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Or maybe it isn’t coincidental. In an interview, Goins does not mention Seitzer’s name, but he makes it clear that he and Seitzer were not a good fit. This year, working with Jacoby and assistant Eric Owens, it took awhile, but for now at least, he has found an approach that works.

“In my case last year, it was ‘take pitches, hit the ball the other way all the time,’ ” Goins said. “It wasn’t what I felt comfortable doing. It wasn’t what got me here. Then this year I come in and they both say, ‘Do what you want, and if you have questions, ask and we’ll help.’ And that’s exactly what’s happened.

“It’s been great. The biggest thing I think this year is being comfortable. If you’re not comfortable, you’re not going to have success.”

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For those who cover the Jays, documenting his recent success has become a cottage industry. If you’re a Jays fan, you know the narrative – defensive whiz adds hitting to his repertoire for a pennant drive. And that walkoff homer Goins hit against Cleveland on Tuesday night is certainly fresh in your mind.

His surge has produced some startling then-and-now numbers.

Before the all-star break this year, Goins owned a .213 career batting average, with too many strikeouts and precious few walks. In 32 games since he became a full-time starter on July 26, he has batted .287 with a .398 on-base percentage. Over that period, he has 23 strikeouts and 18 walks in 113 plate appearances.

His 16 per cent walk rate in that period is remarkable. Previously, for his entire career, his walk rate was 3.6 per cent.