Gerald Perry to Be Cubs Hitting Coach

[NewUserName]

Cubs got a decent coach, terrific! I'm sure he'll turn Izturis, Cedeno, Jones and all the other stiffs on the Cubs into instant hitting machines.

 

Cubs need good PLAYERS, not coaches (though on its own Perry seems like a fine choice).

 

I agree with you. However I dont think there is any question that Izturis, Cedeno and Jones are going to be part of this team in some way. If he could make them somewhat more disciplined as hitters it would still improve the team. Its not like the Cubs are going to get the 6 best players available this offseason and compete for a championship that way. A lot of the improvement that is going to happen is going to have to happen with the players that are here now.

 

The player I hope we keep and could really improve some more with Perry is ARam. With an improved plate approach I think he could still be a .950 to 1.000 OPS guy.

[rawaction]

Nobody is expecting Perry to make this team the A's or Red Sox. His biggest selling point is just simply the mindset he brings. Right off the bat (no pun intended), we heard the Cubs hitting "gurus" talk about them being more aggressive, not walking across the plate, and clutch hitting. The fact that all signs point to him believing all those things are as silly as I do, is all I need to know about him.

[Brian]

This has probably bumped my previous favorite thing to happen this offseason to number 2. what used to be number 1 you ask?

 

Michael Barrett's new beard.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/images/2006/11/08/go5Q3tXw.jpg

How great would it be if he showed up on opening day with a full out lumberjack beard?

[TruffleShuffle]

This has probably bumped my previous favorite thing to happen this offseason to number 2. what used to be number 1 you ask?

 

Michael Barrett's new beard.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/images/2006/11/08/go5Q3tXw.jpg

How great would it be if he showed up on opening day with a full out lumberjack beard?

 

yeah that'd feel real good behind a catcher's mask during a day game in 100 degree chicago heat

[WrigleyField 22]

This has probably bumped my previous favorite thing to happen this offseason to number 2. what used to be number 1 you ask?

 

Michael Barrett's new beard.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/images/2006/11/08/go5Q3tXw.jpg

How great would it be if he showed up on opening day with a full out lumberjack beard?

 

yeah that'd feel real good behind a catcher's mask during a day game in 100 degree chicago heat

 

Yea, but it would keep him so warm in the cold of April.

[rocket]

i like the new bizarro hendry.

[nilodnayr]

i like the new bizarro hendry.

 

Now all he has to do is trade for Dunn!!

[RichHillIsABeast]

I wonder how Aramis feels about this hiring.

[Jazz]

I really like this move. I usually don't like to look to far into the future, but is this guy Manager material down the road at the end of Lou's contract?

[Brian]

This has probably bumped my previous favorite thing to happen this offseason to number 2. what used to be number 1 you ask?

 

Michael Barrett's new beard.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/images/2006/11/08/go5Q3tXw.jpg

How great would it be if he showed up on opening day with a full out lumberjack beard?

 

yeah that'd feel real good behind a catcher's mask during a day game in 100 degree chicago heat

 

the man's manhood ruptured and he's already got a smile back on his face. I think he can handle a little heat :P

[TruffleShuffle]

I really like this move. I usually don't like to look to far into the future, but is this guy Manager material down the road at the end of Lou's contract?

 

who cares... i'm just hoping lou actually gets to the end of the contract, and that he doesn't get there like dusty baker did.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

This has probably bumped my previous favorite thing to happen this offseason to number 2. what used to be number 1 you ask?

 

Michael Barrett's new beard.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/images/2006/11/08/go5Q3tXw.jpg

How great would it be if he showed up on opening day with a full out lumberjack beard?

 

yeah that'd feel real good behind a catcher's mask during a day game in 100 degree chicago heat

 

Well, he's handling 85-degree Hawaii already, what's 15 more degrees with a catcher's mask? :P

[TruffleShuffle]

This has probably bumped my previous favorite thing to happen this offseason to number 2. what used to be number 1 you ask?

 

Michael Barrett's new beard.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/images/2006/11/08/go5Q3tXw.jpg

How great would it be if he showed up on opening day with a full out lumberjack beard?

 

yeah that'd feel real good behind a catcher's mask during a day game in 100 degree chicago heat

 

Well, he's handling 85-degree Hawaii already, what's 15 more degrees with a catcher's mask? :P

 

yeah but that's with a thin beard, not a grizzly adams beard

[RynoRules]

First reaction is quite positive.

 

Me too. Sun tImes says he emphasizes patience and OBP. Big step in right direction, IMO.

[Radar3454]

Sounds great. Swinging at pitches in the zone also means swinging at pitches that can be hit hard. Not only could this help with OBP but it could also help with SLG.

 

i am very happy with this signing. what an amazing switch in philosophy.

 

nobody that i know has ever advocated going up there looking for a walk. it's exactly like perry says, shrink the strike zone, look for a pitch in that area. if the pitch is borderline, don't swing, even if you have two strikes. the likelihood that a hitter is going to get a good swing on a questionable pitch is poor anyway, unless the hitter is pujols, vlad, or aram.

