Mets Ruben Tejada.jpg

Ruben Tejada is hitting .221 this season.

(Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)



PHILADELPHIA -- After smacking two hits in three at-bats in the Mets 6-1 win over the Phillies Tuesday night, Ruben Tejada is now hitting .221.

On the surface, the first month of the season has not gone auspiciously for the Mets shortstop. Along with that average (20th best among all shortstops), his .250 slugging percentage is last among all at his position. If the Mets were looking for a rebound season from the 24 year old, this is not it and still below his career averages at the plate.

Yet, a look further evidences that Tejada is having a truly interesting year. Maybe it's that he is third in the majors with five intentional walks -- one fewer than Giancarlo Stanton -- so hit .338 on-base percentage is the second-highest of his career so far.

Or that Tejada leads the majors in line drive percentage, which is usually a signifier of better production. And yet, with a .306 batting average on balls in play is right in line with league average.

"I hope so," Terry Collins said when asked if he thinks Tejada's numbers will climb. "I think if you take a look at the hits he’s gotten. They are the kind of hits Ruben used to get, a lot of. Line drives up the middle and right field. There was a time he would wear you out going to right field. That was one of his major strengths. Especially as he’s getting deeper in the count, he’s trying to hit the ball and stay inside it and use the field."

This season, Tejada has actually hit the majority of his line drives to right field, and pulled most ground balls, according to spray charts provided by Brooks Baseball. In 2012, when Tejada hit .289, his line drives were spread around the field.

Part of Tejada's problem this season is that although he's walking twice as frequently as he has in career, he's striking out nearly twice his career rate too. Tejada is striking out 23.2 percent of the time this season raising, his career number to 14.2 percent.