It is not about understanding. It is about the tradeoff between:
1) sliding early (which results in the tag beating you to the base)...
or
2) sliding late (which is more likely to beat the tag to the base, but increases the risk of oversliding and being tagged later)
It is a risk/reward decision that can help you or burn you whichever of the two poisons you pick.
If Revere could get an arm transplant, this would be a good idea.
If the donor was Raul Mondesi, this could be a GREAT idea!
Problem is Mondesi is right-handed, so Revere's new left thumb will be on the outside of his throwing hand.....So let's downgrade the idea back to "good".
If a batter KNOWS every pitch will be in the same location, that pitcher has no chance. You cannot stop a hitter from diving on an outside pitch, if you NEVER jam him.
You did fine. Maybe if Dozier would candidly answer your questions about: 1) Why he doesn't get surprised by THAT PITCH! (high, inside fastball), unlike most other hitters...How does he mentally prepare? 2) How he can hit THAT PITCH and still have his hands ready for low and away. 3) Are any of his swing mechanics different from other hitters, enabling him to do what is so difficult for those other hitters? If Dozier won't properly explain, you are limited in your analysis to what he WILL discuss.
I didn't know that John Quincy Adams, John Foster Dulles, Joe Don Looney, John David Crow, John Cougar Mellencamp and Sugar Ray Robinson/Leonard/Whatever were on "Saved by the Bell"
If the opposing pitchers were paying attention to his HR/RBI totals, I would think his walks would increase exponentially, and pass his HR's soon. Apparently, the pitchers don't know enough to be afraid of him yet.
Ervin Santana throws a slider that is one of the most devastating strike-out pitches in MLB. The Twins have no other pitcher with a comparable strikeout pitch. If you saw him pitch last season and this spring (after he started using all his pitches), you shouldn't be suggesting that any pitcher in the current rotation should keep their spot ahead of him. If you know anyone who has faced Ervin Santana's 2014-2015 slider, ask them what they think of it.
Only 39 currently on the 40-man roster. I don't think it is Walker, but he could be added. Hicks may be most likely to replace Robinson and Sano to replace Vargas.