 

I am with you until 2 strikes - at that point you can't let borderline pitches go IMO.

 

I wonder what he thinks of a platoon partner for Jones?

[David]

Sounds great. Swinging at pitches in the zone also means swinging at pitches that can be hit hard. Not only could this help with OBP but it could also help with SLG.

 

i am very happy with this signing. what an amazing switch in philosophy.

 

nobody that i know has ever advocated going up there looking for a walk. it's exactly like perry says, shrink the strike zone, look for a pitch in that area. if the pitch is borderline, don't swing, even if you have two strikes. the likelihood that a hitter is going to get a good swing on a questionable pitch is poor anyway, unless the hitter is pujols, vlad, or aram.

 

I am with you until 2 strikes - at that point you can't let borderline pitches go IMO.

 

I wonder what he thinks of a platoon partner for Jones?

 

You're likely to get an out on a pitcher's pitch anyways, why not take a chance on the borderline pitch being a ball and hope to either work the count more toward your favor or at least make the pitcher work more, something the Cubs haven't been good at at all in recent memory.

[Magnetic Curses]

Sounds great. Swinging at pitches in the zone also means swinging at pitches that can be hit hard. Not only could this help with OBP but it could also help with SLG.

 

i am very happy with this signing. what an amazing switch in philosophy.

 

nobody that i know has ever advocated going up there looking for a walk. it's exactly like perry says, shrink the strike zone, look for a pitch in that area. if the pitch is borderline, don't swing, even if you have two strikes. the likelihood that a hitter is going to get a good swing on a questionable pitch is poor anyway, unless the hitter is pujols, vlad, or aram.

 

I am with you until 2 strikes - at that point you can't let borderline pitches go IMO.

 

I wonder what he thinks of a platoon partner for Jones?

 

the chances that a borderline pitch will be called a ball is much greater than a player putting good contact on it.

 

i'm not inclined to believe the conventional wisdom of "choking up on the bat and putting it in play with 2 strikes" for the simple sake of putting the ball in play. there are worse things than striking out on a 2-strike pitchers pitch. if you can't hit the ball effectively and the pitcher happens to put the pitch in an unhittable position in the strike zone, tip your cap as you walk back to the dugout. there's nothing a hitter can do. i detest the idea of swinging at a pitch you can't do anything with, it's useless.

 

major league hitters CANNOT be afraid to strike out on a called third strike. hitters that are are usually ineffective.

[David]

Sounds great. Swinging at pitches in the zone also means swinging at pitches that can be hit hard. Not only could this help with OBP but it could also help with SLG.

 

i am very happy with this signing. what an amazing switch in philosophy.

 

nobody that i know has ever advocated going up there looking for a walk. it's exactly like perry says, shrink the strike zone, look for a pitch in that area. if the pitch is borderline, don't swing, even if you have two strikes. the likelihood that a hitter is going to get a good swing on a questionable pitch is poor anyway, unless the hitter is pujols, vlad, or aram.

 

I am with you until 2 strikes - at that point you can't let borderline pitches go IMO.

 

I wonder what he thinks of a platoon partner for Jones?

 

the chances that a borderline pitch will be called a ball is much greater than a player putting good contact on it.

 

i'm not inclined to believe the conventional wisdom of "choking up on the bat and putting it in play with 2 strikes" for the simple sake of putting the ball in play. there are worse things than striking out on a 2-strike pitchers pitch. if you can't hit the ball effectively and the pitcher happens to put the pitch in an unhittable position in the strike zone, tip your cap as you walk back to the dugout. there's nothing a hitter can do. i detest the idea of swinging at a pitch you can't do anything with, it's useless.

 

major league hitters CANNOT be afraid to strike out on a called third strike. hitters that are are usually ineffective.

 

QFT

[TruffleShuffle]

i'm not inclined to believe the conventional wisdom of "choking up on the bat and putting it in play with 2 strikes" for the simple sake of putting the ball in play. there are worse things than striking out on a 2-strike pitchers pitch. if you can't hit the ball effectively and the pitcher happens to put the pitch in an unhittable position in the strike zone, tip your cap as you walk back to the dugout. there's nothing a hitter can do. i detest the idea of swinging at a pitch you can't do anything with, it's useless.

 

I agree to some extent, but also disagree. There are a lot of players who possess at least some ability to sort of "guide" a tough pitch into foul territory with two strikes. There's certainly something to be said for the ability to foul off pitches to prolong an at bat, because making the pitcher throw more pitches (a) can tire him out, and (b) increases the change that you'll get a mistake pitch to hit.

[CubColtPacer]

Sounds great. Swinging at pitches in the zone also means swinging at pitches that can be hit hard. Not only could this help with OBP but it could also help with SLG.

 

i am very happy with this signing. what an amazing switch in philosophy.

