James Loney looks to correct second-half fade; Dodgers still hope for more power

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James Loney doesn’t look like a turnip.

That doesn’t mean plenty aren’t determined to squeeze something out of him that just might not be there -- power.

From the moment Loney first arrived with his smooth swing, the one lament was that he lacked true power. Followed by the refrain: He’ll grow into it.

The coming season will mark Loney’s fifth with the Dodgers, and though they remain outwardly hopeful, that breakout season has yet to arrive. If anything, his offense has been sliding backward.

Last season was his worst yet, a fairly successful first half undone by an almost disastrous second half.

Loney looked like he might prove his early supporters correct in 2007 when he hit 15 home runs with 67 RBIs in just 344 at-bats.

But in his next three full seasons with the Dodgers he hit 13, 13 and 10 home runs. And in each of the last four seasons his slugging percentage (.538, .434, .399, .395) has dropped.

A power bat is typically desired at first. The Dodgers’ overall power is below par, making Loney’s output more glaring and the subject of frequent Web criticism.

Internet types are, however, not alone in wanting more. Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti told The Times’ Bill Shaikin during last month’s owners meetings that he still believes Loney can grow into a power hitter.

‘I’d watch him at 5:15 [during batting practice], and he’d hit some of the longest balls of the day,’ Colletti said. ‘Then the game starts, and his approach changes. It’s a matter of transferring it from practice to the actual game.’

Certainly, something changed in Loney’s approach during the second half last season. His fall from the first half (.309 batting, .442 slugging, .361 on-base) to the second (.211, .331, .285) was dramatic.

‘I just kinda got out of whack,’ Loney said Monday on the team’s community caravan. ‘I never really got back on track. Maybe trying too hard, especially when you’re not getting hits and not producing the way you want.

‘I don’t think my swing path was exactly where it should have been last year. Sometimes I’d get away with things and get hits, but not with the right mechanics. So that’s kind of not good sometimes, because when you’re getting hits it’s not really an issue.’

But those hopeful that Loney will suddenly try to pull the ball more could be in for disappointment.

Loney had 41 doubles last season, the theory being that several of those could be turned into home runs with an altered swing. Only Loney is not planning any dramatic changes.

‘I don’t think they want me doing something I’m not capable of,’ Loney said. ‘I think they know what I am capable of -- driving the ball. If I do the things I am capable of, I should drive the ball a lot better. Just staying within the game plan.

‘A lot of the home runs I’ve hit, it’s not like I hit them and went, ‘Wow, I hit that out!’ It felt like nothing. So I think they know I have the capability to do that. That’s why I’m still here.’

Loney will turn 27 in May and make $4.875 million this season. This should be the prime of his career. This should be when the patient are rewarded. Unless they’re looking for blood from a turnip.

-- Steve Dilbeck