http://www.journalnow.com/sports/columnist...19bb30f31a.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, another article at milb.com

 

The month Courtney Hawkins spent on the disabled list was a long time for a young guy eager to make the most of his first full pro season.

 

It made the 19-year-old antsy, so much so that in his return on Sunday, he struck out four times in five at-bats.

 

High strikeout totals are the one knock on Hawkins, but after a couple games to settle back into his routine, he flashed the tool that makes his upside tantalizing -- power, in abundance.

 

The White Sox top prospect hit his ninth and 10th homers, drove in five runs and scored three times on Tuesday night, powering Class A Advanced Winston-Salem to a 12-5 victory over Salem.

 

"Two home runs is two home runs, that's always a decent day," Hawkins said. "It feels good, but really, I'm just glad to be playing again."

 

The 13th overall selection in last year's Draft was hitting .177 before suffering a shoulder injury while making a diving catch. He's 5-for-15 in the four games since coming off the DL to bring his average back up to .200. But Hawkins knows he needs to cut down on strikeouts after fanning 51 times in 95 at-bats.

 

The key is not simply not trying to strike out, but slowly learning how to make more consistent contact, he said.

 

"Coming up now my biggest focus is putting the bat on the ball. The home runs I know are gonna come," he said. "At the beginning of the season, I was so worried about strikeouts. I'd think, 'Don't strike out, don't strike out, don't strike out,' and I struck out more. So right now, if it happens, it happens; it's baseball. I'm not the first one to have strikeouts. I go up there and the only thing on my mind is to make contact, get a good pitch to hit, and if it doesn't come, take a walk."

http://www.journalnow.com/sports/columnist...19bb30f31a.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, another article at milb.com

 

The month Courtney Hawkins spent on the disabled list was a long time for a young guy eager to make the most of his first full pro season.

 

It made the 19-year-old antsy, so much so that in his return on Sunday, he struck out four times in five at-bats.

 

High strikeout totals are the one knock on Hawkins, but after a couple games to settle back into his routine, he flashed the tool that makes his upside tantalizing -- power, in abundance.

 

The White Sox top prospect hit his ninth and 10th homers, drove in five runs and scored three times on Tuesday night, powering Class A Advanced Winston-Salem to a 12-5 victory over Salem.

 

"Two home runs is two home runs, that's always a decent day," Hawkins said. "It feels good, but really, I'm just glad to be playing again."

 

The 13th overall selection in last year's Draft was hitting .177 before suffering a shoulder injury while making a diving catch. He's 5-for-15 in the four games since coming off the DL to bring his average back up to .200. But Hawkins knows he needs to cut down on strikeouts after fanning 51 times in 95 at-bats.

 

The key is not simply not trying to strike out, but slowly learning how to make more consistent contact, he said.

 

"Coming up now my biggest focus is putting the bat on the ball. The home runs I know are gonna come," he said. "At the beginning of the season, I was so worried about strikeouts. I'd think, 'Don't strike out, don't strike out, don't strike out,' and I struck out more. So right now, if it happens, it happens; it's baseball. I'm not the first one to have strikeouts. I go up there and the only thing on my mind is to make contact, get a good pitch to hit, and if it doesn't come, take a walk."

 

Seems like he has a good chance to figure it out. Who knows really, but everything I've read him say has sounded really mature and open-minded.

 

Seems like he has a good chance to figure it out. Who knows really, but everything I've read him say has sounded really mature and open-minded.

NOT POSSIBLE HE TWEETS TOO MUCH

High hopes that he can get it all figured out, could be a future cornerstone for the franchise.