 

nobody that i know has ever advocated going up there looking for a walk. it's exactly like perry says, shrink the strike zone, look for a pitch in that area. if the pitch is borderline, don't swing, even if you have two strikes. the likelihood that a hitter is going to get a good swing on a questionable pitch is poor anyway, unless the hitter is pujols, vlad, or aram.

 

I am with you until 2 strikes - at that point you can't let borderline pitches go IMO.

 

I wonder what he thinks of a platoon partner for Jones?

 

the chances that a borderline pitch will be called a ball is much greater than a player putting good contact on it.

 

i'm not inclined to believe the conventional wisdom of "choking up on the bat and putting it in play with 2 strikes" for the simple sake of putting the ball in play. there are worse things than striking out on a 2-strike pitchers pitch. if you can't hit the ball effectively and the pitcher happens to put the pitch in an unhittable position in the strike zone, tip your cap as you walk back to the dugout. there's nothing a hitter can do. i detest the idea of swinging at a pitch you can't do anything with, it's useless.

 

major league hitters CANNOT be afraid to strike out on a called third strike. hitters that are are usually ineffective.

 

The chances of it being called a ball are greater-and so more hitters need to take borderline pitches on a 3-2 count.

 

What if the count is 0-2 though? If you take a pitch, let's say you get called out 50 percent of the time. You're in a better count, so now you get a hit or a walk 30 percent of the time, where before you only got a hit 20 percent of the time (and a 10 percent increase is also probably generous just going from 0-2 to 1-2)

.5 (the remaining times at bat) multiplied by .3 (your new hit or walk percentage)=.15

which is now less than if you had just tried to put a bat on the ball.

 

Then what happens if you are now 1-2 and you get another borderline pitch? Do you swing now? If you don't, you lose another 50 percent, and then you are already out 75 percent of the time before you even finish the at-bat.

 

Looking at 2-2 pitches and 3-2 bordeline pitches is probably going to be better (depending on the umpire) but even that is questionable, because I think that umpires are going to call you out more than 50 percent of the time, as the edge typically goes to pitchers on a close pitch.

[imb]

i read this as gaylord perry will be the cubs new hitting coach, and i was like "why?"

[VanceJergins]

Sounds great. Swinging at pitches in the zone also means swinging at pitches that can be hit hard. Not only could this help with OBP but it could also help with SLG.

 

i am very happy with this signing. what an amazing switch in philosophy.

 

nobody that i know has ever advocated going up there looking for a walk. it's exactly like perry says, shrink the strike zone, look for a pitch in that area. if the pitch is borderline, don't swing, even if you have two strikes. the likelihood that a hitter is going to get a good swing on a questionable pitch is poor anyway, unless the hitter is pujols, vlad, or aram.

 

I am with you until 2 strikes - at that point you can't let borderline pitches go IMO.

 

I wonder what he thinks of a platoon partner for Jones?

 

the chances that a borderline pitch will be called a ball is much greater than a player putting good contact on it.

 

i'm not inclined to believe the conventional wisdom of "choking up on the bat and putting it in play with 2 strikes" for the simple sake of putting the ball in play. there are worse things than striking out on a 2-strike pitchers pitch. if you can't hit the ball effectively and the pitcher happens to put the pitch in an unhittable position in the strike zone, tip your cap as you walk back to the dugout. there's nothing a hitter can do. i detest the idea of swinging at a pitch you can't do anything with, it's useless.

 

major league hitters CANNOT be afraid to strike out on a called third strike. hitters that are are usually ineffective.

 

I'd agree in most situations. But situations such as having a runner on third with less than 2 outs, with 2 strikes I think you have to just focus on getting the ball in play.

[goonys evil twin]

I'd agree in most situations. But situations such as having a runner on third with less than 2 outs, with 2 strikes I think you have to just focus on getting the ball in play.

 

Just putting it in play should never be the focus. I think the focus can be more on hitting it far in the air, but unless the defense is conceding the run, and/or the runner on 3rd is fast, putting it in play might not help much at all. Putting it in play, to me, just means making easy outs. They need to put some authority behind their swing. At 2 strikes you can't be as picky, but you also can't just slap at anything that comes up there.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I'd agree in most situations. But situations such as having a runner on third with less than 2 outs, with 2 strikes I think you have to just focus on getting the ball in play.

 

If you play for one run that's the most you can get.

 

Approach should change based on the count though. Factors like the umpire's zone that day, the hitter's confidence in recognizing the pitcher's different pitches, etc. impact how far beyond hitting "your" pitch you should go. The hitter should always be aiming for hard contact.

[TruffleShuffle]

I'd agree in most situations. But situations such as having a runner on third with less than 2 outs, with 2 strikes I think you have to just focus on getting the ball in play.

 

If you play for one run that's the most you can get.

 

Occasionally there are times when it's wiser to go for the greater chance at one run than to go for the smaller chance at a big inning.