Heisey's AB in the 9th symbolic of organizational problem?

[BluegrassRedleg]

We've talked all year long about how the 1-2 holes have plagued this team's offense. The lack of consistent hitting ahead of Votto has cost the Reds who knows how many scoring opportunities and potential wins.

Heisey's AB in the 9th today, IMO, is yet another example.

You've got a pitcher out there who has already walked two guys. He's clearly struggling. You simply can't go up there, swing at the first pitch, and pop up.

I think Heisey's thought process was that Burton will try to groove something to get ahead, but if that's your approach, you had better hit it hard. If you don't, and you pop up like he did, that's a massive failure.

Heisey was 0-for-5 in the leadoff spot today, but even more discouraging was his pitch count: 7. In 5 ABs!

Does this organization have anyone teaching people how put together a professional AB? There are only two or three guys on the entire roster who consistently do that: Votto, Hanigan and (when he's healthy) Rolen.

We're all focused on the Chapman/closer situation today, but I think that's going to work itself out one way or another. But I don't see any way the 1-2 hole issues are going to be resolved with the same personnel, used in these particular lineups, and their approach to hitting.

[Ironman92]

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Attack, but not making sure it's "your" pitch...and not the pitcher's.

I Ludwick a few weeks back swung at the first pitch in 7 out of 9 at bats. Jay Bruce? Brandon Phillips? Hello Jonny Gomes?

My biggest belief (by a zillion miles) about not winning if you make the playoffs is plate approaches.

[R_Webb18]

Brandon Phillips takes a lot pitches

[Farnsie]

This post got me thinking about this little nugget...

http://www.redszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77834

[BluegrassRedleg]

Brandon Phillips takes a lot pitches

Seems to come and go with him.

[RedsFanInBama]

Heisey has been a massive disappointment this season. Some of our guys have a tendency to swing early from time to time. For Heisey, it's like an absolute requirement.

It seems like a large majority of our hitters seem to have have no plan of attack when they step to the plate. When you don't have a plan, you become a hacker. I don't mind being aggressive if you've determined you're looking for a certain pitch in a certain spot and you get it on the first pitch. But that's not the case for too many of our guys.

[Ironman92]

Brandon Phillips takes a lot pitches

Every player takes a lot pitches so to speak...but is there a player in the game that swings for the upped deck more than Phillips?.....the good thing is he often adjusts with two strikes....but his early AB GIDP and easy outs on grounders to SS and 3B....he gives away a lot of at bats due to poor plate approach....once he gets to 2 strikes he has a very good approach.

On my phone I can't upload the pitches per at bats stat....but I did find that has never walked even 50 times in a season and only walks 1 out of every 17 AB.

[Ironman92]

Seems to come and go with him.

It's the batting spot...really.

Last year when he told Dusty to lead him off (on another wonderful site) I kept track and he took the first pitch in the first at bat of every game for 13 straight games....and leading off he rarely ever swung for the Kroger seats....batting 4th he does it 5 times a game throughout his AB, fortunately on his great RBI run he wasn't trying to pull-jerk everything and he's an excellent hitter up the middle and oppo.

[brm7675]

So we are going to beat this horse AGAIN. This is ours Reds this is thier approach organizational wise, so we might as well accept it and stop worrying about.

[Ironman92]

So we are going to beat this horse AGAIN. This is ours Reds this is thier approach organizational wise, so we might as well accept it and stop worrying about.

Not worried about it at all....but my World Series tickets aren't in the mail either.

[Maker_84]

There is a reason why Heisey is backup to Stubbs. They hit about the same (which is pretty pathetic) but Stubbs is faster and has a little more pop in his bat.

[Stray]

The guy had just walked 2 batters and he was first pitch hacking, that's just a lack of game awareness imo.

[malcontent]

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Attack, but not making sure it's "your" pitch...and not the pitcher's.

I Ludwick a few weeks back swung at the first pitch in 7 out of 9 at bats. Jay Bruce? Brandon Phillips? Hello Jonny Gomes?

My biggest belief (by a zillion miles) about not winning if you make the playoffs is plate approaches.
Baker preaches a stupid aggressiveness at the plate, and Heisey is an earnest student. I'm sure he hasn't even noticed that Heisey is on pace for a grand total of 16 walks this year.

There's an "X' through "WALK" on the Dusty Dice for a reason.

Your plate approach in the playoffs idea reminds me of the Giants in 2010.

[DirtyBaker]

An terrible approach, but Valdez' AB wasn't much better. That 9th inning today was the ultimate buzzkill.

[New York Red]

Heisey needs to ride the pine for awhile. Ludwick doesn't hit for average, but he does drive in runs. I think it's time to platoon Ludwick and Frazier in the LF spot for a couple weeks. Heisey had his chance. More than one in fact.

[New York Red]

The guy had just walked 2 batters and he was first pitch hacking, that's just a lack of game awareness imo.
Yep, you can't put this one on Dusty. That was just a bonehead approach by Heisey.

[swaisuc]

Yep, you can't put this one on Dusty. That was just a bonehead approach by Heisey.

I think the approach was fine. We needed a base hit and he assumed he was going to get grooved a fastball. He got that fastball and I think we want him going after that if it's what he is looking for. The execution.... not so much.

I have more of a problem with Valdez. His goal is more out avoidance than to get a single in that case. He swung first pitch as well at a pitcher's pitch that he really had no chance of hitting.

[P.E.R#14]

An terrible approach, but Valdez' AB wasn't much better. That 9th inning today was the ultimate buzzkill.

That ninth inning is what closers do.

[Tuff Nut]

Cozart, among the others mentioned, also swings at way to may first pitches. He is supposed to be a LEADOFF batter, and he's hacking at the first pitch in most EVERY AB. I was wondering if it was a Dusty approach or something Jacoby "teaches".
A line-up change I wouldn't mind seeing, is Frazier and BP, moved to the top, and let Heisey/Stubbs bat 4th,(meh...they can't get on in front of Votto, so why not.), and move Cozart to 7-8, depending on who's catching.

[Falcon7]

Don't forget Bruce, a base clearing double is I guess, way too much to ask for.