I guess Corey is playing well. According to Dusty Baker anyway. "If he keeps doing it, there's a chance (to be called up soon)," manager Dusty Baker said. "That's all we wanted was for him to have a semi-extended period of good play. He's had two good games in a row. That's why we sent him down there, to get it together so he could come back here. We didn't send him down there to exile him to the Siberian front for 2 1/2 months."
So I guess 2 games is semi-extended. And apparently that is also the amount of "good play" needed to "get it together". I guess I thought they were sending him down to actually transform his approach at the plate to the level of, oh I don't know, maybe a pony leaguer? But his Iowa numbers don't look that great.
He still has too many strikeouts (19) in comparison to walks (8) and at-bats (88). Hurray--he's hitting .273. It's AAA. His OPS is .767. In AAA.
Baker's "Siberian Exile" comment indicates to me that he uses an old school approach to player improvement. We're sending you down, it's like punishment, you should get some fear for your job and when you come back you should be a better player. That doesn't exactly mesh with Baker's "takes time to figure it out" comments from before. So which is it? Is he equipped with the knowledge of an approach that will help him succeed but chooses not to use it? Or he knows how to do it all and just can't produce?
Jim Hendry says, ''He has made changes to his [hitting] approach, where his hands are and more flex to his posture, not so much straight up-and-down. He is working hard and making progress.
''I'm sure he would like to be here, but it would be unfair to bring him back when he has made strides, but it hasn't consistently kicked in yet. That doesn't mean he couldn't be here whenever if he goes on a little run. As much as we'd like to have the good side of Corey back, today wasn't the time.''
Flex, posture, hands position--none of these make you work the count to your favor or stay away from bad pitches in the dirt. If the mental/situational approach is not rectified, he likely will return the same player he was before.
2 comments:
Based on the way the Cubs have been playing lately, two good games in a row qualify Patterson for a trip back.
This team blows, and that's a shame. There is very good talent on this team, but everyone seems to be headed in a different direction. Please, did we really need a team meeting to remind players of the importance of working the count and getting on base?
What the Cub's are trying to achieve is equivilant to the starting point for the Atlanta Braves. I have been a fan of the way the Braves competed for a while, but never have I had more respect for a coach than what I now have for Bobby Cox. He consistanly gets the most from his players; rookie or veteran.
And speaking of rookies, could anyone imagine Dusty playing as many rooks as Cox has this year? This is the point in a Cub season where I would be looking forward to seeing what the younger players down on the farm could do in the majors. I can't even have that with Dusty at the helm. Last day of the season will probably still have Macias, Hollandsworth and Perez playing. Brutal.
GO BEARS!!!
Bobby Cox is the man. I hope Maddux writes abook (although he surely won't) when he's done. I'd like to see what he thinks of both Cox and Baker. Not hard to guess.
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