Berardino: Palka's unlikely mentor, Shane Robinson

[Seth Stohs]

http://www.twincities.com/2017/03/02/minnesota-twins-slugger-daniel-palka-finds-unlikely-mentor-in-shane-robinson/

 

Mike Berardino wrote a very nice article on Daniel Palka, talking about his relationship with former Twins outfielder Shane Robinson. The two met six years ago in Atlanta, and Palka says that he's learned a lot from him, despite the fact that they are polar opposites on the field. 

 

Robinson can help Palka with his outfield defense, and he is thought of as having a very strong mental-side of the game. 

 

I like this line from Mike:

 

 

If Kyle Schwarber, another burly former college masher with a sweet lefty swing, can handle left field for the World Series-champion Chicago Cubs, maybe Palka can do the same one day for the Twins.

 

I'd say it's a big IF for both of them...

[gunnarthor]

Robinson being a mentor isn't necessarily surprising.  Obviously, it's more fun if the mentor was a pretty good player - Torii Hunter or Kirby Puckett - but most players talk about how other minor leaguers or HS coaches changed their lives a lot more than the superstars they worked/played with.  Just being able to slow the game down and explain it in a way that works for the player is the important part.  Maybe crappy ballplayers are better at that then guys who fall out of bed and hit .333.

[Vanimal46]

 

Robinson being a mentor isn't necessarily surprising.  Obviously, it's more fun if the mentor was a pretty good player - Torii Hunter or Kirby Puckett - but most players talk about how other minor leaguers or HS coaches changed their lives a lot more than the superstars they worked/played with.  Just being able to slow the game down and explain it in a way that works for the player is the important part.  Maybe crappy ballplayers are better at that then guys who fall out of bed and hit .333.

 

No doubt... Players who were considered the best in their respective sports almost never go into coaching or mentoring. There are things in the game that were so easy for them, it's hard to teach others how they did it. 

I'd much rather have a mentor who fought and clawed their way to the highest level, and continuously had to hone their craft to carve out a career. 

[Oldgoat_MN]

True. 

I always wondered how Rod Carew would be as a hitting coach.

 

Carew: "After you get your hit run to that base over there", (pointing to 1B).

Prospects: *looking puzzled*

Carew: "We'll go over this again tomorrow".

[Oldgoat_MN]

 

...

 Maybe crappy ballplayers are better at that then guys who fall out of bed and hit .333.

Great line.