Hamilton

[JohnU]

So Doug Flynn joins the chorus that is now at 22,192 who say that Hamilton needs to hit the ball on the ground to take advantage of his speed.
Hamilton is getting 2 hits a week and flies out about 80 percent of the time.
Nobody disputes that Hamilton is trying to improve.
So who's responsible for all this?

 

[Redsfan1507]

Who's the Reds minor league chief hitting instructor ? Do you know if the Red have a base approach philosophy, or the ability to tailor instruction to the skills of the player ?

That's my point.

There isn't a "Reds way", of doing anything, that I'm aware of. The MLB roster and front office "approach" of drafting might have improved over what was the Reds in 2000, but IMO, the minor league development hasn't. In any sensible "rebuild" it needs to start from the beginning- The Reds draft fairly well...but step 2- DEVELOPMENT, isn't there at all...very reactionary, and players don't usually gain skills they didn't already have in the Reds minors. They need work there... It would be nice to have an organizational staff from Rookie Ball through the Big Club, all on the same page, but that usually requires LONGEVITY- that frankly, has to start with longer term ownership, front office and subsequent staff, than the Reds have had.

The Cardinals could lose a manager like LaRussa, and never miss him, because they had a replacement in Matheney, that grew up in the system. The Reds have had lots of legacy players that managed and worked front offices and instructor jobs...just not often for the Reds. A clue, there, I think.

 

[TKOSpikes]

I absolutely hate the switch hitting approach. For someone good at it, great. But to force it on a player who never did it before A ball is just stupid and counter productive.

And don't "wait" for the offseason to change it. Do it now! Nothing to lose at this point. Bat him RH and leave him at the top. Yes, he's terrible at times (most of the time), but like I said, nothing to lose! He did have something like 36 runs in 45 games or something from the top. Just leave him there, don't make him bat left, because he can't.

I don't know the big deal about switch hitting. Most of the best hitters on baseball, ever, but especially over the last 20 years are RHB. Drives me nuts.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Switch hitting is all about the Breaking ball- usually a curve, but sometimes the slider too. Easier to hit breaking toward you than away out of hitters reach. So much so, most pitchers just don't throw them to opposite side hitters much- they choose a change or splitter instead- breaks down not into a hitters wheelhouse, a pitchers compromise that aids hitters usually. R on R or L on L always advantages pitchers. Always. Doesn't mean they always won, but they had the advantage if they could toss a breaker.

For some hitters, it's easier to hit a fastball from either side if the plate than a curveball or slider breaking away from you. It's why most hitters hit far better against opposite armed pitchers. The breaking ball makes a lot of decent college and low minor league prospects into bartenders or JV coaches pretty often.

IMO, the reason Billy can't hit lefty is the same reason he can't hit much better righty- he's not keeping the bat in the flat plane of the pitch enough to make contact regularly, and when he does, his uppercut has him popping it up too much. He also doesn't drag bunt from the left side much- a mistake of the dugout staff as much as BH himself. If he hits righty full time, you're going to discover he gets more breaking balls, and his flaw won't improve with that either.

There's more to Billy not hitting than just the side he's using.

 

[Redsfan1507]

And the reason most of the best hitters have been RH, is because 2/3 of all the hitters are RH. Pitchers too.

 

[TKOSpikes]

Switch hitting is all about the Breaking ball- usually a curve, but sometimes the slider too. Easier to hit breaking toward you than away out of hitters reach. So much so, most pitchers just don't throw them to opposite side hitters much- they choose a change or splitter instead- breaks down not into a hitters wheelhouse, a pitchers compromise that aids hitters usually. R on R or L on L always advantages pitchers. Always. Doesn't mean they always won, but they had the advantage if they could toss a breaker.

For some hitters, it's easier to hit a fastball from either side if the plate than a curveball or slider breaking away from you. It's why most hitters hit far better against opposite armed pitchers. The breaking ball makes a lot of decent college and low minor league prospects into bartenders or JV coaches pretty often.

IMO, the reason Billy can't hit lefty is the same reason he can't hit much better righty- he's not keeping the bat in the flat plane of the pitch enough to make contact regularly, and when he does, his uppercut has him popping it up too much. He also doesn't drag bunt from the left side much- a mistake of the dugout staff as much as BH himself. If he hits righty full time, you're going to discover he gets more breaking balls, and his flaw won't improve with that either.

There's more to Billy not hitting than just the side he's using.

I hear ya. And I get it...but when you force it late in a hitters pre-major league career, I don't see the benefit. Also, when there is no downside, isn't 4/5 at bats better than 3/4?

I understand he's simply not a good hitter, but he was scoring a lot of runs. Two months of no pressure RHB appearances, he's that much further along come the spring.

 

[Redsfan1507]

I'm a fan of Pete Rose, but I think he's contributed to Billy's problems too. Pete's telling him he had pop, not to be a slap hitter, to fake bunt, to hit hard line drives not grounders and chops. I think he's giving him advise about himself, not Billy. Pete Rose was a thick chested and forearm guy that hit the high pitch well- partly why he squatted so much. He also switch hit from 9 years old.

IMO,Billy needs to bunt, not fake. Chop, bloop, groundballs into the hole, and stop popping up and striking out.