As we've documented several times, even going back to last year, Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor simply wasn't ready to be a big-league regular last year, but he was just that and ended up being the youngest position player in the big leagues a year ago.
Odor was in way over his head last year, but managed to survive and put up some respectable numbers. This year, after pitchers began to get a book on him and realize he would swing at anything, he struggled horribly. When he was sent down, he was batting just better than .140 and was showing absolutely no grasp of the strike zone.
The Rangers finally did the inevitable and demoted Odor to Triple-A Round Rock to figure things out. The term "demoted" carries such a negative connotation, but in Odor's case it was a almost a "mercy killing." He was so lost, and he needed to find his way.
Now, he appears to be doing on a start to doing so. Odor homered in each game of a doubleheader on Sunday — a win and a loss — and he also walked three times with just one strikeout. Granted, it's Triple-A pitching versus major-league pitching, but the fact Odor walked three times and struck out just once is even more encouraging than the fact he had three hits with two homers.
