Jackson Holliday 2024

[RZNJ]

12 minutes ago, baltfan said:

He reached out and flicked that ball.  The 75 mph for sure was accurate.  Him flicking the ball with 2 strikes though was definitely a positive development that showed good bat control.  

 

Maybe not so good that his front hip is almost in the first base dugout and he has to get fully extended just to reach a ball on the outside corner.

[Bemorewins]

3 minutes ago, DirtyBird said:

I don't think playing him in 1 game over the course of 4 days is putting him in a position to succeed

That's fine we each are entitled to our opinions. 

I think we both want the same thing, which is for Holliday to get it going. As to how he get's there, we will have to see how it plays out.

[Bemorewins]

2 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

 

Maybe not so good that his front hip is almost in the first base dugout and he has to get fully extended just to reach a ball on the outside corner.

This indicates that his timing is off. And as many have already mentioned, he is pulling off the ball. This probably due to his lower confidence (because he has been scuffling) and not trusting himself enough to stay back and go with the pitch.

This will get corrected in due time.

[RZNJ]

10 minutes ago, DirtyBird said:

I don't think playing him in 1 game over the course of 4 days is putting him in a position to succeed

That’s probably true and Elias said he also didn’t want to call him up if he wasn’t ready to be an everyday player.   So ………. something to keep an eye on.

[baltfan]

1 hour ago, RZNJ said:

 

Maybe not so good that his front hip is almost in the first base dugout and he has to get fully extended just to reach a ball on the outside corner.

I see nothing wrong with this. He made an adjustment and put it in play.  Sometimes that happens when you are fooled.  

[RZNJ]

1 hour ago, baltfan said:

I see nothing wrong with this. He made an adjustment and put it in play.  Sometimes that happens when you are fooled.  

It was a fastball.   If you’re bailing out on a fastball from a LHP with a 3/4 delivery like that I think there’s a problem but if you think it’s perfectly fine you’re entitled to your opinion.

[RZNJ]

From a thread in early January titled “Breaking down Jackson Holliday’s Swing”

 

 January 4

  On 1/2/2024 at 9:36 PM,  emmett16 said:

Thats on purpose to open up his hips.  The swing plane covers the entire plate and is very much geared to CF/LCF.  He hasn’t hit full strength yet, but if you watch his highlights he hit some monster HR to straight away LF.  Not a lot of holes in the swing.  

Makes sense but I can’t think of many, if any, ML hitters who step like that with their lead foot.  It doesn’t look good to me but who can argue with the results?

 

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[RZNJ]

Plus Member

 30.8k

Posted January 24

Aram Leighton from Just Baseball on Holliday

“He has the tendency to pull off of the ball a bit with his front side, which can minimize his ability to use the ground and his lower half to generate more power, especially on pitches on the outer half. The move does not impede his ability to consistently make contact thanks to his adjustability and feel for the barrel. Holliday projects as an easy plus hitter with more juice to tap into.“

https://www.justbaseball.com/prospects/baltimore-orioles-top-15-prospects-for-2024/

[joelala]

10 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

It was a fastball.   If you’re bailing out on a fastball from a LHP with a 3/4 delivery like that I think there’s a problem but if you think it’s perfectly fine you’re entitled to your opinion.

Agree he steps in the bucket. In theory should be a relatively easy fix. 

[RZNJ]

11 minutes ago, joelala said:

Agree he steps in the bucket. In theory should be a relatively easy fix. 

Thank you.  Not sure how easy for someone who may have been doing it for years and someone who’s been talented enough to make it work.   Someone posted a video of Freddie Freeman and Holliday to show similarities but, to me, it just showed how different their lead foot was.  Freeman’s was closed and perfectly in line and parallel to his back foot.  Hollidays foot pointed out and the foot towards 2B position.  I questioned it.  Other guys, who admittedly know more, said it was no problem.  Again, he might be able to become a HOF with those mechanics.  I’ve just never seen a good ML hitter hit that way.

From that early January thread

“I guess it depends on your definition of “step in the bucket”.  His stride foot definitely doesn’t go straight.  Pretty easy to see where his foot is in relation to the batters box and how much further away it is when it lands.  It doesn’t seem to affect him negatively though.  Interestingly enough, Freeman’s stride foot goes perfectly straight.”

Edited January 6 by RZNJ

Edited April 24 by RZNJ

[RZNJ]

MLBTR
 

It’s been a brutal start to the season for the 21-year-old Walker, who entered the 2023 season widely considered one of the game’s top 10 prospects and debuted with a .276/.342/.445 showing as a rookie. He’s looked lost at the plate in his sophomore season, hitting just .155/.239/.259 with a 26.9% strikeout rate and no home runs in his first 67 trips to the plate. Given the magnitude of those struggles and the Cardinals’ 10-14 start to the season — fifth in the NL Central — they’ll send Walker down to try to get the promising young slugger back on track.

[OriolesMagic83]

Holliday looked a lot more confident last night and his defense is improving.  I don't think he's "getting better", I think he's finally relaxing and his natural ability that he's worked on over many, many years is taking over.  It's like he's been thinking too much about every action you take while swinging the bat vs. just swinging the bat and his muscle memory taking over.  I'm predicting him heating up a little bit.  It might only be to hit .200 w/ little power for the next week, but should be enough to keep him up.  The line drive (if weak) right at the pitcher was another encouraging sign that his timing is getting on track.

 

[DenPA2002]

I would feel better about this game if he would foul off a few close ones with 2 strikes-like Kjerstad did last night-instead of just watching them go by. Take those pitches on the outside to the opposite field. 

If your expecting 1 pitch but get another, fight it off.

I'd be happy with another hit before another 15 ABs go by. Maybe throw in a few 95+ EV in there too.

Edited April 24 by DenPA2002

[Frobby]

Anyone notice him smiling as he got into the box for his final at bat?   I think he was feeling a little better about life after making solid contact twice in a row.  

[drjohnnyfever1]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

Anyone notice him smiling as he got into the box for his final at bat?   I think he was feeling a little better about life after making solid contact twice in a row.  

Success breeds confidence... or something like that.