C-Pat is Making Adjustments .. Good Article

[katway]

Interesting article in Des Moines Register indicates C-Pat is making the adjustments...

 

See http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050719/SPORTS05/507190391/1003/SPORTS

 

Some tid bits include:

 

But the Patterson job isn't a tuneup or an oil change. You can do that kind of work on a big-league roster and weather the storm. This is an overhaul, bumper to bumper....

 

At the All-Star break two seasons ago, Patterson was hitting .298 with 13 homers, 16 steals and 55 runs-batted-in through 83 games. While the Georgia native was recovering from a knee injury, the book on how to pitch to him got passed around. Instead of making the necessary adjustments, he relied on speed, strength and instinct.

 

"Sometimes what looks good," Patterson says, "isn't always the best thing in the long term."...

 

The new stance is still in the embryonic stages, but there are already signs of hope. In his first five games in Des Moines, Patterson has launched two home runs, both of them line drives. His latest, a rope last Sunday over the wall in center, has Listach encouraged.

 

"It wasn't a big swing, like we're used to seeing with Corey, with his hips flying out and his head flying," Listach says. "It was a more controlled, contact swing."

 

Even better: Against Albuquerque Monday night, Patterson drew two walks, the second coming on four straight pitches. Eureka.

[Burtonbell]

As one of Corey's biggest fans, I hope he fixes his problems and comes back and helps us win it all.

 

I still remain skeptical though...

 

Thanks for the article!

[Chocolate Milk]

I really hope he can turn this thing around.

[jjgman21]

in the last ST game, which you may recall was televised, Corey hit a line drive homerun to rightcenter. incredible swing. short, compact. he looked like a mini Carlos Delgado when Delgado is going good.

 

that AB gave me great hope after his spring struggles, but come the regular season it was back to the full arm whirly bird swing.

[MustangMike]

What i want to know is are the cubs hitting coaches not working with him, or he he not listening...why does this "new approach" only seem to be happening now and not over the last 6 months or whatever with the big club? What the heck does a hitting coach do?

[Cubzfan64]

As one of Corey's biggest fans, I hope he fixes his problems and comes back and helps us win it all.

 

I still remain skeptical though...

 

Thanks for the article!

 

I'm not really all that big of a Corey fan, but outside of that I share your sentiments exactly. Considering I'm a Cub fan, I apparently have a soft spot for underdogs and "losers" hoping to become hero's. If Corey could turn things around for himself he could be the posterboy for "underdog turned hero."

[Mad Ducks]

I have always liked Corey and hope he comes back stronger for this...

[CaliforniaRaisin]

What i want to know is are the cubs hitting coaches not working with him, or he he not listening...why does this "new approach" only seem to be happening now and not over the last 6 months or whatever with the big club? What the heck does a hitting coach do?

 

He has been working on the new swing all off season and through the season (so he was definitely listening). And Corey apparently has not one, but three coaches at the big leagues.

[JC]

Despite the reports of Corey's demise, I don't think the organization has given up on him, even for this year.

 

The Cubs have expended a ton of money and time to develop Corey. I think drafting his brother was in part a demonstration of how much that value Corey and want to make him happy. While Dusty and Hendry are no doubt disappointed with him, I don't see him going anywhere anytime soon.

 

Thus, expect him traded by midnight.

[kaseyi]

What i want to know is are the cubs hitting coaches not working with him, or he he not listening...why does this "new approach" only seem to be happening now and not over the last 6 months or whatever with the big club? What the heck does a hitting coach do?

 

When Corey was sent down..there was a quote from Gene Clines saying he has been working and working with Corey and in batting practice and in the cages, he seemed to be doing all the right things, but once he got into the games, Corey always reverted back to his old ways. Maybe this wakeup call of being sent down has gotten Corey to actually put into practice what he is working on, but then again, once he comes back, he has to keep doing things the new way, and not go back to his old ways again.

 

Found the article

http://www.suntimes.com/output/cubs/cst-spt-corey09.html

What Clines hopes to see Patterson do in the minors is concentrate on putting his batting-practice instruction into the game. He didn't do that with the Cubs.

 

''A lot of things we did in the batting cage, he would do it in batting practice,'' Clines said. ''Then in games he couldn't do it. I don't know if he was afraid or what. I had taken him as far as I could go. You have to be able to apply it.

