Is Rizzo’s offensive surge for real?
Sahadev takes a long look at Rizzo’s hitting mechanics during his breakout 2014 season vs his relatively disappointing 2013 over at BP. It’s behind the paywall*, but here are some highlights. Some of these are not super surprising for those of us who watched way too much Cubs baseball last year but it’s nice to see it all in one place, with pictures and stuff
- Rizzo had a crummy BABIP in 2013, but a lot of other good peripherals were there.
- Rizzo obliterated LHP for the first time.
- Rizzo opened up his stance a bit and moved his hands a little higher.
- Most importantly, he stuck with this instead of tinkering around with his stance.
Of course, this is probably a chicken-egg type thing. If he struggled he wouldn’t have messed with his stance, but it sure looked like it helped. Sahadev suggests the more open stance allowed him to see the ball more easily from LHP, which could have been a factor in his improvement.
*I just re-upped my BP subscription, it’s worth the money. You should too. Or don’t. I can’t tell you what to do.
Everyone loves Manny
From Javy’s instagram
What’s the worst thing every?
Opening up their books. RT @Lana: i’ve seriously been sitting here trying to come up with something MLB would consider worse than PEDs
— Molly Knight (@molly_knight) February 25, 2015
ESPN at spring training
ESPN shot a quick hit from the Cubs training camp, focusing on the rotation/youngsters, though I’m hoping the Cubs don’t listen to Kurkijan’s suggestion of trading for Hamels.
Josh Hamilton news
Hamilton was in NY yesterday meeting with MLB disciplinary committee types to discuss his self-reported relapse with drugs and alcohol earlier this offseason. Addiction is tough, man, and I hope he gets the help he needs.
Around the division
- The Brewers signed K-Rod to a two-year, $13m deal.
- Adam Wainwright has a minor ab strain.
- Following Oscar Taveras’s untimely drunk driving death, the Cardinals are rolling out a program to remind people not to do that shit. Let’s hope it sticks this time – they set up a similar transportation service during their year of DUIs that eventually went away since no one used it.
- The Pirates are open to a massive Andrew McCutchen extension. Who’d a thunk it?
- Mat Latos is probably not going back to the Reds when he becomes a FA, after taking this enormous dump on the team’s training staff and clubhouse leadership in this interview with Robothal.
Anyone else heading to spring training?
Looks like I’ll be in AZ for the Cubs home games on March 8-9. Anyone else planning to be around? I’m hoping to see Ricketts wandering around to ask him why the hell they haven’t brought Sosa back. Speaking of, here’s a great piece over at BR about Sosa’s exile. I don’t think he has anything to apologize for (and as Brett points out, it reiterates that it’s not Kerry Wood that’s holding this up).