Peter O’Brien demoted to work on ‘strike-zone discipline’
Jul 5, 2016, 5:14 PM | Updated: 6:20 pm
Arizona Diamondbacks' Peter O'Brien (14) watches the flight of his three-run home run as Miami Marlins' J.T. Realmuto, left, looks on during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 12, 2016, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale spoke with Burns and Gambo on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Tuesday regarding Peter O’Brien’s demotion due lack of plate discipline in his time with the D-backs.
“We talked to him about the better strike-zone discipline that he’s going to have to get,” Hale said. “If we had more time or less players that could play those positions he probably would get a longer look. At this point, we felt like progress was not being made at this level and we need to send him back.”
O’Brien struck out 24 times in his 56 at-bats over his his 20-game stint with D-backs. He only had seven hits (.123 batting average) with the D-backs — but four of those were big flies — while driving in just eight runs.
Two of his four home runs came in a 10-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on June 17.
Spanning from his two-home-run performance through June 25, O’Brien started eight of nine games. However, from June 26 to July 3, he made just one start in seven possible games and only received eight at-bats.
O’Brien will get more consistent at-bats at the Triple-A level. In 212 at-bats in the minor leagues, he has a .330 batting average with 17 home runs and 52 RBI.
