Jammer7

I did as well.

Great! Thanks. Now, how about recently? What ya got?

Or, as 7mo said, maybe he wasn’t ready to receive it.

I agree. Getting those daily reps allows you to be you, and fail. Then, you have to make adjustments. If the player is walking on egg shells, fearing failure, he will likely fail miserably. The player realizes the need, hopefully the coach develops trust, and they get together and diagnose the issue. Together.

Way back machine…lol.

Yeah, hard to say which team gets on a roll. The way Bichette was swinging the bat the other night is a good sign for them. They miss Robbie Ray and Marcus Semien this year, but that is still a talented roster.

Yes, he sure was. It used to be more common. Charlie Manuel was too, come to think of it. He was the hitting coach that Jim Thome gave the most credit for his success. I guess what I was thinking about was the past 20 years or so. Not many, maybe 3-4. My thought was that they just got there and have a lot to prove. I think the reason they are open about what they have done, to a point, is that it builds interest in the fan base. And it builds some faith in the environment they have created. There is a buzz now, and that is why we are spending time on a message board writing about it.

You would hope so, but so many young players have not failed much before. They were talented kids who dominated their areas, but struggled when they got to pro ball. With the advent of national level competition in travel ball, kids learn to overcome failure a lot more these days. The drugs and alcohol and other things that sidetrack young men are always out there. Not every player is as driven as some others, no.

The Yanks had stayed largely healthy, and then they have had several injuries since June. Especially Stanton and the pen. I’m not sure our pen can withstand the current workload. And our starters have pitched amazingly well for a largely mediocre at best bunch. They’ll need to go deeper in games. We have stayed relatively healthy. That is tough to maintain. I love the optimism, though. I would say that if anyone takes down the Yanks in the AL East, the Blue Jays have the most talented roster and they have played better since they fired the manager, Rojas?

Not sure. But it is the first time he has had an extended period to play everyday. And to play SS. Amazing things happen when you get someone to believe in you and simply give you an opportunity. Perhaps he has grown hungrier over his inability to get a chance. For Jorge, I think it was a great fit. A team of coaches and players that helped him at a moment in his life when he was prepared to receive and work his ass off. He had some critics say he would lose focus often in the past. I’m not sure what that looked like, but I do not see that now. Emotions can run high for him, but I love the fire. Rougned Odor is a huge part of Jorge’s improvement, I think. A mentor, or sorts, for sure. He looks really comfortable out there. Hyde, Mansolino, and the hitting duo, and so on, they all have done a great job.

There was already a King Felix. Not sure how much I like “the mountain.” Maybe “Flex?” I get the criticism about celebrating something so sinister as Omar’s violent criminal nature. I just don’t take it that seriously I guess. It is definitely very Baltimore. Mo Rivera came out to “Enter Sandman.” That was pretty creepy too, when you think about it.

I like the way you’re going there.

I agree. Maybe have the whistle be louder and do it more than once. I do like the trumpets though for Diaz.

You would have to watch “The Wire.” A very Baltimore reference.

He does! Anyone else? Serious question. Was Don Mattingly a hitting coach first?

Good stuff. A lot of truth in this. Nearly all of the MLB players, coaches and executives that I have met have told me they are lucky to be here. I thought they were being falsely modest, especially Bryce Harper. But they were being honest. Bob Boone told me once that these players were all talented, some more than others, but the biggest thing was being lucky. He talked about being respectful to the game and appreciating every day in the show. Some guys swear by certain drills or nutrition or medical procedures or whatever. Brian Roberts and Brady Anderson did specific eye exercises and swore that they were much better because of it. Some guys say ping pong made their hand-eye coordination much keener. There are so many gimmicks and drills. Whatever works, I guess. There is a huge mental component. The coach has to be a communicator. The players has to be ready to accept the information and the process. The Orioles have done a great job selecting and nurturing their prospects. They have them read books on growth mindset. They have created an environment where humility and a great work ethic are paramount. They look for specific physical traits as well as character and mental aspects. To your point, I’m not sure all .220 hitters can vastly improve. But when you have the strength, coordination and exit velocities that Jorge has, it surely can give a coach a great starting point. It has a lot to do with process. An everyday routine and approach. All MLB players are skilled, but I am not sure there are many athletes as elite as Jorge in MLB. He is certainly in a class of about the top maybe 5% of past and present players. MLB organizations, some anyway, have come a long way in the past ten years or so. It used to be, “here’s some ground balls, some BP and a lineup. Go get ‘em.” If they struggled, “Figure it out, kid.” Maybe some veteran would give them some good advice, but it was the dark ages approach. Now, teams are recognizing what actual development can do and the value of it. A lot of very talented players missed because they had no idea how to improve.

I am having trouble thinking of a hitting coach who became a manager. Not saying you are wrong, I just cannot remember one. I don’t think that is a huge thing for a managerial candidate, but maybe I am wrong.

I don’t think they would be talking about it if Hyde and Elias were not onboard with it. And how would talking about hitting mechanics in a news article help them get a higher job than a MLB hitting coach? Maybe a bump in pay, but a promotion? I don’t think this is some kind of classified science. It isn’t the mechanics, or even the drills so much, as it is the ability to communicate. There are a whole mess of guys who know hitting just as well as our coaches and better. What separates them is their ability to digest, diagnose, formulate and communicate. To get these guys to buy in to what they are selling. Jorge is buying in. It takes time for things to become operational in the subconscious. Not to be an active thought in process. Thinking in the moment makes them slow to respond. But simply reacting in the moment instinctively, that is the sweet spot.

Yeah, agreed. However, when you are competing and need roster spots for guys who actually help you compete, it’s hard to justify keeping guys who might come around at some point. Especially when they are out of options like Mateo was. (Diaz is out of options in 2024, according to Fangraphs.) We were very fortunate to be the waiver benefactors. I am still shocked that no one traded for him. They have worked hard with him, but Jorge deserves most of the credit. Just an amazing talent.

Maybe in certain situations, sure. He and Mullins have been thrown out several times lately. Probably a little tired and banged up. Think he needs a day, maybe two, but he’s swinging it well again. He hasn’t played an entire MLB season yet. Hyde does a great job keeping these guys as fresh as he can.

This is AWESOME!

Definitely worth a follow. A lot of good insight and observations.

Not at all like Grenier. Way more athletic and upside in all phases, but not as steady a defender as a college player.

It is strange to me, but I’ve never been in a draft room. From what I have heard in the past, picks that high are usually in contact with teams. Ballpark numbers are tossed about. But, Duquette drafted Grenier in Comp A without speaking with him. IDK

It was time. Good luck, Rylan.