Breaking down Holliday’s swing

[Sports Guy]

Good stuff here:

 

 

[wse120372]

Just a great article. The 80 grade hit tool is real. I think the talk of him starting on opening day is real

[btdart20]

Love it!  I’ll be showing my sons these videos.  I would have loved to see him put some fantasy projects in there just for fun!

[emmett16]

I could watch him hit for hours.  Been following him on IG and it’s like there is no flaw.  His swing is a thing of beauty.  The amount of flexibility and mobility he has is unreal.  

[emmett16]

His parents raised a special young man.  
 

https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ksOhDNyLQ/?igsh=MThocHV5Zmw3NDV1bg==

[emmett16]

The swing is approaching Griffey level beauty.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cz-D1v8MsrL/?igsh=MXFhbjQ1ZGh1ZXBnbQ==
 

 

[Sports Guy]

He is clearly a hard worker and putting in a lot of time hitting. I wonder what, if any, he is doing fielding wise this offseason?

[emmett16]

52 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

He is clearly a hard worker and putting in a lot of time hitting. I wonder what, if any, he is doing fielding wise this offseason?

His pops is a pro and knows the recipe.  D isn’t as aesthetically pleasing for SM.  Most of the posts aren’t from his accnt, but from others.  He seems like a pretty private, serious, and low key dude.   Matt is just tickled pink that his boys share the same passion and are excelling.  

[Frobby]

18 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

He is clearly a hard worker and putting in a lot of time hitting. I wonder what, if any, he is doing fielding wise this offseason?

Improved D may be what determines whether Holliday gets the OD nod.  Not easy to do in the offseason, but not impossible either.  

[Sports Guy]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

Improved D may be what determines whether Holliday gets the OD nod.  Not easy to do in the offseason, but not impossible either.  

There are drills he can be doing to help improve arm strength.

[Frobby]

11 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

There are drills he can be doing to help improve arm strength.

Oh sure.   But simulating making plays at pro game speed is very difficult, perhaps impossible.  

[emmett16]

You’re kidding yourself if you don’t think he’s putting in as much if not more time on D.  There is plenty to do.  Defense is footwork, hand eye, mobility, and strength.  There are entire plyo & med ball routines built out for every position.  Guarantee he’s on a specific arm care routine built out to coincide with the season.  All of his warms ups, mobility training, dynamic stretching, & weight routines are built out for his performance as a MI.  You can sequence 2 jugs machines that can move easily( line drive + floater or top spin + botttom spin) and a fungo to replicate game reps with defender not knowing what is coming for game speed practice.  

[Tony-OH]

On 1/1/2024 at 12:31 PM, emmett16 said:

You’re kidding yourself if you don’t think he’s putting in as much if not more time on D.  There is plenty to do.  Defense is footwork, hand eye, mobility, and strength.  There are entire plyo & med ball routines built out for every position.  Guarantee he’s on a specific arm care routine built out to coincide with the season.  All of his warms ups, mobility training, dynamic stretching, & weight routines are built out for his performance as a MI.  You can sequence 2 jugs machines that can move easily( line drive + floater or top spin + botttom spin) and a fungo to replicate game reps with defender not knowing what is coming for game speed practice.  

I have little doubt he's working on his defense. He's too hard of a worker overall to not try and get the most out of himself.

[emmett16]

53 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

I have little doubt he's working on his defense. He's too hard of a worker overall to not try and get the most out of himself.

And the org has made it clear that poor/average defense is a barrier to entry.  

[Frobby]

6 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

I have little doubt he's working on his defense. He's too hard of a worker overall to not try and get the most out of himself.

Oh, I don’t doubt it either.   I just think there are game situations that are tough to replicate in any practice session.  You can take grounders all day, but the sense of trying to get to a ball and beat a runner with 3.9 or 4.0 speed to 1B, or coordinate with another middle infielder to turn a tight DP with a runner bearing down on 2B at game speed, is challenging to replicate in a practice session.  Hitting is easier.  

Now, I did appreciate @emmett16’s explanation of some of the technologies available now to replicate different types of grounders and batted balls.