Diamond Member Pelican Press 0 Posted Wednesday at 07:24 PM Diamond Member Share Posted Wednesday at 07:24 PM This is the hidden content, please Sign In or Sign Up Springer likely to share leadoff spot this season DUNEDIN – His spot at the top of the batting order no longer secure and his statistics trending downward, George Springer has plenty to prove as he enters the penultimate season of his six-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. This is the hidden content, please Sign In or Sign Up Manager John Schneider plans to give the veteran right-fielder some reps in left field this season and says the leadoff spot will likely be “a fluid situation.” “He’s open to anything and everything, which is awesome,” Schneider said. “So it’s just trying to use him appropriately.” Springer, 35, posted strong numbers in his first year with Toronto — an injury-riddled 2021 season — but his statistics have been on a steady decline since. He hit .267 with 25 homers and 76 RBIs over 133 games in 2022. A year later, he played in 154 games and hit .258 with 21 homers and 72 RBIs. Story continues below advertisement The four-time all-star endured a terrible first half last season. He was able to pull his numbers up but still hit just .220 over 145 games with 19 homers and 56 RBIs. “Obviously I did not do what I had hoped to do last year,” Springer said. “I understand that, I accept that, I acknowledge that. I think a lot of it is just understanding what went wrong, how it wrong and understanding how to get yourself out of it slowly but surely.” Related Videos This is the hidden content, please Sign In or Sign Up 0:29 Bo Bichette going viral for openly flirting with trade Previous Video Next Video Springer chose not to reveal specifics of any adjustments he has made as camp returned to normal Wednesday on the heels of the failed Vladimir Guerrero Jr. contract extension talks. The slugger will likely become a free agent after the 2025 season. This is the hidden content, please Sign In or Sign Up Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. “I just kind of watched it from afar,” Springer said. “I know who he is, I know what kind of player he is, but the most important thing is he’s a great human. Story continues below advertisement “He’s here to win and obviously a guy like that on your team — for however long — is great.” After spending his first seven seasons with the Houston Astros, Springer signed a team-record US$150-million deal with the Blue Jays in early 2021. His arrival signalled the franchise was aiming for big things after a wild-card round appearance in the shortened 2020 campaign. Springer helped Toronto return to the playoffs in two of the next three years but the team didn’t make the divisional series. More on Sports More videos With a veteran-heavy starting rotation and homegrown pillars Guerrero and Bo Bichette entering contract years, the pressure is on the Blue Jays to take advantage of an open competitive window that could slam shut if there’s a weak first half. “I’m very confident in the group that we have and the mentality,” Springer said. “It isn’t about tomorrow. It’s about now and I think guys understand that.” A life of the party type, Springer is as outgoing and friendly as they come. Trending Now This is the hidden content, please Sign In or Sign Up Roll Up the Rim: Tim Hortons contest guru lays out latest winning formula This is the hidden content, please Sign In or Sign Up Here’s the latest on the Delta plane ****** at Toronto Pearson airport His engaging personality and jovial style helps keep things light and energetic around the player development complex. “He’s a veteran guy who has been through a lot,” Schneider said. “He knows when to push the envelope and knows when to back off. He knows when to have a little bit of urgency and knows when to not panic.” Story continues below advertisement Schneider expects he’ll “mix and match” in the leadoff spot this season depending on the opposition and pitching matchups. That list, at least as of Wednesday, included Springer, Bo Bichette, Will Wagner and Andres Gimenez. “There’s a handful of guys who can do it and we’re just going to try to maximize (it) each night,” Schneider said. While his defensive play has been steady, Springer’s on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS have dropped every year since his Toronto debut. He had an OBP of .352 in 2021 but it was just .303 last season. His slugging percentage (.555 to .371) and OPS numbers (.907 to .674) have dropped more sharply over the same span. “I’m not trying to chase results,” Springer said. “I’m just doing whatever I can to help us win that day. Whether it’s in the box, in the field, in the clubhouse. I also understand that results matter. “So it’s just being the best version of myself and we’ll see what happens.” Toronto kicks off pre-season play Saturday against the New York Yankees. This report by The ********* Press was first published Feb. 19, 2025. © 2025 The ********* Press This is the hidden content, please Sign In or Sign Up #Springer #share #leadoff #spot #season This is the hidden content, please Sign In or Sign Up This is the hidden content, please Sign In or Sign Up Link to comment https://hopzone.eu/forums/topic/222254-springer-likely-to-share-leadoff-spot-this-season/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
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