You know what those right handed batters ALSO have had in common up until very recently?
GROUNDBALLITIS
A 2-seamer doesn't just run in...it usually sinks. Do you even REMEMBER the games against Loux and Feldman and a dozen other crappy righties who could chuck a 90 swerve down in the zone all the time? Ground to third...groundball to short....groundball to third....groundball to short...groundball to third...TOWERING home run to deep right by Branyan...groundball to short...groundball to third...groundball to SECOND (holy crap!)...groundball to third...ad nauseum.
Why can't those six guys hit a 2-seamer from a righty? Because they're groundball hitters with level swings and they make contact on the low balls with too much of the top of the ball, resulting in a barrage of five-hoppers. End of story.
Of course Lopez is starting to hit more flyballs the last few months and Gutierrez has become a balanced (and much better) hitter against all comers.
OK Beltre wasn't a groundball hitter, but he is still a high ball hitter. All of Beltre's HRs even in his bigger seasons have generally been on high pitches that he could really put a nice big logn upper-cut swing on.
The rest of those guys until very recently...I mean come ON Doc! I'm the guy who coined the phrase "groundball to third" whenever Johjima would step to the plate...he was/is a MACHINE for hitting two-hoppers right at the third baseman.
Add new comment
1