Giancarlo Stanton talks about growing comfort in AL, playing games that matter

TAMPA, Fla. -- Now that he's playing in the Bronx, the stretch between May and October has a much different significance to Giancarlo Stanton. It's one he's thankful for, too.

As the New York Yankees outfielder and designated hitter enters his second season in pinstripes, he was asked Monday what he learned most about playing in the Big Apple that he didn't anticipate before his arrival.

"It's not about learning, more just playing games that matter, games when you're in it past May 7 -- which I [had] never done," Stanton said.

True, eight losing seasons with the Miami Marlins had its toll on the competitor inside him. Although the Yankees fell in the American League Division Series to the rival Boston Red Sox, being in a pennant chase and then playing into the postseason still fulfilled goals Stanton had long hoped would come to fruition.

"Every single game, those wins or losses were huge for the season," Stanton said. "It's different coming in when you lose three in a row [with a losing team] and it doesn't really matter, then you lose three in a row [with a winning team] and something's got to pop off. That's really the difference."

Stanton's comments came as he addressed reporters Monday, speaking for the first time this year at the Yankees' spring training camp. He and other position players reported Monday. On Tuesday, New York will hold its first full-squad workouts at its George M. Steinbrenner Field complex.

When Stanton goes through his first official practice, he'll be kicking off what those around the team expect will be an even more promising year than his first in pinstripes.

"Got one year in the division, in the league under my belt," Stanton said. "Things are more comfortable now in terms of facing some of these guys and teams again more often."

Manager Aaron Boone believes there is something to that logic.

"The one thing with Giancarlo that we noticed as we dug into things -- especially that we were aware of last year -- the more he sees a pitcher, he's one of those guys that really benefits from that," Boone said. "He gets a pretty significant spike across the board as he starts to see guys; moreso than your normal person."

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Stanton is hitting .274 against pitchers he has faced more than five times in his career. That's a significant jump from his .254 average versus pitchers he has faced five or fewer times.

A noted student of his own swing, Stanton is regularly seeking ways to improve it. Often during the season, he'll be in the video room before games trying to perfect the most minuscule of problems with his mechanics or swing path.

If he isn't studying himself while in the video room, he's regularly looking at opposing pitchers, trying to get an even better sense of how they might pitch him on a given night.

"Very generally speaking, as a hitter, the more you see a pitcher, and now, obviously with the video technology, you're able to get a decent feel for a guy," Boone said. "But there's nothing like facing a guy and experiencing that and accumulating at-bats against a guy to really see how they attack you, but what exactly his pitches are doing.

"Giancarlo has shown an ability to really kind of absorb information in those at-bats that benefit him as he faces guys more and more."

Stanton said his approach to opposing pitchers last season wasn't any different than he has taken in the past, but it did help to see some division foes on multiple occasions.

"It was a matter of seeing the guys; their release point, their tendencies and whatnot," Stanton said.

After hitting an Opening Day home run in Toronto last season, the slugger quickly drew the ire of Yankees fans when he posted a pair of five-strikeout game during the season-opening homestand. Boos echoed throughout Yankee Stadium in both games.

They could also be heard at the stadium at other times during the season when he was slumping and still trying to find his way at the plate.

Boone said the way Stanton handled those difficult moments spoke volumes to the rest of the team and had a positive trickle-down impact.

"He was such a pro," Boone said. "I talk to our guys a lot about being emotionally in command, stable. ... Giancarlo was amazing at that. He was incredibly accountable every single day, worked his tail off. He really earned the respect of his teammates the way he commanded himself all year in the media, but also who he was as a person in his consistency day in and day out with what he brought to the field."

That respect increased when Stanton continued to fight through a nagging midseason hamstring injury in order to continue playing, as the Yankees slogged through the year with a beat-up outfield.

With Aaron Judge missing two months with a broken hand, concussion issues sidelining Clint Frazier and Jacoby Ellsbury hampered by injury, Stanton felt it necessary to stay on the field as often as possible. He admitted Monday that doing so wasn't easy.

"That wasn't the best for me," Stanton said. "[But] if I could go out and produce or help us, I was going to be out there. But it was quite the factor."