Chavy Lengthens His Swing

by Tyler Bleszinski on Apr 29, 2005 10:42 AM PDT in News

An inside source tells me that there may be a reason Eric Chavez has started to come out of his funk, and that he did it in an unconventional manner.

Typically when a hitter is struggling, hitting coaches often tell the player to shorten their swing to try and make better contact. Well, with Chavy, apparently his swing wasn't long enough. Because so many pitchers try and pound him on the outside of the plate, he seemed to barely be reaching the ball, but supposedly he's adjusted and made his swing longer to try and reach that outside pitch. No word on how exactly Chavy figured out his problem.

Perhaps it was from watching one of these DVDs. Or maybe not.

But the last couple of games, Chavez has had two key hits to drive in runs and two walks. So perhaps there is something to the diagnosis. Although it does seem odd because Chavy has always had a pretty long swing already.

We'll have to see if this is a permanent fix for Eric over the next few weeks or if pitchers adjust to his adjustment.

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Comments

As long as he hits the god damn ball

and raises his average, and HITS with RISP, I will be happy.

"Timeline? Time is not made of Lines! Time is made of Circles! Thats why Clocks are Round!"

by Zonis on Apr 29, 2005 10:55 AM PDT reply actions

numbers going in wrong direction though.

.125--BA .192-OBP .167-SLug .359 -OPS

Those are the past week!!!

by novaoakland on Apr 29, 2005 11:39 AM PDT up reply actions

I heard...

Mulder told me that Chavy used to watch Tom Emanski's videos religously! He was too humble to endorse it so he let Fred McGriff handle all of that!

by beta103 on Apr 29, 2005 10:56 AM PDT reply actions

I heard...

Those were funny commercials. Those hats that McGriff used to wear were absoultely ridiculous!!! Those Grandpa netted hats. So Baller. LOL

by gloveman on Apr 29, 2005 11:33 AM PDT up reply actions

Commercials

They WEREN'T funny commercials..., they ARE funny commercials. They still run about 10 a day. They must make money.

Let's Go Oak-Land!

by Colorado Fan on Apr 29, 2005 12:33 PM PDT up reply actions

The irony in those commercials...

The Crime Dog has always been an average-to-mediocre defensive first baseman, so why is he hocking defensive drills videos? Maybe they get results, but not with Fred.

by vertig0 on Apr 29, 2005 1:36 PM PDT up reply actions

Is the DVD for real?

Just curious -- I've seen so many prank ads that you never know. Hudgens wasn't the A's batting coach (where was he in the A's organization?) when Jason Giambi was still with the A's, among othe rthings.

anyway, that is interesting, if unusual. I've never heard anyone suggest lengthening a slumping hitter's swing. How about getting Chavy to move a little closer to the plate?

by OaklandSi on Apr 29, 2005 10:56 AM PDT reply actions

I've always wondered why Chavy doesn't move....

at least 1 inch closer to the plate.

I would guess that he could raise his average .20 points just by moving closer. His has a quick bat, so no worry on pitchers then trying to come inside on him....

with everyone pitching him away ALL THE TIME...he lacks power, he reaches for the ball instead of stepping into the away pitch and driving it to the opposite field, etc...

any thoughts?

Wherever You Go...There You Are -J. Kabat-Zinn

by jrwolf on Apr 29, 2005 11:05 AM PDT reply actions

Fear factor

Has he always stood that far away, or just since he got hit?

There are lies, damned lies, and statistics.

by kkdaz on Apr 29, 2005 2:04 PM PDT up reply actions

Batting Practice

Chavy says he's gonna try to watch Hudson and Mulder during batting practice today. I would suggest he'd be better off on the field, actually practicing.

by skigurl on Apr 29, 2005 11:07 AM PDT reply actions

byrnes

maybe he needs to watch some more dvds so he stops trying to pull everything.

by pickinmachine on Apr 29, 2005 11:11 AM PDT reply actions

This is like pouring gasoline on a fire

Why isn't Chavez(read Hudgens) focused on moving closer to the plate? If you look at game footage before his injury last year, he was closer.

