A Team-Centric Offensive Approach Has Suited Trevor Larnach Nicely

[Matthew Trueblood]

Image courtesy of © Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

At a glance, it doesn't look like Trevor Larnach is doing any of the things you'd hope to see from him this season. He's hitting it on the ground more; he's pulling it in the air less. His swing speed is down; his chase rate is up. He's generating lower batting and slugging averages on contact, which makes sense, because he's not hitting it hard as often as he has in the past, and he's walking less, which makes sense because he's swinging more.

When you look at his full line, though—he's hitting .245/.321/.395 for the season—things don't look so dreary. In fact, he's on a tear lately, right in line with some of the best work he did last year.

Larnach credits a more balanced, consistent approach for this success, which has coincided with the Twins' rebound from a terrible start to the season that threatened to end their playoff hopes before they could even mature. 

"The goal is to be consistent with your moves as much as you possibly can," Larnach said Saturday. "The more you’re consistent, the more you’ll see consistent results."

That day, his results were tremendous, as they've often been in recent days. He doubled and homered, and has two of each of those in the last five contests. During the Twins' current eight-game winning streak, their slugging corner outfielder is hitting .303 and slugging .545. He's struck out more lately than he did over the first five or six weeks of the campaign, but is making up for it with increased power. Under new hitting coach Matt Borgschulte, he's enjoying the fruits of a team-oriented approach.

"I think each hitting coach has their own kind of philosophy that they like to follow, and Borgs’s is very simple. He tries to simplify things. Each hitting coach is different," Larnach said. "You’re gonna have a guy who likes mechanics, you’re gonna have a guy who likes approach, you’re gonna have a guy who might like both. But Borgs, specifically, I think he likes to take a team approach and help guys out in the team sense, to simplify, ‘Ok, this is what the pitcher does. Let’s all try to pass the batons, and do the right things.’"

It's taken time for that collective mentality to take root, and for the team's production to match their projections. That's been happening lately, though, and it comes as no surprise to Rocco Baldelli.

"Borgs is an extremely intelligent hitting guy. He’s very prepared, but he’s really good, more than anything, at how do you help guys train to prepare for what’s to come? As opposed to just honing a swing, he’s actually honing a swing combined with what a team is about to see on a given night," Baldelli said Tuesday. "He’s really into, not just taking swings, but practicing things that are going to help with things like decision-making and improving guys’ approaches at the plate."

Under Borgschulte, Larnach's using the opposite field more often than in the past, and pulling the ball less than ever. On the other hand, his 20.5% strikeout rate is the lowest of his career, too. He's making contact with over 87% of the strikes at which he swings, a career-best and a mark of thorough strike zone control. The skipper believes that's a natural result of the process the team has implemented this spring.

"He’s a very process-oriented guy, who’s not just there to create an ideal swing that’s going to hit a pull-side homer," Baldelli said. "Yes, that’s important, but he’s really interested in the flexibility of a swing—the ability to help a swing adapt to all the things that a pitcher is going to do. And he makes a lot of these things that are somewhat complicated really simple, as the guys are trying to prepare. He’s trying to help these guys get ready to hit major-league pitching, which is totally different than just breaking down a swing on video. It’s not a static thing, in Borgs’s mind. It’s like a living, breathing thing, the major-league swing."

That flexibility is exactly what Larnach has largely lacked during his big-league career. Famously, he struggles mightily against offspeed and breaking stuff. He's also been a dead pull hitter. The new and (hopefully) improved Larnach is better able to cover the whole plate and use the whole field, which he credits not only to good coaching, but to subtle adjustments facilitated by getting to play more often against left-handed pitching this year. In the past, Larnach has strode closed, which ensured that he wouldn't lose coverage of the outer edge but also cost him some bat speed.

