Article: Game Thread: Twins v White Sox, 9/1 @ 7:10pm CT

[ashbury]

Didn't watch the whole game, but that was a pretty sweet swing that Buxton put on that homer.

It was momentary fun and I got caught up in it too. In fact it was the play that had the most statistical impact on the game's outcome.

 

But his other two plate appearances were easy outs to the outfield. I didn't pay enough attention to his swing, but if he's still uppercutting the ball, he's going to finish out the season as he started it, with a low batting average that doesn't produce power often enough to compensate.

 

With his speed, line drives ought to be the goal, so that the occasional ball goes out of the park when he hits it a little too high and he has a chance to leg out a single when he hits it a little too low. I think the problem continues to be pitch recognition - is the uppercut intended to partially compensate for the ball being perennially below where he thinks it will be?

 

I'm no batting coach, though.

[wsnydes]

 

It was momentary fun and I got caught up in it too. In fact it was the play that had the most statistical impact on the game's outcome.

 

But his other two plate appearances were easy outs to the outfield. I didn't pay enough attention to his swing, but if he's still uppercutting the ball, he's going to finish out the season as he started it, with a low batting average that doesn't produce power often enough to compensate.

 

With his speed, line drives ought to be the goal, so that the occasional ball goes out of the park when he hits it a little too high and he has a chance to leg out a single when he hits it a little too low. I think the problem continues to be pitch recognition - is the uppercut intended to partially compensate for the ball being perennially below where he thinks it will be?

 

I'm no batting coach, though.

I had that thought last night as well.  Judging by the towering nature of all three fly balls, he was definitely uppercutting.  The fly out in the 8th went well above the reach of the lights.  

 

I'm happy that's he's making contact, and that first at bat was a good one, but he really needs to level out that swing.  Ken Griffey, Jr he is not.