News
Randy Winn - WINNing Ways
Kyle Galdeira
03/20/07
Randy Winn has worked hard to become one of the Major League's premier switch hitters. In 2005, the 32-year-old outfielder became just the third switch hitter in ML history to post a .300 batting average with 185 hits, 45 2Bs and 20 HRs.
According to the 2002 All-Star--now a fixture in the San Francisco Giants outfield--he gained experience hitting from both sides of the plate as a member of the Maui Stingrays in the 1997 edition of the HWB League.
"I was still learning to switch-hit, so it was really important for me to get as many left-handed at bats as possible in the year," Winn said as he prepared for a Spring Training game against the Colorado Rockies. "That was the thing I was working hardest on. It was a great experience, Hawaii is a beautiful place. We had a few guys from the league that made it to the big leagues, with Michael Barrett (now with the Chicago Cubs) being one of them. It's just a place where we got to go and play some more games, and try to improve and get better as players."
Winn's work ethic and dedication to improving his craft paid dividends as the eight-year ML veteran set an impressive team mark in 2005, his first season with the Giants. In Sept. of that year, Winn pounded 51 hits, the most in a single month by a Giant since at least 1970 when that statistic was first tracked.
"You've got to keep getting better," Winn says. "Every year there are guys, like myself, who play in winter ball, playing in Hawaii and Puerto Rico, looking to make it to the big leagues. Now that I'm here, I have to keep improving, work on my hitting, defense and baserunning. (I'm) just trying to get better all-around as a player."
It took Winn four grueling years in the minors before making The Show in 1998 with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The time spent climbing the ladder of the professional ranks has made him appreciate his status at the sports' highest level of play. And, he shared his advice for those trying to follow in his footsteps.
"Never let anybody tell you that you can't do it," Winn says. "If you believe, and you work hard, the sky's the limit. Anything can happen."
