Joc Pederson has more cat than he has hits. For the record, he has three hits this year.

Maybe he should name his hits so he can fondly remember them.

He got his first hit in Game 2 of the season, against Boston. That hit needed a friend, so he got his second hit in Game 7, against Cincinnati, then one more followed him home in Game 8, also against Cincinnati.

Since then, he has gone 0-for-26. When your Designated Hitter doesn’t hit, you’re in trouble. Like having a catcher who can’t catch, or a pitcher who can’t pitch, which was pretty much the Rangers first fifty years of existence.  

It’s too soon to hit the panic button. Besides, the Rangers are working on a razor thin margin of error with their budget anyway, so there’s not a whole lot of room to operate even if there was a player they could trade for. 

But, again, it’s way too early to panic. Pederson and his .070 average is just the poster boy for the Rangers offensive problems right now. They simply cannot hit.

Pederson’s lifetime average is .239. Last year he hit .275. His lifetime OPS is .805. It currently sits at .277. His lifetime OPS+ is 119. So far this year, it is -15, meaning he is about as valuable as a high school hitter. Major league players generally play to the backs of their baseball cards. Some seasons, a little better, some seasons a little worse. They don’t fall off the cliff, like Pederson is doing now, for an entire season

So, take comfort in knowing Pederson is not an .070 hitter. One of these days, he might bring home another precious hit. And who knows, that hit might bring home a run. But once he gets going, he will produce hits like Nick Cannon and Elon Musk produces kids.

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