Pitchers successfully zeroing in on Stanton

MILWAUKEE -- When Giancarlo Stanton gets going, it seems the rest of the Marlins' offense follows.

But it has been a challenge to get the 23-year-old slugger to stay hot.

"It's like, I'm me for two games, and then I'm back to [bad] for 10," Stanton said of his inconsistent year. "That's kind of how it's been all year. We still have the second half."

Stanton remains one of the biggest power threats in the game. But his numbers have not reflected what he did in his first three seasons.

Injuries have played a factor, as he missed all of May with a strained right hamstring. In 53 games before Sunday, he was batting .241 with 10 home runs and 27 RBIs.

A year ago, Stanton finished second in the National League in home runs with 37. And he batted .290 with 86 RBIs.

On an inexperienced team, Stanton is the clear target in the Marlins' lineup that teams do not want to let beat them. In Saturday's 6-0 loss to the Brewers, Stanton was seeing 3-1 sliders in a game his team trailed by six runs.

"It seems a little different this year, in terms of I'm getting walked a little bit more," Stanton said.

Stanton walked 31 times in 53 games, compared with 46 walks in 123 games last season.

The Marlins are hopeful the middle of their order will improve with Logan Morrison and Marcell Ozuna batting behind Stanton.

Finding a consistent rhythm has been difficult because Stanton is being pitched around.

"It's different when you get pitched to five at-bats in a row," he said.

In general, power hitters have to deal with being pitched carefully.

"It's just who is going to show up today," Stanton said of his own plate discipline. "Am I going to swing at the nonsense? You've got to be ready. If you look at the stats, you'll see more than one me. That's basically been the story that has been going on. There are little things. But I'm still not getting it done."