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Stone: Beckham's Work Ethic 'Goes Beyond The Normal'

CHICAGO (WSCR) Like many of his teammates, Gordon Beckham got off to a horrible start to the 2011 season. After hitting .194 in April, Beckham hit .303 in the month of May. It's a turnaround that happened because he put in the work necessary.

"He's a guy that probably is not going to wow you with Joey Votto-type numbers, he's not that kind of player," Steve Stone said on the Boers and Bernstein Show. "But he is a line-drive hitter. I think eventually, he will be a doubles machine and I just like the way he goes about his business. He is confident. He went through some terrible times again, as a lot of people have in the beginning of the year, but I think he's found his way out of it, just like he did last year before he had to leave due to injury for the rest of the year.

LISTEN: Steve Stone On The Boers And Bernstein Show

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"He's been solid, and he's been hitting the ball well. And what's been encouraging about it...is that he's not only pulling the ball, and sometimes pulling it with power, but he's also hitting it with authority to right field, he's just not flipping it to right field. When he hits line-drives, there's something on them. And to me, that's really good plate coverage, and it shows that he's feeling really comfortable seeing the ball better. And his approach and his work ethic...it goes beyond the normal, young player. I think he gets it, I think he is going to be a very good player. As far as, you know, the pantheon of greatness? That has to pass the test of time. But I think what he's done so far, coming out this side of what had been a disastrous beginning, has been pretty impressive."

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