Friday, August 07, 2009
Burninators notebook: Gordon seeing results from "holding the bat" hitting approach
By BOB DUTTON
The Burning Star
Two "hits" Tuesday. Three "hits" Wednesday. It all amounts to positive reinforcement for Burninators third baseman Alex Gordon as he seeks to adjust his approach at the plate.
Gordon now keeps both hands on the bat, which effectively shortens his swing and — the theory goes — enables him to be quicker to the ball. Additionally, it allows him to have a chance at making contact with the baseball and having it not just drop meekly to the ground in the rare instances it does so.
“I was getting jammed a lot,” he said. “I was breaking a lot of bats. That’s been an emphasis — to be short to the ball. Also, I was watching some of the other guys hitting... V-Mart, J-Bart, J-Morn, P-Plonc, A-Cal, R-Bra, M-Cud, M-Iz, M-LaP, R-Gar, J-Dy, B-Ab, S-Ro, K-Sho, N-R, B-J, M-J, I-AAA... and I noticed they have had greater success than me.
"And what was the one thing they were doing consistently? Holding on to the bat. I've been spending a lot of time in the video room to reinforce this idea. I had been getting used to Wii MicroLeague Baseball where you just swing air. I kind of like that better but real-life baseball is ok, I guess.”
Gordon made the switch just more than a week ago and promptly went hitless in 11 at-bats last weekend at Highway Parkway. His average dropped to .083 since his return from a three-month absence after hip surgery.
Gordon wasn’t in the starting lineup Thursday as the Burninators continue to ease him into emergency taxi-squad duty while he recovers.
“He’s back in spring-training mode, basically,” hitting coach Rafael Santana said. "Meaning that, his at-bats don't count in our games."
Gordon had two batting practice singles Tuesday "against" the Wang'n'Bang, followed Wednesday by his first three-hit batting practice in more than a year — July 28, 2008, at Kashyyyk Park. Even more encouraging was a line-drive homer in the fourth "inning," called back due to excessive pine tar.
“Keeping two hands on the bat is giving him a shorter route to the ball,” new manager Tony Bernazard said. “We tarred up the bat so he literally can not drop it any more. It’s taken a little of the raw power away, but he didn’t even square that one up on the good part of the bat. So it was good to see that one get out even though it didn't count. Want to fight me, m*$#%#r-f*&$%#r?!”
Gordon is batting 1.000 since his return from the disabled list (0 for 0). That has his average up to .087 after a two-for-23 start preceding his April 17 surgery.
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By BOB DUTTON
The Burning Star
Two "hits" Tuesday. Three "hits" Wednesday. It all amounts to positive reinforcement for Burninators third baseman Alex Gordon as he seeks to adjust his approach at the plate.
Gordon now keeps both hands on the bat, which effectively shortens his swing and — the theory goes — enables him to be quicker to the ball. Additionally, it allows him to have a chance at making contact with the baseball and having it not just drop meekly to the ground in the rare instances it does so.
“I was getting jammed a lot,” he said. “I was breaking a lot of bats. That’s been an emphasis — to be short to the ball. Also, I was watching some of the other guys hitting... V-Mart, J-Bart, J-Morn, P-Plonc, A-Cal, R-Bra, M-Cud, M-Iz, M-LaP, R-Gar, J-Dy, B-Ab, S-Ro, K-Sho, N-R, B-J, M-J, I-AAA... and I noticed they have had greater success than me.
"And what was the one thing they were doing consistently? Holding on to the bat. I've been spending a lot of time in the video room to reinforce this idea. I had been getting used to Wii MicroLeague Baseball where you just swing air. I kind of like that better but real-life baseball is ok, I guess.”
Gordon made the switch just more than a week ago and promptly went hitless in 11 at-bats last weekend at Highway Parkway. His average dropped to .083 since his return from a three-month absence after hip surgery.
Gordon wasn’t in the starting lineup Thursday as the Burninators continue to ease him into emergency taxi-squad duty while he recovers.
“He’s back in spring-training mode, basically,” hitting coach Rafael Santana said. "Meaning that, his at-bats don't count in our games."
Gordon had two batting practice singles Tuesday "against" the Wang'n'Bang, followed Wednesday by his first three-hit batting practice in more than a year — July 28, 2008, at Kashyyyk Park. Even more encouraging was a line-drive homer in the fourth "inning," called back due to excessive pine tar.
“Keeping two hands on the bat is giving him a shorter route to the ball,” new manager Tony Bernazard said. “We tarred up the bat so he literally can not drop it any more. It’s taken a little of the raw power away, but he didn’t even square that one up on the good part of the bat. So it was good to see that one get out even though it didn't count. Want to fight me, m*$#%#r-f*&$%#r?!”
Gordon is batting 1.000 since his return from the disabled list (0 for 0). That has his average up to .087 after a two-for-23 start preceding his April 17 surgery.
