From Rob at Amazin’ Avenue:

So it turns out baseball players perform better when they’re not playing with a broken back. Hmm.

There may be something else happening here, too. Even before Wright played hurt, he was striking out a ton. He whiffed 17 times in 70 plate appearances in 2011 before April 19, when he collided with Carlos Lee. That’s a 27.1 percent clip, above even the 24-percent standard he set for himself in 2010. All told, he struck out once every four plate appearances until he went on the Disabled List on May 15.

Since his return, Wright has struck out in 15.6 percent of his plate appearances, a pace much more in keeping with the 16.4-percent rate he kept from 2004-2008.

Of course, it’s hard to draw meaningful conclusions from such small samples. But even looking at the full season, Wright’s K-rate has dropped from last year while his walk rate has improved. Wright’s 135 wRC+ leads all Major League third basemen with at least 300 plate appearances, and that is, obviously, including his rough first stretch of 2011.

Even if those struggles had nothing to do with Wright’s injury and the split Rob depicts above is pure randomness — which seems unlikely — Wright is still a really, really good player. If he made some meaningful adjustment in his time off and the difference in his two halves indicates a return to form, then Wright is again a superstar. He does appear to be standing closer to the plate, though it’s hard to imagine the explanation could be that simple.

It’s also worth noting that third basemen in 2011 have hit a whole lot worse relative to the league than they usually do. Players at the hot corner, normally an offensive position, have out-produced only shortstops this season (by OPS). Seattle Mariners third basemen have a .505 OPS in 2011.