A different mindset, a better Lerud

By Andy Bitter

Published: May 10, 2008

You look at the confident swing, the free-flowing swoop from the left side that’s produced more home runs than any Hillcat this year, and you think to yourself that Steve Lerud must have done some major offseason tinkering with his mechanics.

“No. It’s just mental for me,” the second-year Lynchburg catcher said. “I was in a bad place last year.”

The 2007 season is one the 23-year-old would rather forget. As if the nagging injuries weren’t enough, Lerud also had to cope with the untimely death of his father early in the season. He missed a month and a half because of it, and, even once he returned, found it hard to completely focus on baseball.

Upon his return, he pulled his groin twice, resulting in trips to the disabled list. Later, he was hit on the hand by a pitch, a similar injury to the one that dragged down his numbers in 2005 at Low-A Hickory and short-season Williamsport.

By the end of the season, he was hitting .202 with a .609 OPS and just four home runs and 31 RBIs.

“I just never got in a rhythm,” he said.

This season has been a complete 180. In 106 at bats, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound catcher is hitting .264 with 21 RBIs.

He’s halfway to a career high with six home runs, flashing the kind of power Pittsburgh envisioned when it selected him in the fourth round of the 2003 draft out of Galena High in Reno, Nev., where as a senior he hit 21 home runs, making him the state’s career leader.

“I knew I was capable of it,” Lerud said. “The Pirates think I am too. I’m not surprised by it, but at the same time, it feels good to finally be able to show them that their patience is starting to pay off.”

Hillcats manager Jeff Branson chalks up most of Lerud’s strides to experience. Despite a disjointed 2007, his 287 at bats were still the second most he had in a professional season, trailing his 393 at-bat 2006 campaign. This year, he’s on pace for 436 at bats.

Lerud has also tightened up on his defense. After leading professional baseball with 35 passed balls in 2006 and 25 last year, he has three in 27 games this year.

His arm is still of big-league caliber. Though his caught stealing percentage is down slightly, Lerud is still throwing out runners at a 33 percent clip.

Most important, he’s not letting one part of his game affect another.

“This year he has learned to separate his offense from his defense,” Branson said. “When he’s on defense, it’s defense. When he comes into the dugout, then it’s offense.”

Quick hits

w If Lynchburg’s outfielders start hitting, its offense could be scary. So far, Jared Keel (.178), Alex Presley (.196) and Albert Laboy (.175) are all hitting under .200.

Things could be looking up. Laboy and Keel both slugged home runs during the last week and Presley, who had a stint on the disabled list with a ankle injury, is 4-for-12 since his return.

“We know it’s there,” Branson said. “We just have to get it out of them.”

w Reliever Jake Cuffman is carving out a niche in the bullpen. In two appearances this week, he entered in the middle of the inning with a runner on base and got out of the jam. On Thursday, he did it in one pitch.

“The role has fit him pretty well,” Branson said. “Like (Thursday), he was in a pressure situation, with a runner on and a 1-0 ballgame. He came in and in one pitch got one out. That was his job and he did it.”

Cuffman, who has a 2.57 ERA in 14 innings this year, has inherited 14 runners and stranded nine of them.

w Brian Friday is making a bid to be the Carolina League’s starter at shortstop in the all-star game. The third-round pick out of Rice nearly hit for the cycle on Wednesday and is batting .342 with seven doubles, a triple, five RBIs and 11 runs during this homestand. The leadoff man is tied for third in the league with 24 runs scored.