[Balsa]

I hope he can pull it together quickly. A good CPatt is way better than Hairston. We need him back and in working order.

[badger1679666666]

What i want to know is are the cubs hitting coaches not working with him, or he he not listening...why does this "new approach" only seem to be happening now and not over the last 6 months or whatever with the big club? What the heck does a hitting coach do?

 

I'd probably venture a guess. They Tried. A demotion is a pretty big motivator for someone with Corey's talent.

[ZZ Thorn]

"The Wrigley boo-birds that had gotten into LaTroy Hawkins' head turned their attention to center field. Nobody loves you and leaves you quite like Cubs fans."

 

So this is our new rep....

[treebird]

"The Wrigley boo-birds that had gotten into LaTroy Hawkins' head turned their attention to center field. Nobody loves you and leaves you quite like Cubs fans."

 

So this is our new rep....

 

deservedly so

[Mark_R]

"The Wrigley boo-birds that had gotten into LaTroy Hawkins' head turned their attention to center field. Nobody loves you and leaves you quite like Cubs fans."

 

So this is our new rep....

 

deservedly so

 

Do you mean that our rep is deserved or that the part that ZZ initially bolded was deserved (ie performance based)?

[treebird]

"The Wrigley boo-birds that had gotten into LaTroy Hawkins' head turned their attention to center field. Nobody loves you and leaves you quite like Cubs fans."

 

So this is our new rep....

 

deservedly so

 

Do you mean that our rep is deserved or that the part that ZZ initially bolded was deserved (ie performance based)?

 

Our rep is deserved.

[Uber]

"The Wrigley boo-birds that had gotten into LaTroy Hawkins' head turned their attention to center field. Nobody loves you and leaves you quite like Cubs fans."

 

So this is our new rep....

 

deservedly so

 

It might be, but this particular writer is a jockstrap.

[Wheelimus]

IF Corey goes down, reinvents his swing, really learns to read pitchers and only swing at balls he can do something with, he can turn it around. He has all the tools and is young enough.

 

And you know what? He can prove that he's back by owning down in AAA, and working his butt off. Get back up and help the big league club

[biittner77]

Those of you that play golf and have a less than perfect swing know the difference between practice and real competition. It's a lot easier to get in a rhythm during practice but hard to trust that new method when it counts.

 

AAA games don't really count so it's easier for the Cubs to turn Patterson into Bret Butler there as opposed to Chicago. I just hope that once they turn him into a slap hitter they can find Jim Frey to turn him into Ryne Sandberg.

[ZZ Thorn]

Getting him to widen his stance and not stand so tall is a good start. Why a guy his height doesn't crouch more is beyond me - oh yeah, it's cuz he's such a good natural athlete he never had to learn these kind of tricks his whole life.

[DivineBovine]

Nice read, but I think I remember hearing about Patterson "changing" in the past. I'll believe it when I see it. Good Luck CPatt.

[10man]

The only proof that matters in Corey's case is an improvement in his numbers. Until he starts producing regularly, any changes in his swing is useless.

[lumafia35]

Nice read, but I think I remember hearing about Patterson "changing" in the past. I'll believe it when I see it. Good Luck CPatt.

 

When Corey was torching ST pitching, some people chose to point out the most recent "change". The "hold on to the bat with 2 hands on the follow through" change. This can, at times, be effective.....in Little League.

 

Bottom line, nobody in the organization has been able to isolate, or provide helpful criticism, of Corey's problems. This is the same organization that was so desperate for Sammy to move closer to the plate, even though he was hitting 60+ HR's a season standing the exact distance from the plate.

 

It is painful for me to continue listening to these obscene "suggestions" from all of the ex-hitters.

 

Before I get the usual response of "do you really think you know more about hitting than guys who have spent decades playing the game professionally?", allow me to respond.

 

Yes. I am beginning to believe that I know more about hitting than the entire Cubs coaching staff combined. Hold on to the bat with 2 hands on the release?.....are you kidding me?

 

If any of you are criticizing Corey for his release, long swing, stance, approach or discipline, please...I'm begging you....just stop. Corey's problems are even more basic than that...if you can imagine.

