Quick Hit: Joe Mauer
by Kyle Boddy on Dec 27, 2008 1:42 AM PST
in Hitting Mechanics
6 comments
Joe Mauer is the definition of a "sweet swing." People point to him and love his work ethic, his amazing defensive skills, his high batting average, his great walk rate, and that beautifully simple stroke that laces line drives from gap to gap.
And why not? Take a look at his 2008 stats:
This type of production is simply unheard of from a catcher. Hell, it's hard to find a first baseman this good.
Now, his swing:
People have been saying for years that Mauer would eventually fill out and start hitting 30 home runs annually, which would make him the best player in the major leagues and it simply would not be close (assuming he continued to hit .300 with high walk rates). However, while Mauer still racks up the doubles and walks, he's not hitting too many over the fences.
A quick analysis of his hitting mechanics might tell us why...
Joe Mauer doesn't carry his weight into the frontside as well as a typical power hitter does, and he also has more extended arms than most power hitters would at the point of contact. Take a look at a slightly slowed down version of his swing:
Mauer is a "turner," one that turns from the middle and quickly delivers the bat into the hitting zone. There's nothing inherently wrong with this, since he still has a rotational base and a quick stroke, but he doesn't gain much Lead Arm Extension or create much stretch between his core muscles and his arms. I believe that these are the reasons that Mauer does not hit for significant home run power.
Now, I'm not saying that Mauer should change anything - certainly not. Joe Mauer is the Twins' most valuable player (disregard of all the nonsense about Morneau that you hear) and it is because OBP is life - especially from the catcher position.
The day that someone complains about a catcher putting up .400 on-base percentages and .440 slugging percentages every year needs to have their head examined.
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Pretty much spot on.
No running starts. He doesn’t get much stretch. This slows his launch. Slows his batspeed. Makes him commit earlier than most.
I’m amazed he has success with this swing at that level.
I have to believe some superior ‘genes’…..which usually run out early…..explain his success As soon as his ‘athletic’ advantage takes a step backward his production will fall quicker than the stock market in Oct ’08.
by Teacherman on Dec 27, 2008 11:48 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
One thing about Mauer needs to be pointed out. He does turn the barrel as compared to pulling the knob.
Why he doesn’t use that to get a running start and to separate….to increase his power numbers….I have no idea.
Then again, I’ve heard Wade Boggs and Ichiro were/are very hard to beat in pregame HR derbys.
by Teacherman on Dec 27, 2008 12:37 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Let me explain further what ’turning the barrel does".
Turning the barrel….as compared to pulling the knob….SQUARES the bat and ball instead of slices it. Now, before you get all crazy on me….it isn’t a slice like a golf slice that makes the ball curve….although that does happen sometimes.
What I call a ‘slice’ as compared to a ‘square’ is the ball travels up the barrel slightly before it leaves. Due to the barrel’s path….when the ball hits it….it rolls up the barrel ever so slightly. Compared that to a ‘square’ bat/ball collision.
This squaring is what Mauer is good at. He doesn’t quite do it like the big boys….the ones who also generate power. But, he does it.
And squaring is where it’s at. Even the ‘almost squared’ are better hit than many that are sliced. Mauer is an expert at dropping mishits into the opposite field. They drop in often due to his barrel path.
IF he sliced….his mishits would be lazier….quails…..lazy fly balls…..outs But he gets a little more of those mishits….therefore hits them a little bit further and gets his BA and OBP to rise.
A hitter must apply torque to the handle….with his hands…through the power the forearms provide. Knob pulling is a kiss of death.
And, while Yeager hitters are not in the high level pattern…..what success they do have comes from the fact that his ‘top hand throw around a stationery bottom hand’ leads to better squaring.
by Teacherman on Dec 27, 2008 1:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Mauer Quickswing
I was wondering if anyone wanted to offer any opinions as to how much this product may have impacted the swing we now see from Mauer. I believe I’ve read that his dad invented this thing and that the Mauer boys used it a lot (this all could be marketing, of course). But from looking at his swing, it seems that a lot of what we see would be consistent with the pattern that would be reinforced by the Quickswing. Thoughts?
by Lou Brown on Dec 29, 2008 8:51 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
I agree.
Having used the Quickswing personally, I can definitely say that it does not promote the high-level MLB swing. Much of the importance is tracking the ball through flight and creating a stretch between the hands and the hips – both items taken out of the equation when using the device.
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by Kyle Boddy on Dec 29, 2008 9:19 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
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