THE BLAME GAME

by Holly Horning

On Tuesday, we addressed the offensive concerns seen with the #5 through #9 batters and why the Tigers can’t continue to put out lineups like this.

I wrote that a player would likely be sent down to Toledo this week – and he was.  Parker Meadows.

I also forecast that at least 1 other player would be following him in the near future.

Of course, the news of this move got the social media machine whirring.  And the comment often made by fans?

Why aren’t the hitting coaches doing their job?

It’s not that simple, folks.

In fact, many fans are making too many assumptions about this team and their offense.  They are assuming that….

– …all players should hit better with coaching.

– …all players possess the necessary skills and talent to hit well.

– …all players are receptive to every suggested change.

– …all players are actually capable of implementing the suggested changes.

– …all players can easily and quickly make the suggested changes.

– …changes in how players take their at-bats becomes second-nature in just days.

– …the majority of rookies should be able to hit respectably in their first year without struggling.

In reality, hitting coaches don’t inherit a mound of clay ready to be formed into a solid hitter.  Almost every coach get a pre-formed player with years of bad habits and a zillion previous coaches’ advice stuck in their heads.

For these coaches, it’s a process of undoing before you can rebuild.  And as everyone who has tried to change their own behavior knows, none of this happens overnight.  It takes awhile.  And all of us from time to time slip back into our old habits.

It’s the same with hitters.

With the exception of Zach McKinstry (who is a utility player) and Carson Kelly, there are Javier Baez, Colt Keith, Parker Meadows, Jake Rogers and Spencer Torkelson who are struggling at the plate.  These 5 were all acquired by the former Front Office.

In his introduction as the Tigers’ PoBO, Scott Harris mentioned that the Tigers had a roster full of the same type of hitters – those with high strikeout rates and poor plate discipline.  The reason why this team is offensively-challenged. 

If Harris was in charge back then, would he have collected this identical group or a group that was more diverse in their approach to the plate?

We know it’s the latter.  He gave a list of standards the Tigers would be looking for going forward.

Having this same approach is an overall team weakness that gives opposing pitchers the advantage.  It’s not just each hitter, it’s also about the whole group.  Unless a hitting coach can positively impact every one of these hitters, there are still going to be weaknesses the opponent will exploit that will keep their individual offensive numbers down.

As we can see, there are quite a few factors that have contributed to the current offensive situation.  It’s unfair to blame this solely on the hitting coaches without also including the people who acquired and developed these players.

But in today’s game, there are other things going on that factor into the weak offense.

First, the overall drop in offense across the board in MLB.  It’s not just the Tigers.  It’s every other team.  The average BA for all 30 MLB teams is .239 today.  It is the lowest average since 1968 – just .02 higher. 

And the biggest reason for this is due to the dominance of pitchers in today’s game.  They are throwing harder, throwing faster and using a greater arsenal of pitches.  We need to stop referring to what hitters did decades ago and comparing them with today’s group.  This game has changed dramatically.

Pitchers have a distinct advantage over hitters.  I covered what is going on in a blog last month:

HIT AND RUN

The Tigers have 3 hitting coaches – on purpose.  It is a trend throughout MLB with the purpose of enhancing communication and having each coach work more effectively with a fewer number of hitters. As a result, each hitter gets more attention.

In the Tigers’ case, all three coaches (Beauregard, Brdar and Zawadzki) have different specialties, personalities, communication style and how they work with players.  Each hitter is encouraged to find his best fit and work with that person.  Sometimes, another coach may be called in to help.

Don’t assume that the hitters are getting overwhelmed with everyone talking in their ears.  They aren’t.  They also aren’t receiving conflicting messages about how to hit.

It is a thoughtful and deliberate process.

As well, the majority of MLB hitters also have their own independent hitting coach. It is considered standard operating procedure now.  The Tigers include them as they work with their players, sharing strategies and what the hitters are addressing.  It is all coordinated among both parties.

Now, let’s look at a couple examples about what is going on behind the scenes as the hitting coaches work with the players.

First, Ryan Vilade.  He played for the Rockies and Pirates but both teams couldn’t see his power which explains how the Tigers acquired him.  After reviewing video and stats, the Tigers believed they could unlock his power.

It appears they have. He has a .551 slugging percentage which is the highest of his career.  A. J. Hinch said the coaches helped him add a leg kick and they tweaked some mechanics in his swing.  They appear to be successful solutions so far.  Of course, hitting is not quick fix.  It is a long-term project.

The other example of what can happen as coaches work with hitters is best exemplified by Spencer Torkelson.  Hinch is sharing a lot about the process.

The Tigers know exactly why he’s struggling at the plate.  It’s a case of getting him to successfully implement the changes.

Tork is trying, it’s just that he’s hit a ceiling and can’t make the necessary adjustments.

The biggest issue is his inability to hit fastballs and his delayed timing appears to be the biggest factor.  They’ve noted that his mechanics are sound so technically, his timing shouldn’t be an issue.

The coaches have been working with him on multiple areas that need addressing including his loading, how he decides on which pitches to select and how to make harder contact.  The issues have all been identified and the solutions offered. 

But as Hinch has indicated, it is now up to Tork to figure it out.  Similar to that story about leading a horse to water but being unable to make him drink. The ball is in Spencer’s court now.

And that’s the point made above. It’s not enough to simply provide the solutions.  In the end , it’s about the player being able to implement them.  And that part is not on the coaches.

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not here to excuse the hitting coaches.  Today’s blog is about not making assumptions that there is only 1 party responsible for the results.

There are so many moving parts in creating a successful hitter and the coaches are only a part of the solution.

Although it’s easiest to blame the coaches, as in the rest of life, there are multiple candidates to consider.  We simply cannot make blanket statements about who is to blame.

The same goes for an entire team.  If a roster is not performing up to standards, one can’t simply blame the manager.  You’ve got to include the players, GM, Front Office, farm system and maybe even the owner.

A baseball team is a complex organization.  There no one direct path to success.  Each team has to have their own formula in order to achieve their goals.

It’s also what’s great about this game.  We don’t really appreciate what is easy to achieve but we do marvel when our team is able to solve a complex issue.

So the next time something doesn’t seem to be working, look at all the factors involved.  Not just 1 group.

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• The reason why Spencer Torkelson isn’t hitting HRs but is hitting a lot of doubles.

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