Slugging .543 with 9 hrs in August, what's changed for Morneau?

[robbie111]

I know there are guys on here that are good at dissecting swings. Has his swing really changed since the end of July as Smalley suggested or is it something else such as punishing more mistake pitches or guessing better or laying off pitches outside forcing pitchers to pitch him more inside?

 

The reason I ask is just a hunch as I looked at his stats with the bases loaded. He's 10 for 13 this year hitting .769 with an astronomical ops of 1.918. The theory is with the bases loaded he knows he's going to get good pitches (less outside off of the plate) otherwise the pitcher walks in a run, so he's squaring up.

 

Now (during his improved August) if he is laying off of the outside pitches that were his kryptonite earlier this year, pitchers are having to pitch more inside and he is squaring up the inside pitches. Just a guess can anyone prove it?

[Larsbars08]

I really don't know. I want to be optimistic, I still love him, but I just don't know what to expect from him anymore.

[Oldgoat_MN]

...

The reason I ask is just a hunch as I looked at his stats with the bases loaded. He's 10 for 13 this year hitting .769 with an astronomical ops of 1.918.

...

 

Truly amazing. I've never seen a stat like that out of MLB. Yes, it's probably happened before with less than 15 AB, but.... wow.

[robbie111]

Ya those numbers are even better than video game numbers. On a side note was thinking that the Yankees would go after him since he's slugging .883 in the new Yankee stadium (2009 season-now) and has an ops of 1.391. That place fits him like a glove.

[jorgenswest]

At midseason his HR/FB rate was an unsustainably low 3%. There was no way it would remain that low. Without making any changes, he was bound to hit double digit home runs the second half. His rate in August has flipped the other direction. Nine home runs a month isn't sustainable either.

 

For 2013, his rate sits at 10.6%. That's low compared to his 2012 rate and career rate but it is approaching career norms. It is reasonable to project 20-25 home runs for 2014. Is that production worth a contract offer?