I also noticed that is swing was a little long and he developed a type of sweeping swing. Now, if he starts to make contact inside, he's going to be pounded inside and his swing is going to be conterproductive.

http://www.aslegacy.blogspot.com

by Genaro on Apr 29, 2005 11:23 AM PDT reply actions

that's just it...

he set up farther inside before he broke his hand.... i'm not saying it's an excuse, but i'd be pretty timid about setting up inside if my hand had been crushed by a pitch too.

by high street on Apr 29, 2005 11:30 AM PDT up reply actions

But he shouldn't

Especially after this amount of time has passed. How long is he going to be afraid of getting hit? It's a part of the game.

http://www.aslegacy.blogspot.com

by Genaro on Apr 29, 2005 11:32 AM PDT up reply actions

not just Chavy

worries about being hit (if he really does). tons of players are using protective gear when at bat. look at bonds and his bionic elbow.

Let's Go A's!

by AllThingsOakland on Apr 29, 2005 11:34 AM PDT up reply actions

at least he stands close enough to hit

by OaklandSi on Apr 29, 2005 12:11 PM PDT up reply actions

You sure about that?

160 avg? I think not :)

The problem is that if you are so worried, wear something protective, don't try to change your approach or swing.

http://www.aslegacy.blogspot.com

by Genaro on Apr 29, 2005 12:19 PM PDT up reply actions

I was referring to Bonds

by OaklandSi on Apr 29, 2005 12:20 PM PDT up reply actions

Heh

Sorry about that, didn't know who you were talking about.

http://www.aslegacy.blogspot.com

by Genaro on Apr 29, 2005 12:22 PM PDT up reply actions

no problem

it was possibly only clear to me who "he" referred to.

by OaklandSi on Apr 29, 2005 1:24 PM PDT up reply actions

insider information, eh?

Blez, you are becoming a media tycoon!

Conventional wisdom says 15 is too young to be an executive of a major sports franchise. I poo on conventional wisdom.

by ohad on Apr 29, 2005 11:35 AM PDT reply actions

It's All About Making Adjustments

Hitting and pitching really does come down to making adjustments. A fundamentally sound approach to hitting also helps.

What makes hitting a baseball at the major league level so tough is this constant battle of making adjustments. This is basically true for every player unless you are a freak like Vlad Guerrero.

I have confidence that Chavez will be able to increase his success at the plate. If Durazo can do the same it will really benefit both.

by RudiFan on Apr 29, 2005 11:36 AM PDT reply actions

I haven't noticed him coming out of his funk

One hit was decent through the left side of the infield, but would have been an out if it happened to have a trajectory 10 feet in either direction.
The other was a shank that found its way into the left field corner for a double.

Granted, neither ball was a bouncer to second, but he didn't exactly drive them off the scoreboard either. The next day he was back to the same old bouncers on the infield. Am I hallucinating?

by iceplant on Apr 29, 2005 11:36 AM PDT reply actions

Serious?

"One hit was decent through the left side of the infield, but would have been an out if it happened to have a trajectory 10 feet in either direction."

EVERY ground ball hit would be an out (or a foul ball) 10 feet in either direction.

by RichardP on Apr 29, 2005 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions

Adjustments not working!!!!!!!!!!!

He may have a couple "cluch hits" but over last 7 days his numbers have gotten worse.

.125 BA .192-OBP .167-SLUG .359-OPS

Come on folks check out the facts!!!!

by novaoakland on Apr 29, 2005 11:38 AM PDT reply actions

Rome Wasn't Built In A Day

To expect Chavez to all of sudden start hitting the cover off the ball is foolish. It takes time to overcome hitting slumps.

I seriously doubt Chavez will ever become a .300 hitter, but he has proven that he can be a pretty productive hitter in the big leagues.

by RudiFan on Apr 29, 2005 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions

Clearly but Blez insinuates he is improving.

