Through 22 games played, Deibinson Romero has been undoubtedly the most powerful hitter in the Indianapolis lineup.
In an order that has a plethora of singles hitters, Romero has the ability to supply some pop. In the first month-plus of the season, he has seven doubles and four home runs through Wednesday.
As for what has been working, Romero points to some work on timing with Indianapolis hitting coach Butch Wynegar.
“I have been working with [Wynegar] and we have been working on my hitting position,” Romero said. “In the game, I see the ball and swing. You go to the plate, get the timing and swing the bat.”
While he has shown some susceptibility to off-speed pitches and breaking balls in the early season, Romero has also been working on staying back on the ball. The work has paid off as he has been much more consistent at the plate lately.
“We are learning something from the hitting coaches right now,” Romero said. “They want us to stay back. They are telling me to keep working on the same thing every day, and stay back.”
Romero is also mashing left-handed pitching, to the tone of nine hits in 22 at bats. He is hitting .267 against righties.
After picking up hits in all eight games that he played over the most recent road trip, he also missed a couple of games due to a mild injury. During the time out, Indianapolis manager Dean Treanor really missed his bat in the order.
“[Romero] has been swinging the bat for us,” Treanor said. “Missing a couple of game really changed the lineup around. I think that he is coming around and I really like him defensively at third base. He was a good sign in the off-season and I really like what I have seen so far.”
After returning to Indianapolis in the current home stand, Romero went three straight games without a hit before collecting knocks in four consecutive games through Wednesday, including three doubles in that span.
As for the hot start to the season, Romero credits that work that he had done over the winter in the Dominican Republic.
“I do a lot of preparing [for the season] in the Dominican,” Romero said. “I work a lot in the Dominican and work here too. When the game starts, something happens [and I’m ready].”
Since 2009, Romero has not had any fewer than 14 errors in a single season, along with three seasons with at least 20 errors. After picking up a pair on Tuesday night, Romero is already up to four on the season. However, he is feeling some improvement in the field with some hard work.
“The defense has been pretty good for now,” Romero said. “It was not [as good] a couple years ago. I just keep working taking ground balls and throwing the balls.”
While many thought of Romero as one of the stronger off-season signings for the Pirates minor league system, Romero himself has one goal: make it to Pittsburgh.
“I want to play in the big leagues this year,” Romero said. “That is my goal. That is what I put in my mind. I want to have a good season [here] and finish the season in Pittsburgh.”
With a somewhat lack of depth at third base at the Major League level, some continued consistent play, combined with an injury or two, Romero could find himself just in that position. He is in a similar situation to where Brent Morel was last season, in terms of depth, but has supplanted Morel as the everyday third baseman in Indianapolis.
