Thursday morning I asked Jeff Francoeur if he was familiar with the term “regression to the mean.” Frenchy got a big grin and said, “Oh, yeah.” So I asked him how he prevents that. He had a good year last year, how does he repeat it?
Consistency.
Just keep doing what he did last year. It sounds bad to say you don’t want to get better, but you can screw up what you have by trying to get something better. In 2008, Francoeur hit .293, 19 home runs and drove in 105 runs. He decided he was going to be even better the next year. Francoeur bulked up, put on weight and hit .239, 11 home runs and drove in 71.
“Perfect is the enemy of good” is one of my favorite baseball sayings. You’re going good, but you want to be perfect and suddenly, you’re not going good any more. Francoeur said you’ve got to know who you are as a player and maybe even more importantly — who you aren’t.
Francoeur said the same thing about Alex Gordon and Eric Hosmer. They both had good years last year and they shouldn’t alter their approach in an effort to be better. Because perfect is the enemy of good. And if you’re good long enough — you’re great.
Eiland’s take
After Doug Sisson pointed out how other pitching staffs are getting quicker with their deliveries to the plate, I decided to ask the new Royals pitching coach what the Royals pitchers were doing. Dave Eiland said that getting the staff to be quicker to the plate was one of his main goals when he took over the staff, but he expanded on what Sisson told me:
The Royals are speeding up their delivery times, but haven’t totally abandoned the slide step — although Eiland doesn’t like that terminology. Ask a pitcher to “slide step” and he’ll slide his front foot just above the mound, his arm will be late because the foot gets down sooner and the ball will stay high in the zone. The delivery is out of synch. Dave pointed out that it’s a bad trade when you stop a steal, but give up a double to the gap.
Instead, the Royals use the term “quick step.” Do what you normally do, just do it quicker. Their also varying the time they hold the ball in the set position and disrupting the runner with throws over to first. But it’s all tradeoff; too much attention to the runner and something bad will happen at home plate. Ignore the runner and he’ll be standing on second.
Eiland did agree that the game is changing. Even Boston and New York are starting to run — and a whole lot of pitchers are having to adjust.
Partying
I know some people (and that include some editors) picture spring training as a non-stop party. They imagine players out on the town after the game, a blonde on each arm, ordering drinks for the house. Well, maybe, but not often. As Mike Moustakas pointed out, careers are on the line here. And you better be pretty sure of yourself to show up hung over. Moose wouldn’t say it never happens, but dragging your way through a full morning of drills and a 1:05 ball game is not a great way to make the team.
And then there’s social media.
Every ballplayer is acutely aware that every fan has a cell phone and those cell phones have cameras. If a girl in a bar wants to have a picture taken with a player, that picture can be on the internet before the player makes it home from the bar. Try explaining that to your wife. Moustakas pointed out that even sipping a beer after a long day’s work in the sun has its dangers: if someone takes a picture and posts it, you better get a base hit the next day. Otherwise, someone will talk about how your drinking is affecting your playing.
So, remember, it’s not one big party down here. (So, do you think my editor bought it?)
All kidding aside
It’s a really full schedule here in Surprise. Usually the clubhouse opens at 7:30 AM and closes to the media at 9:15. Players are supposed to be dressed by 9:30 and on the field to stretch at 10:00. Here’s Wednesday’s schedule after the 10:00 Team Stretch:
10:15 Base running
10:20 Throw
10:30 Team Fundamental (Pickoffs/Rundowns)
10:45 Batting Practice
11:45 Extra Hitting/Lunch
12:40 Report to Stadium
1:05 Game
There’s not a lot of standing around. If you want to talk to somebody, you better be walking because they’re on their way to the next scheduled activity. We should all appreciate that Doug Sisson came out early and made time to do the base running videos. I might have to buy him one of the beers ballplayers rarely drink.
It’s a sacrifice
I watched a sacrifice bunting drill and noticed the right-handed hitters weren’t squaring around when they bunted. Squaring around is bringing the back foot up parallel to the front foot and facing the pitcher. The Royals are dropping the back foot, moving it further away from the plate — like a runner getting ready to sprint by pushing off.
I asked if that was the point. Does it put the bunter in a better position to run? I was told it does, but that’s not the reason the Royals do it this way. Dropping the back foot also lowers the head toward the zone and keeps the bat head higher than the hands. Squaring around (the traditional method) takes the head up and away from the zone and allows the bat head to drop—and that results in the bunt being fouled back.
Proper execution will always be an issue, but if the plan fails it won’t be because it wasn’t thought out.
Collins adjusts
As Star beat writer Bob Dutton has already pointed out, left-handed relief pitcher Tim Collins has made an adjustment. Last season he stood with his back almost directly to home plate when he was in the stretch position. That led to a kind of corkscrew gyration in his delivery. This season he’s set up in a more normal, straight-on position. Collins said that’s simplified his delivery. If there are less parts in a pitching (or hitting) motion, less can go wrong and the motion is easier to repeat.
Collins is throwing more strikes out of the new pitching motion and still has good stuff; a win-win adjustment.