"That happens over time, but it’s not something I’m always trying to do—because eventually, that leads you to cutting yourself off. And that’s not what you want," Larnach said of that stride pattern. "So sometimes, if I get pitched away a lot from right-handed pitchers—even last year, it happened—but if it happens a lot, it’ll be extensive. So the adjustment is to try and get back. So then, everyone is different, but sometimes for me, seeing a lot of left-handed sided stuff, that helps me even back out."

Whether it's specific instruction or just more opportunities to handle varied opposition, Larnach is rounding out nicely at the plate—even if the results so far are more encouraging than outright dazzling. The team mindset has filtered through the roster. Until Matt Wallner returns to the lineup, Larnach will be badly needed as a left-handed bat, and his new hitting coach has him in a good state of mind to meet that need.

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[LambchoP]

Larnach has looked really good this year. Even getting some hits against lefties. I love that he's finally getting those opportunities. I could see a 25 HR season from him if he can stay healthy and in the lineup every day 

[GNess]

Nice detailed breakdown of Larnach's path to improvement.

[Blyleven2011]

I have emphasized for years to hit the pitch where it's pitched and hit it to the opposite field more , the more you can use the whole field  the better pitches you will see as the opponents pitcher will be limited in trying to get you out ...

I've seen the really good teams constantly hit to opposite field against us over the years to beat us  , pull happy only players just won't cut it if you want to be a consistent producer at the plate  ...

What took so long for the twins to finally implement this strategy to their game  , I like what I have seen of this approach lately and it has helped our game ...

[bean5302]

1 hour ago, LambchoP said:

Larnach has looked really good this year. Even getting some hits against lefties. I love that he's finally getting those opportunities. I could see a 25 HR season from him if he can stay healthy and in the lineup every day 

.245/.321/.395 OPS .716 wRC+ 105 is really good for a guy with no defensive or base running value? He's sitting at 0.1 WAR, on pace for 0.3 WAR in a full season as a starter.

Larnach's xwOBA is a little higher than his actual, but that's been the case every single year of his career so his productivity as a league average bat is right on point. Last year was the only year he's earned a starting roster spot.

There isn't a ton different in his plate discipline, but a couple things are really sticking out. First, Larnach is struggling against fastballs which is shocking to see. Second, Larnach is hitting changeups, which is equally shocking. It's a 180* flip from his traditional results. He's also been trading fly balls for grounders. I'm not sure if this is a new approach, but it won't work if the tradeoff is hitting grounders off changeups than fly balls off fastballs.

[Trov]

As a long time fan, going back to the TK days, I firmly believe knowing to hit the ball well the other way is very important to have success in the majors.  I know many believe that pulling the ball for power is the best way to help the team the most.  However, if you are dead pull all the time, that leaves large holes in your swing.  I am not saying guys with power should look to slap the ball often.  You can still drive oppo with power if you work on it.  This makes the outside part of the plate not a dead zone.  It also helps you not chase inside pitches off the plate, because you finally got an inside pitch after taking so many strikes away. 

Just showing a pitcher, and defense you can hit the ball the other way keeps them honest.  I remember when Papi left he talked about how TK wanted him to hit the other way.  Then in Boston after he got his chance he was well known for hitting the ball over or off the green monster for many hits in his career. Yes, he hit higher percentage to pull side, but without his ability to hit to left I would bet his numbers would have been much worse. If you have a plan to drive the ball the other way because you expect a pitch to do it on, you can pick up a lot of hits.  Then you show you cannot just get a free easy pitch for strike out there, and get the pitcher to try to get you inside more, right in your power zone. 

[Doctor Gast]

2 hours ago, Blyleven2011 said:

I have emphasized for years to hit the pitch where it's pitched and hit it to the opposite field more , the more you can use the whole field  the better pitches you will see as the opponents pitcher will be limited in trying to get you out ...

I've seen the really good teams constantly hit to opposite field against us over the years to beat us  , pull happy only players just won't cut it if you want to be a consistent producer at the plate  ...