Clearly he is not.

by novaoakland on Apr 29, 2005 11:48 AM PDT up reply actions

You guys better watch it ..

the "Chavez gang" has yet to read your comments obviously, or they would be out in force telling you that you have no idea what you're talking about. Shame on you, don't you know what his stats look like every year??!!
Maybe seeing "Vacafan" will stir them into a frenzy again -- they can bury me and leave the rest of you alone --

Seriously, I'm not gonna worry about how "hard hit" his RBI were -- I'll just gladly take them any way we can get 'em. It's no secret that Chavez has awesome opposite-field power .... jrwolf makes a good point. Chavez should be looking to drive the ball to left every AB, until pitchers begin to pound him in again.

This is why I get so frustrated with him .... he has incredible, God-given talent that he just never seems to really tap into. Chavez should hit 40-45 home runs a year MINIMUM. He should hit well over 110 RBI. This is not too much to ask of someone with his talent, and the richest deal in team history. We should rarely talk about a "Chavez slump." How often do people speak of a Bonds slump, or a Ramirez slump, or a Guerrero slump? Very, very rarely. Chavez is better than this, and he needs to show it. Now.

VacaAsFan

by Vacafan on Apr 29, 2005 11:50 AM PDT reply actions

It is because he lacks Heart.

by novaoakland on Apr 29, 2005 11:53 AM PDT up reply actions

Well, I'll let the Chavez police

harass YOU for a change. :-)

VacaAsFan

by Vacafan on Apr 29, 2005 11:57 AM PDT up reply actions

i would just like to know

If there is anyone else in here who actually believes Chavez has no heart. I think even VacaFan can agree that while he may not be a leader, it's just false to say he has no heart.

Conventional wisdom says 15 is too young to be an executive of a major sports franchise. I poo on conventional wisdom.

by ohad on Apr 29, 2005 12:40 PM PDT up reply actions

Any one think he has tons of heart?

by novaoakland on Apr 29, 2005 12:41 PM PDT up reply actions

I think that statements that he has no heart

are basically baseless. You don't have to be the throwing the helmet, grimance on the face type to have heart. Basically, 99% of the guys in the majors have to have heart because it is so hard to get there. The odds are so against you getting there and it would be so easy to give up. Now, Chavy might have had an easier path to the majors than most but to say that he has no heart is, ugg

I own 2 Tony Armas jerseys! I am an A's fan for life.

by Athletics fan and runner on Apr 29, 2005 1:04 PM PDT up reply actions

Give me on sign of heart and I shut up.....

Must be more than he is just in the majors so he must!!!!!

by novaoakland on Apr 29, 2005 1:08 PM PDT up reply actions

The point of my post was

give me a sign that he doesn't because I think the burden of proof is on those who say he doesn't.

So he is mellow, that does not mean that he lacks heart.

I believe everything that I say on here but I do not insult people when I say it. Does that mean that I am not passionate about my team and about what I say? No. It is just a different style.

I own 2 Tony Armas jerseys! I am an A's fan for life.

by Athletics fan and runner on Apr 29, 2005 1:19 PM PDT up reply actions

Your reasons for chavvy not having heart

He does not hustle.
His defense is slipping.
Never emotional

Dude, seriously. He does not hustle? When does he not hustle? On a grounder to second. Byrnes is the only person who sprints on a grounder to second.

His defense is slipping? Sure he has made some errors. But he has also made some great plays (while his confidence is down). This isn't a reason to say someone is heartless anyways.

Saying he is never emotional is not true (and it's not a reason to say someone is heartless either. It could be they don't care, which Chavez does. Because he works hard to improve. He's been going for extra BP for weeks now). I've seen him emotional plenty of times.

Conventional wisdom says 15 is too young to be an executive of a major sports franchise. I poo on conventional wisdom.

by ohad on Apr 29, 2005 1:20 PM PDT up reply actions

and if

one of the reasons for him not having heart was that his defense is slipping, then when did he lose his heart? If that was indicative of a lack of heart then he would have never worked his ass off in the first place to become the best defensive third sacker in the majors after being a defensive liability when he first got to the big leagues.