 

Based on what the pitchers it the NL know of Corey Patterson, and barring any mystery muscle growth (ala Barry Bonds), Corey is not going to bounce back. Either he is not listening, or he is getting poor advice. Considering the fact that he went into the season with a different release, I would assume that we can use this as proof that he is willing to listen to suggestions, regardless of the value of those suggestions.

 

For the record, I am not a "hindsight is 20-20" kind of guy. If any of you care to research, shortly into the beginning of the regular season, when Corey was actuallly hitting, I "predicted" he would have a terrible year. He is having a bad year only because he is receiving terrible advice from his coaching staff.

[DivineBovine]

Nice read, but I think I remember hearing about Patterson "changing" in the past. I'll believe it when I see it. Good Luck CPatt.

 

When Corey was torching ST pitching, some people chose to point out the most recent "change". The "hold on to the bat with 2 hands on the follow through" change. This can, at times, be effective.....in Little League.

 

Bottom line, nobody in the organization has been able to isolate, or provide helpful criticism, of Corey's problems. This is the same organization that was so desperate for Sammy to move closer to the plate, even though he was hitting 60+ HR's a season standing the exact distance from the plate.

 

It is painful for me to continue listening to these obscene "suggestions" from all of the ex-hitters.

 

Before I get the usual response of "do you really think you know more about hitting than guys who have spent decades playing the game professionally?", allow me to respond.

 

Yes. I am beginning to believe that I know more about hitting than the entire Cubs coaching staff combined. Hold on to the bat with 2 hands on the release?.....are you kidding me?

 

If any of you are criticizing Corey for his release, long swing, stance, approach or discipline, please...I'm begging you....just stop. Corey's problems are even more basic than that...if you can imagine.

 

Based on what the pitchers it the NL know of Corey Patterson, and barring any mystery muscle growth (ala Barry Bonds), Corey is not going to bounce back. Either he is not listening, or he is getting poor advice. Considering the fact that he went into the season with a different release, I would assume that we can use this as proof that he is willing to listen to suggestions, regardless of the value of those suggestions.

 

For the record, I am not a "hindsight is 20-20" kind of guy. If any of you care to research, shortly into the beginning of the regular season, when Corey was actuallly hitting, I "predicted" he would have a terrible year. He is having a bad year only because he is receiving terrible advice from his coaching staff.

 

Reading your post, I'm not sure I understand what your saying.

 

But I'm definitely not criticizing any aspect of Corey's swing or coaching or anything like that. When I said "see it" I meant it figuratively, as in SEE THE RESULTS. I couldn't care less how long or short his swing is, or even care about his new "hitting philosophies".

 

Personally, I think Corey is simply NOT a good ballplayer. A journeyman who someone will start in CF, but never a star. We've seen what he does, he bats .260, hits 25 home runs, strikes out a ton, doesn't walk, steals a lot of bases. He's better than the player he's been this year, but anyone expecting him to ever improve significantly beyond that, why? He hasn't even done it in the minors with the exception of one year in single A.

 

Everyone points to his speed, strength, etc. Who cares? I don't consider that baseball talent. Aram is one of the slowest men on the planet and has a gut, but he has an uncanny ability to hit the ball. Pure and simple. Get the bat on the ball.

 

Corey simply does not have baseball talent. He either lacks the eye, the coordination, or both. But he can't, and I see no reason he ever will change. I profess to know nothing about baseball hitting mechanics. I'd have no problem trading him for the right price.

 

And I'll add something. If anyone is saying that CPatt is playing like crap because he's been mismanaged, miscoached, or mishandled, I say please stop it. It's ridiculous. Would CPatt be 2004 Beltran now if the Cubs had simply not mismanaged him? The Cubs gave him what every player wants, ample time to play. With all the criticism that Dusty does not play young players, Corey is one of the only young players in Dusty's Cub history he has ever played every single day. Even when he was playing like crap. Really, would getting the right video analysis or hitting in the correct spot in the order really have made any difference?

[wastra]

MY personal opinion is that he can do anything he likes to his swing, but until he stops swinging at pitches over his head or in the dirt, none of it will matter anyway. Even mildly decent major league pitchers can exploit lack of patience.

 

And I am not really sure you can "teach" a batter's eye.