“The new approach at the plate”

[redrogers]

If you read Brady Allen’s comments after our win over UK, he said the coaching staff “changed our approach at the plate”.
What “different” could have produced 12 runs( and 14 stranded)?

 

[jeff2001]

I would just say UK's pitching isnt as good as Vandy, Ole Miss, and MSU.

 

[78 grad]

The "difference" is to mimic MSU with the "go with the pitch" rather than be TOO selective by looking for the perfect pitch. Hit begat hits.

 

[RileyCock]

If you read Brady Allen’s comments after our win over UK, he said the coaching staff “changed our approach at the plate”.
What “different” could have produced 12 runs( and 14 stranded)?

We've seen this before. The book on Carolina is to pitch away, away, away mixed with some high fastballs and running some balls in on the hands. After Texas and Vandy executed this approach against us, we adjusted for the Florida series and ambushed them for 20 hits in game 1 (17 up the middle or the other way) and a series sweep. Some lagging issues popped up her and there after but the team then rolls to a 10-5 SEC starts.

Then, the team drifts into hone run derby, again, by trying to pull outside pitches and the strikeouts, roll overs, and pop ups pile up.

You could tell there was a general increase in going with the pitch and patience last night as several guys pounded the ball. However, you could still see most of the Eyster, Mendham, Callil and a Clarke at bat not employ this approach. Couple this with guys still not letting up a little with two strikes (especially with runners on) and you have to be skeptical about them continuing to have plate discipline against better pitching.

Also, a little concerned that Burgess is just worn out, Meyers is still injured and can't hit (except bunt), and the amount of bunting at the bottom of the lineup with 1 or 2 outs.

 

[bucketdad]

Not sure why they got away from the approach they are now wanting to install. It's like they needed a reminder of what they wanted to do to begin with and why. Good to hear tho. Better late than never. But it doesnt appear everyone is on board. They need to fix that.

 

[RileyCock]

Not sure why they got away from the approach they are now wanting to install. It's like they needed a reminder of what they wanted to do to begin with and why. Good to hear tho. Better late than never. But it doesnt appear everyone is on board. They need to fix that.

Not 100% sure what the problem is with consistency. It's easy to think you can make a mental adjustment but when you've played all of the those years of youth baseball, travel ball, and school ball just hammering weak pitching, your muscle memory gets pretty engrained with bad habits. You see the same thing with the young pitchers who can't seem to have command from the stretch because they never had anyone on base growing up until they hit college. Some overcome, some don't.

I just hope this is truly a new approach and not just some brief respite after hearing about Kingston's love of launch angles and how games are won with crooked innings (i.e., homers). As a lifelong Yankees fan, I've seen Boone use this approach to get the Yankees only as far as a team with good pitching. However, even the Yanks appear to be moving away from the approach.

 

[bucketdad]

Not 100% sure what the problem is with consistency. It's easy to think you can make a mental adjustment but when you've played all of the those years of youth baseball, travel ball, and school ball just hammering weak pitching, your muscle memory gets pretty engrained with bad habits. You see the same thing with the young pitchers who can't seem to have command from the stretch because they never had anyone on base growing up until they hit college. Some overcome, some don't.

I just hope this is truly a new approach and not just some brief respite after hearing about Kingston's love of launch angles and how games are won with crooked innings (i.e., homers). As a lifelong Yankees fan, I've seen Boone use this approach to get the Yankees only as far as a team with good pitching. However, even the Yanks appear to be moving away from the approach.

Doesnt help either when little Johnny's parents are ready to pay good money for a private hitting coach if they can make kid's swing look like Barry Bonds.

 

[myrtlecock]

Not 100% sure what the problem is with consistency. It's easy to think you can make a mental adjustment but when you've played all of the those years of youth baseball, travel ball, and school ball just hammering weak pitching, your muscle memory gets pretty engrained with bad habits. You see the same thing with the young pitchers who can't seem to have command from the stretch because they never had anyone on base growing up until they hit college. Some overcome, some don't.

I just hope this is truly a new approach and not just some brief respite after hearing about Kingston's love of launch angles and how games are won with crooked innings (i.e., homers). As a lifelong Yankees fan, I've seen Boone use this approach to get the Yankees only as far as a team with good pitching. However, even the Yanks appear to be moving away from the approach.

Good analysis from both of you. It's worth noting that adversity can lead people back to bad habits, like the muscle memory you mentioned. When a pitcher is good enough to keep hitters confused about what's coming next they get painted all too often, the fear of that forces them to swing for the fences for lack of anything else to fall back on.

It's hard just to make contact and put the ball and play when you have no idea what's coming.

 

[bucketdad]

Good analysis from both of you. It's worth noting that diversity can lead people back to bad habits, like the muscle memory you mentioned. When a pitcher is good enough to keep hitters confused about what's coming next they get painted all too often, the fear of that forces them to swing for the fences for lack of anything else to fall back on.

It's hard just to make contact and put the ball and play when you have no idea what's coming.

That's why I hate to see it when some of our guys swings start getting bigger. Bigger swings start sooner. Odds of identifying a pitch becomes more difficult. I swear last night there were a few guys that looked like they had already planned on swinging at the next pitch no matter what.

 

[uscnoklahoma2]

I would just say UK's pitching isnt as good as Vandy, Ole Miss, and MSU.

I tend to agree. I don't think they changed their approach over 5 days.

 

[RileyCock]

I tend to agree. I don't think they changed their approach over 5 days.

Going to respectfully disagree. Better pitching will lead to getting fooled more often or failure to barrel up a pitch even with good plate discipline.

You can tell a change in approach when you watch two straight weekends of everyone but Burgess trying to pull everything and then see someone like Wimmer keep his hands in and hit two opposite field extra base hits (he wasn't the only one -- even pull happy Clarke went the other way). Those hits weren't because he was late, it was because he was purposeful.

I just hope they can stay within themselves (discipline) and not resort to pullville when they do face batter pitching.

 

[fowl_mood]

I'm sure plate approach is a little different for all these guys, but guessing or reacting to pitches and the scenarios when you apply that may be consistent. It's probably that which has changed and the emphasis on "putting the ball in play." Eysters dinger to the opposite field is a good sign.

 

[rogue cock]

Good analysis from both of you. It's worth noting that adversity can lead people back to bad habits, like the muscle memory you mentioned. When a pitcher is good enough to keep hitters confused about what's coming next they get painted all too often, the fear of that forces them to swing for the fences for lack of anything else to fall back on.

It's hard just to make contact and put the ball and play when you have no idea what's coming.

Bingo!

 

[GMCCK97nHTWN]

Not 100% sure what the problem is with consistency. It's easy to think you can make a mental adjustment but when you've played all of the those years of youth baseball, travel ball, and school ball just hammering weak pitching, your muscle memory gets pretty engrained with bad habits. You see the same thing with the young pitchers who can't seem to have command from the stretch because they never had anyone on base growing up until they hit college. Some overcome, some don't.

I just hope this is truly a new approach and not just some brief respite after hearing about Kingston's love of launch angles and how games are won with crooked innings (i.e., homers). As a lifelong Yankees fan, I've seen Boone use this approach to get the Yankees only as far as a team with good pitching. However, even the Yanks appear to be moving away from the approach.

There are those nowadays who seem driven to bastardize the game of baseball.

Contact. Going the other way. Situational hitting. Speed. Defense. Strategy.

These facets are becoming lost arts, to the detriment of the game.

The current Yankee example is a perfect one. Just a terrible approach to the game.

Love their bullpen approach. But offense? Lol.