San Francisco Giants: Buster Posey finally heating up

San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey has struggled for most of 2019. However, some recent good form could pave the way for a second-half surge.

The 2019 season has not been kind to San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey for the most part.

His batting average has dwindled to a level we’ve not seen before this deep into a season, and coming off hip surgery, it was only natural to wonder if this was the new Buster Posey.

However, Posey is finally starting to heat up.

With four multi-hit games in his last six, he’s raised his average from .230 to .255. That’s nowhere near what we have come to expect from Posey, but certainly a marked improvement over what he has been doing most of the year.

The biggest issue from an eye test standpoint has seemed to be poor timing. Far too often, Posey was out in front of off-speed pitches and was unable to square up fastballs.

Recently, it has seemed like he is taking the ball to right field more, and that approach has helped spark his offensive rebound. With increased emphasis on launch angle and getting the ball airborne, going the other way has become something of a lost art.

It might not be the sexiest approach, but it has been effective for Posey.

Since June 28, he’s racked up 10 hits in six games, three of which have been doubles. He’s batting .476/.522/.619 during that small sample size, and it could prove to be the turning point in his season.

While it’s clear Posey lacks the power he had in his prime, that does not mean he can’t still be an offensive threat.

If he continues to embrace an opposite field approach, we could see a second-half resurgence and a possible return to form.

Not only that but if his approach continues to prove successful, other players in the lineup could start to replicate it. That could do wonders for a team that has so few players with respectable batting averages on the year.

The more guys reach base, the more runs score, and the less pressure there is on the pitching staff. If the Giants are looking for a solid second half, they need not look further than Buster Posey’s recent ability to take the ball the other way.