Scrappers’ Blair adjusts to minors

By Joe Scalzo

He’s batting .278 in 29 games with 14 runs, 13 walks and 11 RBIs.

NILES — Before Ryan Blair made the jump to the minors this summer, his coaches at Sacramento (Calif.) State warned him that playing professionally would be a much different experience.

“But I got here and it’s not like that at all,” said Blair, who was a 21st round pick by the Indians in June. “Everyone gets along really well. It’s a great locker room and it’s a great team atmosphere.”

Need proof? About 20 seconds into his interview on Tuesday, one of his teammates walked out of the shower and slapped Blair on the butt. When asked if that was an example of the team atmosphere, Blair laughed.

“Don’t quote me on that one,” he said.

Although he hasn’t had to make many adjustments inside the locker room, he has had to make some adjustments on the field. Through 33 games, Blair has played two of the three outfield positions and has seen time at each of the first seven spots in the batting order.

“It doesn’t bug me one bit,” said Blair. “I realize that if I’m leading off, my role that day is to get on base. If I’m batting in the No. 3 spot, I realize I need to drive in runs, to be more patient with that pitch but also not try to do too much.

“My role might be different but I take the same approach. I just try to get a good pitch to hit, no matter where I am in the count or where I am in the lineup.”

Blair is batting .278 in 29 games with 14 runs, 13 walks and 11 RBIs. He hasn’t shown much power yet — he has a .348 slugging percentage with a homer, a triple and three doubles among his 32 hits — but some of that is due to switching to wooden bats. With aluminum bats, Blair tried to hit the ball deep in the zone. With wood, he tries to get out in front in order to drive the ball.

“That’s probably been the toughest adjustment,” he said.

Although guys like Lonnie Chisenhall (the Indians’ first round pick), Brock Simpson (a sixth-round pick batting a team-high .316) and Isaias Velasquez (.299 average with a team-high 19 runs) have garnered more attention on the Scrappers this season, Blair has been one of the most improved, said Mahoning Valley manager Travis Fryman.

“He’s improved dramatically,” said Fryman. “When you look at him in the first half, he’s he played really well.

“He’s been a little under the radar in my opinion. He’s a good-looking young player.”

Blair said he’s been happy with his development so far but he also knows there’s room for improvement.

“I’ve made a big jump since the beginning of the year and I realize I just need to take it one step at a time now,” said Blair. “We’ve reached the halfway point and our team is coming around pretty good too, which is kind of a big deal.

“I’m just trying to not to do too much. Just stay within myself and know my role, basically. It’s been a lot of fun.”

scalzo@vindy.com

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