Griffin not in groove yet

When John-Ford Griffin gets locked in as a hitter, he's capable of doing a lot of damage.

But the problem is it typically takes a month or so for the 51s outfielder to find his rhythm.

"I tend to start a little bit slow. I usually get into a pretty consistent groove in May," said Griffin, 28, who went 0-for-2 with two walks in Wednesday's 11-4 loss to Colorado Springs at Cashman Field.

Griffin, who signed in the offseason as a minor league free agent, is batting .261 (6-for-23) with one RBI in seven games for Las Vegas (2-5).

"I know I can do better. I haven't really put pop in my bat, but when it comes, I do a lot of things in bunches," he said. "My power numbers are always going to be up there."

Griffin, a left-handed hitter who owns the highest career batting average (.427) at Florida State, homered in three straight games on two occasions last season for Syracuse, the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays -- the organization he played for the past five years.

Griffin hit .252 with 26 homers, 83 RBIs and 28 doubles last season, finishing second in the International League in home runs and extra-base hits (58), en route to Triple-A All-Star honors for the second time in three seasons.

Griffin, who was injured much of 2006, also was named an All-Star in 2005, when he hit .254 for Syracuse with career highs in homers (30) and RBIs (103).

"He showed some power in the International League, and that's not an easy home run league," Las Vegas manager Lorenzo Bundy said. "That's legitimate power, there's no doubt about it. He gives us a little insurance down here with a left-handed bat off the bench, and depending on the situation, he may go up and play some (for the Los Angeles Dodgers).

"But you look at his numbers and see a lot of strikeouts. That's probably one of the things that has held him back, but if you're producing runs, a lot of times strikeouts don't mean a lot."

Griffin, a first-round draft pick (23rd overall) of the New York Yankees in 2001, was called up to Toronto last season and in 2005, hitting .304 (7-for-23) with two homers, three doubles and nine RBIs.

"To feel like I could actually play in the big leagues was something special," Griffin said of his first time in the majors. "I feel I have a lot of game left to play at the next level."

Despite the Dodgers having a surplus of outfielders on their roster, along with veteran Jason Repko on the 51s, Griffin expects to be called up if he gets hot.

"The Dodgers are an organization striving to win right now. With a team that's winning, it's easier for guys who are doing really well to get called up," he said. "If you're hot and ready to go, it doesn't matter if you're on the roster or not, they want you to play. It's the best opportunity for me to go back up."

Griffin, an aggressive outfielder who played in only 60 games in 2006 because of a fractured forearm and torn labrum in his shoulder, said he's trying to practice patience at the plate as he waits for his power stroke to surface.

"I'm trying to put a little less pressure on myself to get up there and pound the ball out of the park," said Griffin, who entered his eighth year in the minors with a .262 average, 110 homers and 448 RBIs. "I'm trying to build a foundation for my swing and let everything else come together."

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354.