Today’s fundamental
Scoring from second. This consisted of making a good turn at third; hitting the inside corner of the bag with either foot, using it to push off towards home and dipping the shoulder toward the mound which allows a tighter turn and keeps the runner from curving way out on the grass.
Lee Judge
1 year, 2 months agoSaw Bruce Chen get knocked around yesterday. He’s had some rough outings, remember the air here is much like Colorado’s and does no favors for a pitcher who relies on breaking stuff. On the other hand,everyone else is pitching in the same air.
Chen was throwing to the new catcher, Humberto Quintero, and that probably didn’t help.
Quintero made a couple of throws, didn’t get anyone, but looked quick and accurate. I’ll try to find out his pop times from Chino Cadahia.
Jim Fetterolf
1 year, 2 months agoSeeing anything on Yuni at second? Does Johnny Giavotella look like he’s moving a little better at second? That looks the most interesting position.
If Master Chen doesn’t get a little better I wouldn’t be surprised to see him volunteer for the ‘pen as long/reliever/spot starter, as Mendoza has looked great and Paulino looks good and I think Duffy is probably a lock.
Joel Kallem
1 year, 2 months agoGood observation by Frenchie. There is a real danger that Gordon and Hosmer will try to do too much trying to live up to last year. They don’t need the added pressure; just do what they do, and they will be okay.
Greg Tatro
1 year, 2 months agoMoose said that stuff about drinking. Talk about a young player who gets it.
It seems like not only are Hos and Moose talented they have their heads screwed on pretty well for being young guys.
Lee Judge
1 year, 2 months agoJim: Actually, I haven’t picked up much so far on Yuni or Gio. There are so many stories here, it’s hard to get to all of them. And I’m making an effort to report the stuff that usually isn’t covered.
Having said that: what I’ve heard is Yuni looks natural turning the double play at second and Gio looks like he’s still a little mechanical, but that’s second-hand, so take it for what it’s worth. And I’ve got nothing new to report on their range at this point.
And second definitely is a spot to watch: Gio’s struggled offensively and Getz looks good. Several coaches have said he looks like a different hitter.
Here’s an interesting question though: if Getz makes the club and Gio doesn’t, who bats second? Running three lefties in a row to the plate (Gordon, Getz, Hosmer) isn’t ideal. That might call for reshuffling the lineup.
As for Chen, I don’t know what they’re thinking, but I’m not sure what he’s done over four starts here in Arizona keeps him out of the rotation. But that kind of decision is beyond my pay grade. I’ve got a piece tomorrow about spring training stats and how much they mean.
Lee Judge
1 year, 2 months agoJoel: Frenchy talked specifically about Hosmer. He said he told Eric, “You hit .293 last year, don’t try to hit .340.” Stick to the plan, don’t get greedy. Be who you are, that’s good enough.
Lee Judge
1 year, 2 months agoGreg: The young guys are very lucky to have some veterans to advise them and keep them straight. The Star’s pre-season baseball section will have a piece about clubhouse leaders and how they help a young team.
A lot of the advice has to do with off-the-field activities as well as playing ball. Hosmer and I had time for a long talk and I asked him how many new friends he had. He laughed and said a lot of people were trying.
I advised to keep the friends he had before all this happened and he said that was the plan.
Jim Fetterolf
1 year, 2 months ago“Here’s an interesting question though: if Getz makes the club and Gio doesn’t, who bats second?
At the moment, Cain. That would give us Gordon, Cain, Hosmer, Billy, Moose, Frenchy, Getz, Escobar, Quinteros/Pena. Thing that jumps out at me with that lineup is that Quinteros needs to get over being a first ball, fastball hitter and learn to waste pitches and move runners over. His hitting is weak, but the occasional long at bat and ability to move a runner helps set the table for the big dogs coming up behind and add value to his said-to-be near elite defense.
Lee Judge
1 year, 2 months agoJim: Cain in the two-hole is a possibility, I’m not sure about his bat-handling skills. (Doesn’t mean he doesn’t have them, I just don’t know enough to have a worthwhile opinion.)
Escobar is batting second today, so maybe that’s in the mix. And, finally, you could flop Billy and Hosmer and still have Getz in the two-hole.
I’m sure smarter people than me will make a better decision than I would.
P.S. Just went down and the field and said hi to Matt Treanor. Good guy, looks like he’s going to be the starter for the Dodgers. One of the reasons Kendall is still rehabbing: he manages to come back, there’s not a lot of catching out there and he can still make some good money.
Jim Fetterolf
1 year, 2 months ago“And, finally, you could flop Billy and Hosmer and still have Getz in the two-hole.”
I’ld keep Billy #4 because the Hoz is so much faster. Getz, for whatever reason, is a much better hitter both last year and career batting in the bottom third of the order. Based on his career, I might use him as the 9-hole hitter based on about half a season of PAs. That sets the table for Gordon and Cain. Funny thing about Getz, he’s quite a bit better hitter against lefties than righties. Wonder if that changes with new swing and approach?
Lee Judge
1 year, 2 months agoJim: No clue about Getz and his approach against lefties. Talked to Treanor after the game and he said it’s more likely he’ll start two or three times a week. Said he’s just happy to be in a uniform.