More fun with spray charts!

While I was watching this Boston series, I noticed that Dan Johnson had been really struggling as of late. So let's delve into to some analysis:

	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	TB	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG
vs Left-handed Pitcher	9	12	3	2	0	0	0	1	2	3	3	0	0	0.167	0.333	0.167
vs Right-handed Pitcher	17	49	3	7	0	0	2	5	13	4	8	0	0	0.143	0.208	0.265
Home	6	24	2	5	0	0	0	1	5	1	7	0	0	0.208	0.240	0.208
Away	11	37	4	4	0	0	2	5	10	6	4	0	0	0.108	0.233	0.270
Day	5	19	1	3	0	0	0	0	3	1	4	0	0	0.158	0.200	0.158
Night	12	42	5	6	0	0	2	6	12	6	7	0	0	0.143	0.250	0.286
Sept. Total	17	61	6	9	0	0	2	6	15	7	11	0	0	0.148	0.235	0.246

Besides the slide he is having this season, two important points: he has 5 GIDP's for September and July 21st was his last off-day. His amount of GIDP'S is one less than Kendall's, who happens to lead the league. And that he has played in so many games in a row is indicative of the trait amongst the A's 3-6 hitters.

With that in mind, is there a possible mechanical problem with Johnson? Let's look at his spray chart for this month:

(Note: Hits are solid circles, Outs are X's)

As you can see, alot of his hits have gone to left field. Of the nine hits he has this month, 7 have been pulled to right field. In fact, the last time he went opposite field for a hit was on the 7 of September.

Johnson is pulling on the ball and this is because of a change in the way opponents pitch to him. Durring an A's telecast, Johnson mentioned as much and that he has changed his approach as they are throwing far more inside to him and with more offspeed pitches. What has happened though is that he is gearing up for the offspeed pitches so much that he is barely catching up to the fastball causing him to lose his ability to place good contact on the ball.

Hopefully, someone drills in to his psyche that he needs to think opposite field and try to hit the pitches where they are thrown. Another issue is that Johnson has been taking more pitches for strikes even though they are pitches he could hit:

"It's very frustrating," Johnson said. "In hindsight, I would have bunted. I took two pitches that I probably should have swung at. Then he snuck a fastball in there. I just rolled it over for him."

Frankly, Johnson needs to be one cool cat; perhaps he could channel Don Johnson's tv character, undercover cop Sonny Crockett...