I own 2 Tony Armas jerseys! I am an A's fan for life.

by Athletics fan and runner on Apr 29, 2005 1:24 PM PDT up reply actions

when ever I do not know.

by novaoakland on Apr 29, 2005 2:21 PM PDT up reply actions

Defense is 3rd worst in League.

Not just errors range is down.

by novaoakland on Apr 29, 2005 2:21 PM PDT up reply actions

my god

I actually agree with vaca fan, to an extent.
Chavy does need to take it to the next level at some point. I will never go as far to say that he is horrible or anything like that but I think that he should get to the point when we are talking about his performance in the same breath as Manny, Vlad, et al.....

He has to become a guy that doesn't let stretches like this happen to the offense. I realize that this is asking a lot of a player but Chavy is one of the few that has the potential to be such a player and I really am rooting for him to get there.

That said, everybody does slump to a degree at times and to expect him to never slump is a bit extreme. Three weeks does not make a season and Chavy will be better, a lot better, thousands of times better, than he has been.

I own 2 Tony Armas jerseys! I am an A's fan for life.

by Athletics fan and runner on Apr 29, 2005 11:58 AM PDT up reply actions

Did it surprise you THAT much?? :-)

By the way, whenever I've claimed Chavez is "horrible" please understand the context. I think you can tell from previous posts that I do not think Chavez is "horrible," or "sucks" or any other such nonsense. If a player is playing badly, I'm going to say that. "He's horrible right now," should be the way I put things maybe.

But I've never denied his awesome ability. This is what makes his game all the more frustrating to me.

VacaAsFan

by Vacafan on Apr 29, 2005 12:05 PM PDT up reply actions

well

I believe you now that you explain it but the exact thing that you said was that, "Chavy is horrible". You stated it as if it was a perminant state.
I would agree that he is in a horrible slump, or was, but that is not exactly how I read what you said.

I do think that we are over reacting to three weeks of play but I hope by the time that Chavy is 29 or 30 that we are talking about him in the terms of a player that keeps teams from going into a funk like the A's have been in.

I own 2 Tony Armas jerseys! I am an A's fan for life.

by Athletics fan and runner on Apr 29, 2005 12:32 PM PDT up reply actions

Rudifan ..

see? This is where I have the problem! Are we to expect the highest paid player in Athletics history (again, this fact cannot be overstated,)to be "a pretty productive hitter?"
I'm not slamming you Rudifan, I guess I just expect more than that from him. Have I set my sights too high? If so, then there can be no question we overpaid for him, and gave "the wrong guy" the money.
IMO, when a team gives a player that kind of deal "pretty productive" seems lame to me. More like "perennial All-Star, one of the best in the game year-in and year-out" is more like it.

VacaAsFan

by Vacafan on Apr 29, 2005 11:55 AM PDT reply actions

No Problem

I agree that Chavez has been blessed with great talent. Saying he has "no heart" is a stretch for me. I don't really know if there is anyway to define who has or doesn't have heart.

Some guys (i.e. Pete Rose) show their heart for all to see. Others (i.e. Hank Aaron) are more of the "silent assassin" types. It all depends on that particular players make up.

Chavez was inked to that long-term deal as much for his glove as his bat. The guy is still only 27 years old and one can only hope he has not yet peaked.

by RudiFan on Apr 29, 2005 12:11 PM PDT up reply actions

Good point. I hope you're right.

VacaAsFan

by Vacafan on Apr 29, 2005 12:26 PM PDT up reply actions

WHO CARES

...WHAT our "superstar" "franchise player" gold glove "this-year-i'm-the-leader" 3rd baseman does.

If he's hitting, we're winning.

He said he wants to be the leader.

All the A's need is for Chavvy to hit.

All will follow.

i know we all love Kotsay, but let's not forget
that before Oakland, he was labelled as a guy
with potential but no result (it's not like it took a lot to get him- though i liked Ramon).
Nevin is supposed to be the Padres' leader...
like Chavvy for the A's...

Chavvy is home-grown talent.

If he hits, then they all hit, and BB looks
smart again.

