Plaschke: It’s only 4/20, but Cody Bellinger has rediscovered some of his old slugging highs

The mantra arose from the higher reaches of Dodger Stadium within the sixth inning Wednesday afternoon, one identify, two syllables, acquainted cadence.

No, it wasn’t “Fred-die, Fred-die, Fred-die!”

This time, for the primary time, it was “Co-dy, Co-dy, Co-dy!”

A season after gazing him in uncomfortable silence, Dodgers followers are as soon as once more celebrating Cody Bellinger, and why not?

He’s beginning to appear to be, nicely, Cody Bellinger.

In a powerful 5-1 series-winning victory over the Atlanta Braves, Bellinger sprinted right into a double, sped right into a triple, drove in a run and smiled like a child once more.

“I’m simply making an attempt to experience the wave,” he mentioned.

Two days earlier, within the opener of the Dodgers’ first necessary three-game problem of the season, he homered and doubled and drove in two runs in one other victory, leaving the defending World Collection champion Braves trying flatter than the Waffle Home specialty.

“Feeling good and simply making an attempt to maintain going,” he mentioned.

In all, Bellinger had the form of sequence that reminded considered one of a earlier chant of us right here as soon as showered upon him.

“M-V-P, M-V-P! M-V-P!”

Keep in mind that? After all you do. In 2019, he was the Nationwide League MVP earlier than a precipitous fall that final season landed him on the backside of a traditionally deep barrel. Whereas slowly recovering from the consequences of shoulder surgical procedure, he was not solely the worst hitter in baseball, he was additionally arguably its worst former MVP, stumbling to a .165 common and .542 on-base-plus-slugging share.

“I used to be going via some s – – – final 12 months,” he mentioned Wednesday.

One thing like that.

Everybody tried to alter his stance. Everybody tried to repair his swing. Everybody tried to get inside his head.

The complete metropolis seemingly turned emboldened of their theories about his struggles. This was evidenced Wednesday throughout a video board interview when a fan blurted out, “I feel Cody celebrates 4/20 now and again,” referring to April 20 being an unofficial vacation celebrating marijuana.

Bellinger noticed it and mentioned, “I had no response.”

He was nonetheless horrible this spring, and he may need been benched if the Dodgers didn’t have such nice offensive firepower round him. Plus, after final 12 months’s postseason, they owed him some runway.

He drew the stroll that led to the Chris Taylor walk-off homer within the wild-card victory over St. Louis. He had the eventual series-winning single within the ninth inning towards the San Francisco Giants within the division sequence. And he had a three-run tying homer in an eventual Dodgers win over the Braves in Recreation 3 of the NLCS.

The Dodgers hoped these transient starring glimpses meant that his 2019 greatness was nonetheless in there someplace. On this emotional rematch towards the Braves, he confirmed that it was.

After a dozen video games, he’s hitting .279 with two residence runs and 4 RBIs and 6 extra-base hits and swings crammed with hope.

“Each time he steps within the field, he’s conducting an expert at-bat,” mentioned supervisor Dave Roberts. “He’s placing the barrel on the ball and being extra like what we anticipate of Cody.”

He’s nonetheless putting out lots — 15 instances already — however his swing is extra constant and his contact is way tougher.

“For him to grasp recreation conditions, really feel good on the plate, seeing the baseball … that’s the place we need to maintain him,” mentioned Roberts.

Despite the fact that each of Wednesday’s extra-base hits have been a tribute to his pace, each balls have been solidly struck such that one may hear the thwack as simply as one may hear the chants.

“I actually consider he is usually a higher hitter now going ahead than in his MVP 12 months,” mentioned Roberts. “There was plenty of slug in there that carried the MVP. … I feel there’s a very good alternative for him to be an much more well-rounded hitter.”

So, no, he’s most likely not going to hit 47 homers and drive in 115 as he did three years in the past. However on this lineup, he may be simply as efficient hitting the ball into gaps and working like loopy, and he is aware of it.

At age 26, he’s discovered lots in regards to the recreation … and himself.

Based on Roberts, Bellinger was, “I say this in an endearing manner, form of the younger and dumb, while you don’t know what’s taking place and also you’re simply gifted, when issues go awry you’ve bought to form of work your manner out of it.”

And now that he’s seemingly labored his manner out of it, “That’s expertise, that’s maturity, he’s gotten to the opposite facet,” mentioned Roberts.

Bellinger agreed, saying the terrible season helped him, “form of study somewhat bit about your self … actually really understand how laborious this recreation is, to by no means take something without any consideration.”

He paused. He sighed.

“Entire new 12 months now,” he mentioned.

And with it, he’s discovered himself in new environment, batting on the backside of an order anchored by Freddie Freeman — he homered once more Wednesday — whereas enjoying with out the strain to hold anybody however himself.

“Positively discovered lots about myself,” he mentioned. “Older now, possibly somewhat stronger.”

Possibly, it appears, lots stronger. Striding steadily and swinging well and scorching across the bases Wednesday, he appeared as sturdy as that new grinning good friend in his locker.

It’s a yellow smiley-face balloon. Any person caught it in there firstly of the homestand and three days later it was nonetheless there, nonetheless inflated, nonetheless smiling.

“Except it dies down or one thing, it will likely be there for a minute,” Bellinger mentioned.

So, it seems, will he.