He’s going strong again after overcoming disappointments

Scott Van Slyke enjoys amusement parks as much as the next guy, but spending 2012 on a roller coaster exceeded his limits.

The year included some stellar highs for the Albuquerque Isotopes slugger:

♦ Van Slyke made his major league debut on May 9 and got a hit in his first at-bat.

	Monday Omaha  8 Isotopes  7 (10 innings)

♦ A month later Scott and his wife, Audrey, celebrated the birth of their first child, Jackson Van Slyke.

Pretty good year, right?

It stayed that way for the most part as the 6-foot-5 Van Slyke hit .327 in 95 games with the ‘Topes, mashing 18 home runs and driving in 67 runs. He was a key cog in Albuquerque’s run to the Pacific Coast League playoffs.

Unfortunately for Van Slyke, that’s when the roller coaster started heading down.

Having hit just .167 in 27 games with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Van Slyke was not called up by the ‘Topes’ parent club in September. In December the 26-year-old was designated for assignment and cleared waivers.

“Scotty got a couple wake-up calls last year,” Isotopes manager Lorenzo Bundy said. “No call-up in September, he’s not on the (Dodgers’) 40-man roster any more, and he’s not claimed on waivers. I think he might be playing with a little chip on his shoulder this year.”

You wouldn’t know it to talk to him. Van Slyke admits the off-season was humbling, but he chose simply to take the wake-up call for what it was.

“It took me about a week to get over it,” Van Slyke said of being dropped from the 40-man roster and clearing waivers. “But I was actually fortunate the way it happened – in the off-season instead of during the season. I had time to get my mindset right.”

Because he had not been released, Van Slyke figured he still had an opportunity to impress the Dodgers brass. He decided to make the most of it.

Step one was dropping 20 pounds off his 250-pound frame.

“I just ate better,” he said, “gave up the late-night carbs. Chips, man, I love chips.”

With Jackson’s help, Scott has started getting more sleep. Jerry Sands’ off-season departure from the Dodgers’ organization also has allowed Van Slyke to focus on a single position, first base. In 2012 he shuttled between first and the outfield.

“It’s been nice getting the reps at first base,” Van Slyke said. “I’m calmer in games.”

At the plate, Van Slyke has had laser focus early this season. He came into Monday night’s game against Omaha leading the PCL in batting average (.600), hits, RBIs and slugging percentage. He stayed red-hot Monday, going 3-for-5 with a double and a tape-measure two-run homer in the Isotopes’ 8-7, 10-inning loss to Omaha.

Bundy and Van Slyke credit his hot start to simply being more selective at the plate. Bundy calls it a function of maturity, but Van Slyke says it’s also about impressing his employers – and staying on a level track.

“I just want to have a better season and prove to the organization I still have value,” Van Slyke said. “They didn’t release me, so they must believe there’s some value. I just need to be consistent and productive.”
— This article appeared on page D1 of the Albuquerque Journal