Article About Patterson On Cubs.Com

[Buford T Justice]

I haven't seen it posted on here..I don't have the here at work because they have MLB websites blocked..However it said Corey has been in Arizona working on his hitting..I'm impressed he's taking the initiative to improve his swing.

[illiniguy]

Why wouldn't he? I am sure he sees the writing on the wall and knows if he doesn't make improvements he will be out of baseball soon. I for one hope Corey rebounds and has a big year, reguardless of where he is.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

He was also one of the first players down in Arizona in the spring. Contrary to what some seem to believe, Corey is a hard worker and does care about how well he performs.

[UK1679666180]

Corey has always had a great work ethic and spends countless hours in the cage, even before the '05 season. People forget how hard he worked in rehabbing his knee injury as well as when he was a rookie.

 

I've never questioned his work ethic, but it's either his inability to grasp certain things that are stunting his growth as a player or a mental block that allows him to grasp it, but forget in game situations.

[CuseCubFan69]

Corey has always had a great work ethic and spends countless hours in the cage, even before the '05 season. People forget how hard he worked in rehabbing his knee injury as well as when he was a rookie.

 

I've never questioned his work ethic, but it's either his inability to grasp certain things that are stunting his growth as a player or a mental block that allows him to grasp it, but forget in game situations.

 

Personally my feelings are he is thinking too much about what he has to do and isn't comfortable with his mechanics. I agree about the mental block and the switch from a non pressure situation to a pressure one, many just go back to what they know.

[TheDude]

I don't recall anybody ever doubting Corey's work ethic, aside from the resistence to Winter Bal.

 

Most complaints stem from the fact that Corey has an inability to take what is practiced into live games. That's a mental issue, not a physical or desire problem.

[goonys evil twin]

I don't recall anybody ever doubting Corey's work ethic, aside from the resistence to Winter Bal.

 

I take it you haven't involved yourself in many Corey related threads on this board. Dozens have been explicit in their feelings about his work ethic.

[rocket]

DID YOU SEE HIS FACE AFTER HE STRUCK OUT HE DOESN'T EVEN CARE

[Tim]

DID YOU SEE HIS FACE AFTER HE STRUCK OUT HE DOESN'T EVEN CARE

And he hasn't even TRIED to get better. And he won't LISTEN to any instruction, either.

[UK1679666180]

I don't recall anybody ever doubting Corey's work ethic, aside from the resistence to Winter Bal.

 

Most complaints stem from the fact that Corey has an inability to take what is practiced into live games. That's a mental issue, not a physical or desire problem.

 

I would say there's been negative talk surrounding his work ethic rather than positive. Of course, it's incorrect and based upon his lack of emotion, positive or negative, which doesn't tell us anything about his work ethic.

[stitchface]

Corey has always had a great work ethic and spends countless hours in the cage, even before the '05 season. People forget how hard he worked in rehabbing his knee injury as well as when he was a rookie.

 

I've never questioned his work ethic, but it's either his inability to grasp certain things that are stunting his growth as a player or a mental block that allows him to grasp it, but forget in game situations.

 

or his inability to tell a ball from a strike?

[UK1679666180]

That's part of the mental block, I'm sure he can separate the two during BP and at various points when he's hitting well. Put him in a cold spell and his problems with the strike zone becomes worse.

[stitchface]

his numbers would suggest he has never commanded the strike zone. his inability to judge pitchers is not a mental block so much as it is better pitches that are tougher to judge.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

DID YOU SEE HIS FACE AFTER HE STRUCK OUT HE DOESN'T EVEN CARE

And he hasn't even TRIED to get better. And he won't LISTEN to any instruction, either.

 

And he wouldn't sign an autograph for a little kid even though he said he would. He's horrible!

[don_kessinger_was_good]

Patterson stinks. Get over it. I mean honestly, why not aim for something good for once, you know? Instead, some here would be preening for Patterson after five MORE years of ineptitude, I just don't get it.

 

Let's. Move. On.

[UK1679666180]

his numbers would suggest he has never commanded the strike zone. his inability to judge pitchers is not a mental block so much as it is better pitches that are tougher to judge.

 

He's not had it more than had it, but he's shown stretches where's he improved and in '04 cont'd a gradual improvement. This year he regressed even against medicore to bad pitchers.

