I think the cause for the ridicule is that as commendable as the hitting streak is, he's not hitting with runners on, RISP, for power or for anything else but a first or second AB single. Today was a microcosm of this. He singled in his first AB and was then thrown out trying to go first to third. He then, in sequence, grounded out to second (3rd inning, 2 outs, 0 on), lined out to second (5th inning, 1 out, Theriot on first), walked (7th inning, 1 out, 0 on), flied out (9th inning, 2 outs, 0 on) and struck out swinging (12th inning, 0 outs, 0 on). He's hitting, yes, and that's great, but he's not producing. Yet. I have confidence he'll pick up the slugging like you said.