Paul Molitor on Slumps

[ScrapTheNickname]

Here is Paul Molitor from several years ago - maybe 10 - regarding slumps.

 

"I think the more you learn what kind of hitter you are, the better you're able to stay away from lengthy slumps. For me, I tried to work the field backwards in batting practice, hitting to the opposite field first, then going to center field before I'd try to pull anything.

 

"When you hit to the opposite field, the distance between the bat head and your point of contact is shorter, and a shorter stroke means less margin for error. Less can go wrong. It also means you're letting the ball travel farther, meaning you get a longer look at it.

 

"There seems to be a sequence to slumps. It might begin with bad luck, then you start pressing to make something happen, and all of a sudden you're trying to force the action. Instead of waiting for your pitch, you're reaching out and trying to get the baseball, which doesn't work. That's the opposite of what you should try to do."

 

      Quoted by Jim Souhan in Minneapolis Star-Tribune Sport's section, date?

 

 

 

Molitor is a sharp thinker. Will his intelligence lead the team through this rough patch, and many more to come as the team grows, changes, and matures?

 

Also, would it be interesting to gather Molitor quotes from throughout the years? Would it perhaps make a great baseball book? (Hey, I called it first!)

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

Good advice from Molitor there - interesting also to note that Plouffe's Triple the other night was opposite field shot, maybe Plouffe had been hearing and/or thinking something along those same lines. I hope he's busted out of his slump now.

[LimestoneBaggy]

Thanks for posting this. Mechanical adjustments following a prolonged slump which lead to a streak are always interesting, but for me, I've always been a practicioner of hitting your way out of a slump by hitting, hitting, and hitting again in the cage. I'll have to try this approach sometime.....in beer league softball....