Carlos Ruiz needs to take early cuts

Today's game against the Colorado Rockies might not be the greatest example of this, as Carlos Ruiz worked counts and ended up going 3-4, but the numbers don't lie. Carlos Ruiz is struggling this season, hitting .244 with 9 home runs. There is one category, however, where he excels: batting average when swinging at the first pitch. He is hitting .306 with 2 of his home runs. The sample size is small, and polluted by the fact that, if he is swinging at the first pitch, it is probably a juicy pitch, but it does signify that Ruiz could stand to benefit by being more aggressive at the dish.

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