Jay Bruce

[chuck harmon]

I think Jay Bruce is highly overrated at this point. Yes, he is young and may develop a more consistent hitting approach but how many rallies have ended with him flailing away at breaking pitches?

He lacks a consistent path to the ball and he tries to pull everything. In part, this is because he picks up his foot and puts it down instead of stepping towards the ball. I remember when he came up he would hit doubles to left center field but not now. It is unfair to compare him to Votto because Joey has a consistent path to the ball but I think Heisey handles pitches better than Jay and he goes to the opposite field.

Right now a strategy for the opposing team is to get to Jay Bruce because it is so easy to pitch to him to cut off a rally.

I am also in the camp that thinks that Jacoby should go because I have seen regression in some of the Reds hitters.

[Girevik]

Bruce is still a pup. Most guys his age havn't sniffed the bigs yet. I think it's WAY to early to give up on him.

[SwingKing01]

He is 24.......... Lotta room for improvement I agree, but he has a lot of time for improvement.

[R_Webb18]

this is why i dont think just plugging every1 from triple A is going to be as smooth as every1 seems to think. they will struggle and u have to give them time.

[brm7675]

To me Bruce is at a point where a good hitting coach can do wonders, and think he needs a good one. Look at Tiger Wood as an example, when he had the "KING" of swing coaches his game was incredible, he loses him and his game has never been the same. Bruce has the tools, just needs the right hitting coach to bring it all together.

[Stray]

Bruce doesn't appear to be mentally in it all of the time. I think some corrections in his swing could help, it appears when his timing is right he crushes everything and when it's a tad bit off he's a strikeout or a ground ball to the right side waiting to happen. What sucks for us is that it doesn't matter where he is in the lineup, every key situation is finding him.


To me Bruce is at a point where a good hitting coach can do wonders, and think he needs a good one. Look at Tiger Wood as an example, when he had the "KING" of swing coaches his game was incredible, he loses him and his game has never been the same. Bruce has the tools, just needs the right hitting coach to bring it all together.

Tiger was dominant under Butch Harmon and Hank Haney. I don't think you can say losing either is why he's been struggling lately. His broken down knees and personal life are more than likely the reason there.