[RockTheIvy]

Patterson stinks. Get over it. I mean honestly, why not aim for something good for once, you know? Instead, some here would be preening for Patterson after five MORE years of ineptitude, I just don't get it.

 

Let's. Move. On.

 

I was waiting for you to show up! :lol:

[Mark_R]

Where'd Sunnydoo go?

[barryfoote]

That's part of the mental block, I'm sure he can separate the two during BP and at various points when he's hitting well. Put him in a cold spell and his problems with the strike zone becomes worse.

his numbers would suggest he has never commanded the strike zone. his inability to judge pitchers is not a mental block so much as it is better pitches that are tougher to judge.

I would not claim that I am qualified to break down someone's swing mechanics, but a friend of mine who played baseball suggested that Corey's holds his hands too high. If he brought his left forearm down to the top of the strike zone then he would have to lift up that forearm to hit anything above the top of the strike zone and that would be something that he could use as a key to lay off those high pitches.

 

http://images.bleedcubbieblue.com/images/admin/patterson.jpg

 

I'm not sure if that would work but I think that it brings up the point that there may be changes in swing mechanics that would allow him to better react to pitches that are outside the strike zone. I think the most obvious one would be to shorten the stroke to give yourself that extra millisecond (or whatever it is) to react to the location of the pitch.

 

Hopefully he can work out something because if he continues to swing at pitches that he can't possibly hit, that will be the only pitches he will ever see.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

They tried to do that this year and I think that is part of the reason why he slumped so badly.

[Outshined_One]

Considering I have no faith whatsoever in this coaching staff, I think that as long as Corey remains a player under Dusty's/Sarge's/Clines'/Coleman's/Jackson's watch, he'll never come close to approaching the player he was hyped to be. You could make it a case of too many chefs spoiling the broth (although I'd equate those guys with the "DING FRIES ARE DONE!" guy cooking-wise) or you could say that Corey needs some one who can either correctly keep on him about his approach or who knows how to handle a player like him.

 

Trade him to a team with a competent hitting instructor and things might be different, imo.

[mhuber92211]

Trade him to a team with a competent hitting instructor and things might be different, imo.

 

Does the team have a "roving" hitting instructor that might provide a different voice then the las 2 seasons?

 

Despite the bleak season with Corey, I think all would agree that he has talent and that offering him 1 more season wouldn't hurt, especially since it allows Pie another developmental year.

[NorthsideAvenger]

I think the big problem with Patterson, is that he hasn't find his niche, yet.

HE wants to a #3 hitter, and the Cubs want him to be either a #1/2 or #6 hitter. And as everybody knows each spot in the lineup has a SPECIFIC function. (ie leadoff is to get on, #2 is to get leadoff in scoring position, #3/4 to drive in runs) I believe if Corey and the Cubs have a set down talk, about what they (I mean what both sides agree on) want to do this yr, I think Corey will be fine. Tell Corey what they expect from him this yr, BEFORE spring training, to give him time to work out the gameplan.

[Careless]

I think the big problem with Patterson, is that he hasn't find his niche, yet.

HE wants to a #3 hitter, and the Cubs want him to be either a #1/2 or #6 hitter. And as everybody knows each spot in the lineup has a SPECIFIC function. (ie leadoff is to get on, #2 is to get leadoff in scoring position, #3/4 to drive in runs) I believe if Corey and the Cubs have a set down talk, about what they (I mean what both sides agree on) want to do this yr, I think Corey will be fine. Tell Corey what they expect from him this yr, BEFORE spring training, to give him time to work out the gameplan.

The batter whose goal isn't to get on base is a bad batter.

edit: unless he manages to get on base despite his wishes

[RockTheIvy]

I think the big problem with Patterson, is that he hasn't find his niche, yet.

HE wants to a #3 hitter, and the Cubs want him to be either a #1/2 or #6 hitter. And as everybody knows each spot in the lineup has a SPECIFIC function. (ie leadoff is to get on, #2 is to get leadoff in scoring position, #3/4 to drive in runs) I believe if Corey and the Cubs have a set down talk, about what they (I mean what both sides agree on) want to do this yr, I think Corey will be fine. Tell Corey what they expect from him this yr, BEFORE spring training, to give him time to work out the gameplan.

The batter whose goal isn't to get on base is a bad batter.

edit: unless he manages to get on base despite his wishes

 

Garth! That was a Haiku!