Jay Bruce and the shift

[big boy]

Great article here about how Mike Moustakas started hitting the ball to left field to beat the shift.

Jay Bruce should check this out. It can be done!

[Ghosts of 1990]

He's thought about it, and he's not interested:

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/spor...ophy/24630597/

"People talk about just slapping the ball through the six hole – I'd like you to name people who can do that," Bruce said. "On the ground in the six hole. Name someone who does it."

Um … Ichiro Suzuki.

"Ichiro," Bruce acknowledges. "OK, who else?"

Um … Ichiro?

"Ichiro. Tony Gwynn did it," Bruce said. "Who else? Next?

"No one."

Bruce continues. "It's one of those things, it's a good idea, a good theory, but the player I am and the player people expect me to be, slapping balls on the ground to the six hole, it really isn't the plan. The plan also isn't to yank everything down the line. I don't go out there trying to pull the ball."

The plan, Bruce said, is to go from the gap in left to the gap in right.

The plan, Jay; has worked to a tune of .170 this season and what, .210 plus a nickel last year?

It's over. It's just, over. Sad but he's not coming back.

[KYExtemper]

Yeah, being stubborn for Bruce is not productive for he or the ball club. I understand the idea of wanting to hit home runs and such, as that is part of his game, but if I'm in the batter's box and one side of the field is just completely there for the taking, why would I NOT take advantage of that?!?!

[dougdirt]

Mike Moustakas and Jay Bruce are completely different hitters. Moustakas, even when he sucked at hitting, made contact at a pretty strong rate. He's got bat control. Jay Bruce strikes out 50% MORE than Moustakas does. He doesn't have bat control. Hitting is hard. What works for one guy doesn't just work for another. Moustakas has the bat control to make this work (or at least he has for 5 weeks). Bruce may or may not, we don't really know, but the idea that he just can do it is something a lot of people fail to understand. There's a large difference between wanting to and actually doing. Major League pitching is tough to hit.

[kbrake]

Mike Moustakas and Jay Bruce are completely different hitters. Moustakas, even when he sucked at hitting, made contact at a pretty strong rate. He's got bat control. Jay Bruce strikes out 50% MORE than Moustakas does. He doesn't have bat control. Hitting is hard. What works for one guy doesn't just work for another. Moustakas has the bat control to make this work (or at least he has for 5 weeks). Bruce may or may not, we don't really know, but the idea that he just can do it is something a lot of people fail to understand. There's a large difference between wanting to and actually doing. Major League pitching is tough to hit.

The biggest mistake Jay Bruce ever made was not becoming the player Joey Votto became.

People had that level of expectation for him and once he didn't reach it he became a bust.

[Johnny Footstool]

Jay Bruce will end up pulling a semi-Paul O'Neill - he'll go to New York or Texas and end up with a hitting coach who manages to get him out of his own head, and he'll hit .280 with 28 HR a season for 5 seasons.

[Tom Servo]

He's thought about it, and he's not interested:

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/spor...ophy/24630597/




The plan, Jay; has worked to a tune of .170 this season and what, .210 plus a nickel last year?

It's over. It's just, over. Sad but he's not coming back.

The saga of the man formerly known as JayBruce32 on Redszone has been a fascinating one.

[badcontent]

I suspect Bruce won't approach his career norms again, not unless the rules regarding shifts are changed.

And 90% of RZers seem to abhor any such change.

[Wonderful Monds]

I suspect Bruce won't approach his career norms again, not unless the rules regarding shifts are changed.

And 90% of RZers seem to abhor any such change.

I honestly cannot tell at all what Jay Bruce is going to be anymore. I can't imagine a player that talented just falling down a black hole so suddenly. But I can't understand why Jay is such a victim to the shift more than anyone else seemingly.

[WVPacman]

The biggest problem with Bruce is his ego.You have to want to do it for you to have success and the fact is Bruce Doesn't want to change.Thats why he will always be a terrible hitter.

[OGB]

I've always been a Bruce fan, but I'm not sure why I should be expecting him to return to form at this point.
I'll be elated if it happens, but there isn't much evidence to indicate he'll turn around.

Look at Corey Hart's career; I know he's older, but does anyone expect him to right the ship to his former self? They've had similar careers.

How much do I have to watch Jay fail before expecting a 5WAR player again is beyond delusional?

[KronoRed]

Jay Bruce will end up pulling a semi-Paul O'Neill - he'll go to New York or Texas and end up with a hitting coach who manages to get him out of his own head, and he'll hit .280 with 28 HR a season for 5 seasons.

It's ok because then he will come back and live in Cincinnati.

[GADawg]

If he has to play bat him 8th

[NDRed]

I heard someone on MLB network call hitting against the shift a; "generational thing"...he meant the next generation of hitters will be willing to adapt...but these guys will just stroke it to the right side and jog to 1st base...FUN!!!!

[BernieCarbo]

Bruce kind of has ten dollar talent and a ten cent brain, but that isn't a modern thing. Lots of hitter like him had a few good years while they were young, and then faded away because they didn't adapt, whereas the good ones could. Look at some of the latter years of the old greats. Mantle was a drunkard and had bad knees but still managed to draw a hundred walks while batting under .250. Mays couldn't hit or run, but still managed a .400+ obp for three of his last four years just on guile.

Bruce could do it, but it will be as a rebuilding project on another team if it happens.