While I agree it's not simple to fix it's a matter of him understanding he can turn on the fastball without having to jump right on it. He is quick enough to the ball, he needs to be constantly reminded to hit the off speed stuff, he will react to the FB when he sees it.
"You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one."
--Woody Hayes
I agree.
I completely understand what you were trying to say, but you actually have it backwards. If you open up too soon in golf, you will pull and slice the ball. Hooking is caused by the body being too passive and the hands taking over. If Bruce plays golf, I bet he hits ton of massive 350 yard pulls and slices off to the left.I'm reminded of what Lee Trevino used to say when discussing a fade/slice vs. a hook (golf terms -- slice is like going to the opposite field, hook like pulling the ball). He would say, "You can talk to a fade, but a hook won't listen." And Ben Hogan said, "I hate a hook ... it's like a rattlesnake in your pocket." The chief causes for a persistent hook are the same as those for pull-hitters -- the front side opens up too soon. It's a devil to fix.
Bruce, in golf terms, is a typical slicer (puller) of the ball who tries to do too much too soon. If he can remain just slightly more patient (square longer) he'll be able to hit the ball to the opposite more easily. Not easy to do for baseball players, or most golfers.
"....the two players I liked watching the most were Barry Larkin and Eric Davis. I was suitably entertained by their effortless skill that I didn't need them crashing into walls like a squirrel on a coke binge." - dsmith421
"....the two players I liked watching the most were Barry Larkin and Eric Davis. I was suitably entertained by their effortless skill that I didn't need them crashing into walls like a squirrel on a coke binge." - dsmith421
Yes and no. There are different types of hooks/fades. I'm talking about the kind where you open up too early, come over the top and pull and snap hook. You're right that if you open up like that and the hands don't keep up, it will result in lazy pushes/pop-up fades.
Unfortunately, I have become something of an expert ...
To me, it seems this has a lot to do with Jacoby or a philosophy, or am I wrong? I think about everyone the Reds bring up turns into a pull hitter (save for Votto)?
Last edited by RollyInRaleigh; 03-31-2013 at 10:54 AM.
I'd be curious to see when that lean changed. If I recall, he destroyed the league initially and then slumped hard. Perhaps the stance that allowed him to better drive the ball the other way was leaving him susceptible to hard, inside stuff. After a few times around the league, pitchers figured that out and forced him to adjust.
And after he gets beat a few times inside, perhaps that's when he starts jumping a bit again and works himself in to a funk.
Just a thought.
Games are won on run differential -- scoring more than your opponent. Runs are runs, scored or prevented they all count the same. Worry about scoring more and allowing fewer, not which positions contribute to which side of the equation or how "consistent" you are at your current level of performance.
My thoughts exactly, Rick.
Thanks for taking the time to go into further explanation. I agree with what you just said. I still think you're original paragraph, in golf terms, was backwards. Slices and pulls are caused by the exact same swing. The only difference is an open clubface at impact. True pull-hooks, like you mentioned, are more rare than bald eagles.
Last edited by Redhook; 03-31-2013 at 04:35 PM.
"....the two players I liked watching the most were Barry Larkin and Eric Davis. I was suitably entertained by their effortless skill that I didn't need them crashing into walls like a squirrel on a coke binge." - dsmith421
Pulled means that a righty hits it to the 3rd base side and a lefty hits it to the 1st base side. A slice goes the opposite way.
"....the two players I liked watching the most were Barry Larkin and Eric Davis. I was suitably entertained by their effortless skill that I didn't need them crashing into walls like a squirrel on a coke binge." - dsmith421
2009 Attendance Record: 3-5 2010 Attendance Record: 2-9 2015 Attendance Record: 2-0
2011 Attendance Record: 3-4 2012 Attendance Record: 3-4
2013 Attendance Record: 5-2 2014 Attendance Record: 3-1
I agree with you. I don't think that Jacoby teaches a very good approach. I don't play for the Reds so I don't know what that approach is. Some guys, they're going to be beyond anything a hitting coach can tell them. like Votto for instance.
Jacoby hasn't done guys like Bruce any favors in my opinion.
2009 Attendance Record: 3-5 2010 Attendance Record: 2-9 2015 Attendance Record: 2-0
2011 Attendance Record: 3-4 2012 Attendance Record: 3-4
2013 Attendance Record: 5-2 2014 Attendance Record: 3-1
BABIP in 2002 through the All Star break: .386
BABIP in 2002 after the All Star break: .235
BABIP in his career: .288
Dunn hit for a good average in the first half of 2002 because he was incredibly BABIP lucky and his strikeout rate was *only* 25.1% at the time, which for him is very good, but for everyone else would be very poor (25% K rate puts you in the bottom 5.5% of players since 2000 with at least 1500 MLB PA's).
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