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Q.  How come Nick Franklin hit a hiccup, and Brad Miller did not?

A.  Franklin started guessing, and Miller didn't.

When they first came up, both were using O' Sensei's aiki advice to baseball hitters:  "Don't try to anticipate the speed of the pitch.  Allow it to arrive at its own pace, and be there to greet it."  Or, as Yogi Berra said, "How do you expect a guy to think and hit at the same time?"

Both guys came up with a "see ball, hit ball" attitude.  They took a long took, and if the pitch was offspeed they were naturally in synch with it.  ... If the pitch came in hot, those awesome reflexes went SNNNAAAAPPPP and they could even pull the ball hard.

Remarkable.  Sit back, watch the ball, here comes 94 MPH .... ZZZzzzzzing there it goes into the power alley.

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Q.  What happened?

A.  Nick Franklin swung over some curve balls righty, and then he swung out in front of some curves lefty, and then his eyes got wide.  He started trying to guess curve, so that he could square up a few, and then he started to guess everything.

It was exacerbated by the fact that he hit 10 balls into the seats, and really enjoyed the experience.  He re-defined success, set the bar higher.  He's massively fouled up now, like Ackley was.

There are specific differences between the two, Ackley and Franklin - don't panic.  The point is, Miller never did any of this.  He's still hitting exactly the same way he was on his first day ... and, you know what, it's hard to imagine him ever falling into that trap.  He was never as much of a Pitch Stalker as Franklin is.  He's not that kind of personality.

Here is Brad Miller's spray chart against curve balls, August 2013.  Pretty, isn't it?  :- )

And here is Nick Franklin's spray chart against curve balls, August 2013.

or star.  Already.

And, yeah, on the field he has looked like that line.  Here's a guy whose offense game looks like it will actually change the scoreboard.  Against tough pitching.

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