What took so long for the twins to finally implement this strategy to their game  , I like what I have seen of this approach lately and it has helped our game ...

Analytics is based on exit velocity & launch angle, including the luck factor. Where Arraez is the luckiest person in the world & Gallo is the unluckiest, go figure. IMO, all that needs to stop. If you have to dial back on exit velocity to have more bat control so be it,  Larnach has figured that out. At the same time, focusing more on line drives & going the other way with 2 strikes. Instead of striking out looking at a questionable ball for strike 3, now he's going after those pitches (he still needs to tune in more those that leave the strike zone but that's ok). Larnach is getting away from new school & is going to what works. Strike-outs do matter & I'm happy that Larnach is reducing his. In this sport you have to take what the pitchers give you & go with it, instead of forcing something that won't work. 

[farmerguychris]

Glad to see him have some success.  Felt he's been overlooked (appropriately based on previous year's challenges with offspeed pitches), since Walner was drafted - but good to see him producing some results for us.  Hopefully this is only the beginning of things to come and he can get to the level where he was worth that first round pick.

[bean5302]

1 hour ago, Doctor Gast said:

Analytics is based on exit velocity & launch angle, including the luck factor. Where Arraez is the luckiest person in the world & Gallo is the unluckiest, go figure. IMO, all that needs to stop...

That's a false representation of outcomes. Gallo was not unlucky and Arraez was not lucky. Both Gallo and Arraez typically produced similarly to their expected metrics. There are relatively unique players who deviate from expected results, but they're pretty few and far between.

It would be better if people would stop trying to confidently explain things they don't understand.

[blindeke]

Great article Matthew. 

[Doctor Gast]

31 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

That's a false representation of outcomes. Gallo was not unlucky and Arraez was not lucky. Both Gallo and Arraez typically produced similarly to their expected metrics. There are relatively unique players who deviate from expected results, but they're pretty few and far between.

It would be better if people would stop trying to confidently explain things they don't understand.

I've been a big fan of analytics, & quick to see that OBP is more important than BA. My pitching career was very short & I have no idea about pitching analytics, so I stay out of it. If it works fine. But IMO, hitting analytics & how it has been used has morphed into something weird that makes no sense. Many baseball nerds who are very active on social media, yet never really played the sport competitively. Now, preach that their analytics are gospel & are infallible. Forget about being hurt or any other underlying conditions, forget about intangibles, because "stats don't lie".  I use WAR & OPS but I'm not married to them or believe that they are the only true standard to evaluate players. IMO, there are 2 types of hitters & Gallo & Arraez represent the extreme of both. There are big groups of each & one that are a blend of the 2. My point is not this, but how biased these stats are. I still believe some analytics are viable, but some are created to support their view more than actually help a team. I heard a statement from a coach who was a player saying, "Don't throw numbers at me to try to persuade me not to believe what my eyes are telling me". I am starting to lean towards this camp.

[Doc Lenz]

Get your foot down, let the ball travel, the RBI’s are in the gaps. Watch Joe Mauer video. That’s hitting.

[Western SD Fan]

I think something that is forgotten has been most of these younger players like Larnach (you could add Lewis, Julien, and Miranda to this group) were drafted and developed during the heavy usage of the infield shift.  These players have been developed from the minors about launch angle and pulling the ball over the shifted infield and developing to analytics instead of baseball situations.  I sometimes find it difficult on the player to expect them to change 5-8 years of development in under a year because the rules have now changed and now the philosophy doesn't work anymore.  Many of us even in our own jobs take up to a year to be fully productive when we switch jobs or careers.  The best way to maybe compare this to real life is to compare these players to an individual that is taking online courses after working all day to better their skills or change jobs/careers.  These players need to change how they hit in a post-shift era so this will take time and patience.  Something most of us fans (including me!) do not have.

[PatG]

Just someone mention to Larnach the words: ".300 hitter...", I know Bean has the analytics, but just mention those words to Larnach, the rest will follow.....