SEATTLE -- David Eckstein hit .285 in his rookie year with the Angels, upped it to .293 last year and scored 107 runs, all while becoming one of the poster boys for the Angels' never-say-die offense and gritty approach.

Those who say he overachieved probably aren't surprised by Eckstein's numbers this season.

Entering Wednesday's game, Eckstein's batting average was at .244, the lowest of the Angels' starting position players.

But after an early batting practice session with hitting coach Mickey Hatcher, the Angels shortstop is convinced he's made a major breakthrough that will get him "feeling normal again."

With the help of his brother, Rick, a hitting coach for the University of Georgia who is in Seattle this week, Eckstein located some old video footage of his swing and brought it to Hatcher, who observed that Eckstein's struggles were easy to point out.

"Eck was really fighting things, but we had a great conversation today," Hatcher said.

"He hasn't had problems hitting before and it's gotten to the point where he's mentally beating himself up. He's just trying too hard. He's gripping the bat too hard and he's all tight up there."

Eckstein said he couldn't agree more.

"I can't hit an inside pitch to save my life," he said. "I was closing myself off big time. That was the adjustment we worked on. Hatch told me, 'You're not free and easy. You're just grinding it out up there,' and I realized that when I was going good last year I was loose and just letting things flow."

Eckstein is always his own toughest critic, and that hasn't changed with one good batting practice.

"The way I'm taking the bat through the zone is horrible," Eckstein said. "I don't know if that's mental. It seems more physical to me."

He did admit that he felt a lot more comfortable at the plate after the 30-minute session in the batting cage inside Safeco Field.

"It's hard to say right now, because you need to see the results on the field in the game, but the adjustments we made today feel so much more like my old self," he said.

"The past two months I just haven't felt natural."

Hatcher was satisfied enough to make a prediction, albeit with a sheepish grin attached.

"You watch," Hatcher said. "He'll go 5-for-5 tonight."