.

Q.  How does his swing look?

A.  Siiighhh... I don't say that the below is the end of the M's problems.  But what else we got to talk about, but Cole Gillespie?

:: draws heavy breath ::

The swing is a real highlight, as is Stefen Romero's for that matter.  Gillespie has a model swing ... not that the minors aren't well-stocked with journeymen who have polished their swings until they glittered.

Hand-eye coordination is one thing, bat speed another thing, leverage a third thing, path the ball a fourth thing, knowing anything about hitting (which Dr. D doesn't) another thing.  But Gillespie obviously has:

• A short, clean path to the ball
• Nice launch speed
• Above-average throughspeed
• Nice "aiki" synergy = an "alertness" at the plate that --- > translates into controlled CG/energy

Here's a good video.  You can see the light, twitchy alertness and the fact that his CG does not "lunge" or sit back statically.

The stills:

Below, in frame 1, you see the comfortable weight distribution.  There is nothing exaggerated or contorted in Smoak style, no sitting on the back leg, no wasteful tensing of the pec's, etc.

Below, in frame 2, the hands come back in a measured torsion.  He's not going for a 350-yard drive.  He wants the same tee shot he's going to hit the next million times.

Below, frame 3, the hands fire down onto the ball without wasted motion.

Below, frame 4, you've got the classic "firm front side" (keeping weight behind the ball, and therefore in a position to drive weight through the energy area).

He even has a Cano-style "fence drill" stroke (hands in) that keeps Gillespie on top of the ball and hitting the inside of it (for higher AVG at some expense to PWR).

Below, frame 5, the extension is dangerous, especially considering the tight hands on the inside pitch.  (Gillespie is known for hard liners to right field; in spring training he was remarkable for golfing low-inside pitches to RF.)

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In other words, he has a major league (TM) swing.  That's one good thing he's got going for him.

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