Cuz damn has BB been SPOT-ON in the pitching
department (as always).

Chavvy WILL hit, i promise. So will the Holey
Grail, Byrnsey & the rest.

Focus on the POSITIVES.

This is SUCH a long season...

i don't think BB needs to be making any trades.

UNLESS he can get CARLOS LEE for BYRNES & change

NICK JOHNSON for BYRNES & change

the Yankees eat say $3 million of A-rod's
contract and trade him to us for Byrnes
and Cruz or straight-up for Zito. (yeah, right)

My point is, i think BB committed himself to
rebuilding when he traded Huddy/Mulder and
the only trading you'll see this year is at
the deadline and only if we still suck.

When it happens, it will only be salary-dumping
for prospects.

by easyrichboy on Apr 29, 2005 11:56 AM PDT reply actions

I don't understand ...

"WHO CARES what our 'superstar' 'franchise player' 'gold glove' 'this year I'm the leader' 3rd baseman does ......if he's hitting we're winning."

Well .....yeah. Isn't that "what we're caring about?" I want him to hit like he's capable of .... because, as you say, "if he's hitting we're winning."

I don't understand. Aren't you saying the same thing?? "What he does", and "hitting" are one in the same, aren't they?

VacaAsFan

by Vacafan on Apr 29, 2005 12:01 PM PDT up reply actions

Yes.

Do you not agree,
that if our self-called "leader"
hits,
then, we all win?

Or do we need to find this fabled
right-handed hitter.

Maybe Canseco needs some more money
(wouldn't that just be perfect for him-
if he could come back surfing roids and
turn the A's around)

What publicity!

by easyrichboy on Apr 29, 2005 12:09 PM PDT up reply actions

"Holey" Grail

Damn, that was cold.

Lord Vader... ...yesss massster? ...RISE!!!

by Force on Apr 29, 2005 12:06 PM PDT up reply actions

yeah...

... but start filling in the holes.

i'm lovin' Ruby when he's bein' Ruby.

by easyrichboy on Apr 29, 2005 12:10 PM PDT up reply actions

No, really,

I wasn't trying to be a smart-ass. I'm just trying to understand what that post means exactly. Asking "Who cares what he does", and then saying "he just needs to hit," seems like "caring" to me.

VacaAsFan

by Vacafan on Apr 29, 2005 12:10 PM PDT up reply actions

oh- i CARE.

please believe it.
i was merely responding to the comments about
maybe Chavvy's lengthened swing is helping.
Plus, i am drunk on Canadian beer.

by easyrichboy on Apr 29, 2005 12:12 PM PDT up reply actions

Moyer

I think that tomorrow's game will tell us alot about the status of Chavy's swing. He has hit Moyer pretty good in the past.

I've got a good feeling about the rest of this homestand. After coming off the huge series win against one the AL's hottest teams, with guys like Chavy and Ruby making big contributions, I see the A's making a statement in the West. Maybe with the LA Angels of Simi Valley on the road, we end up atop the division in a few days.

How's the weather down there? We had a few 70 degree days up here while it was rainy down there, but now it's pouring here.

Lord Vader... ...yesss massster? ...RISE!!!

by Force on Apr 29, 2005 12:45 PM PDT reply actions

rain...

hey force, yeah i heard it was sunny in oakland, wanted to fly down there after work. but at least we get to watch all 3 games on seattle tv (stupid announcers.) i think this can be big series for everyone, and it needs to be, build off the chisox series win, rough up the m's and rangers, then go show the east coast how the a's do it.
Go A's.

by goldglovercf on Apr 29, 2005 5:40 PM PDT up reply actions

Do you ever wonder.....

If reasons for a slump are sometimes drummed up solely for media consumption? After i read the "Long swing" thing i got out the videotapes of A's games i've saved from past seasons and from this year (yes i know it's a bit obsessive) and for the life of me i couldn't see much if any difference in his swing except for one obvious thing. In seasons past he HIT the ball better and swung at fewer bad pitches than in this season.

by FabulousG on Apr 29, 2005 1:47 PM PDT reply actions