Ron Kroichick, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Travis Ishikawa prepares for pinch-hitting appearances by facing fastballs off a pitching machine deep beneath AT&T Park. The pitches zoom toward him between 85 and 90 mph, a logical speed - except Ishikawa stands 25 feet away, not 60.
"That makes them look faster," he said.
The routine, which he started in mid-May, obviously is working. Ishikawa's double Monday night made him 9-for-17 (.529) as a pinch hitter this season, the highest average in the major leagues. His ninth-inning flyout Tuesday night dropped him back to .500.
Candy Maldonado owns the highest pinch-hitting average in San Francisco history, at .425 in 1986. Ishikawa hopes his success in the role elevates him into another realm.
"I still think of myself as an everyday player," he said before Tuesday night's game. "I definitely believe I can have a long career in the big leagues. As frustrating as this season has been, playing-time-wise, I'm confident it's just a bump in the road."
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