham.
An optimistic return date for Duffy is mid-to-late May, but Beckham is making his absence a non-issue lately.
After stumbling out of the gate, Beckham’s been swinging a hot bat. The shortstop batted .156 (5-for-32) with a .182 on-base percentage and just one extra-base hit and no runs batted in through his first 10 games.
There’s been a bounce-back the past 10 games. Beckham’s posted a .342 average (13-for-38) over that span, driven in five runs, hit two homers and added a triple. Included in that surge was Tuesday night’s fourth-inning RBI single that broke a scoreless tie with the Baltimore Orioles during the Rays’ 2-0 road victory.
Beckham’s held down the shortstop position throughout April, as well. He’s committed one error over 173 innings and his .988 fielding percentage is fifth-best among all players at the position.
The year’s young and 20 games isn’t much in the grand scheme of a 162-game season. Beckham’s sitting with a .257 batting average and walking only twice while striking out 25 times puts his overall on-base percentage at only .278. But the recent results at least provide a glimmer of hope that the former No. 1 pick can be an asset to the lineup.
Eric Horchy is a staff writer with OutsidePitchMLB.com. You can follow and interact with him on Twitter: @EricHorchy
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