southsideirish71 Posted June 26, 2005 Share Posted June 26, 2005 (edited) Opposites are whacked: Pierzynski finds groove June 26, 2005 BY DOUG PADILLA STAFF REPORTER Advertisement A.J. Pierzynski was looking for a little kick start about two weeks ago when he stumbled across an unexpected power source. Pierzynski, who bats left-handed, spent much of his career hitting to the opposite field but had gotten away from the practice this season. So while the Sox were in San Diego two weekends ago, he started working with hitting coach Greg Walker and computer scouting analyst Mike Gellinger, who serves as an assistant hitting instructor. It was Gellinger who reminded Pierzynski that while playing for the Minnesota Twins, he routinely hurt the Sox by collecting hits to left field. "They said, 'You're getting too pull-happy. You've been trying to pull the ball way too much,''' Pierzynski said. "We kind of approached each other with it. I feel that it's kind of keeping me closed a little longer and keeping me on the ball. It's something I know and he knows, and it's a matter of getting it back to where I need to get it.'' While making a concerted effort to hit the ball to left field in his last eight games, Pierzynski had eight RBI in his five previous games before Saturday. He snapped an 0-for-15 dry spell June 18 with his first-ever game-ending home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers' Yhency Brazoban. That home run was to left-center, as was one he hit Friday against the Cubs. "I don't remember hitting maybe two home runs in my whole life to left field, and I have two this year,'' Pierzynski said. "It's a conscious effort, and they told me from the beginning that we can help you hit home runs over there.'' Pierzynski already has tied his career high of 11 home runs, ranking second among American League catchers in that category as well as in RBI (31). "If I need to pull the ball, I can always find a way to pull it if I need to get someone out of there,'' Pierzynski said. "They said it's better if I stay up the middle and the other way because that keeps me on a lot more pitches than trying to pull everything.'' Its seems that someone is purposely telling people about pulling the ball for homers here. I have been saying it all season long, AJ used to kill the sox hitting the ball to left and left center. This year he started to pull the ball only, his average dropped and his power numbers went up. Whether its Greg Walker or someone else telling them to pull the ball, these fences need to go back a few feet. Obviously its too much of a distraction. If you watch the sox hit and have big offensive games the same holds true in all of them. The pitcher of course throws away, the first few hitters start to hit the ball with power oppo. They give up a few runs then try to re-establish the inside, then our guys turn on the inside pitch and just destroy the ball. If this can be preached and is being preached we will have a consistant offense the entire year and will be hard to stop in the post season. If we get myopic and pull happy, we will be 1 and done in the playoffs. This is the time our hitters need to concentrate and work on being total hitters. Putting the ball in play the other way opens up the opportunity to pull for power later in the game. Hopefully our boys keep the good work they have been doing lately and keep this type of hitting going. Yesterday they got away from that and that is why they could only muster a few hits. BTW I will take my hat off to the hitting instructor tandem for figuring this out and working on this. They need to do this will all of our hitters. Arow last year had some sick power to right center. This year he is more pull happy. Edited June 26, 2005 by southsideirish71 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JimH Posted June 26, 2005 Share Posted June 26, 2005 You misread it. Pierzynski is saying the Sox coaches have been telling him from the beginning that he could and should be driving the ball the other way ... they are not telling him to pull the ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxFan1 Posted June 26, 2005 Share Posted June 26, 2005 It's nice to see. s***, even Crede has hit it the other way a bit. If only Uribe could turn his ass around... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pauly8509CWS Posted June 26, 2005 Share Posted June 26, 2005 Yeah, he is actually saying that he's starting to hit the ball to LF alot more and that his power to the opposite field are improving. Besides AJ that's something that I've seen alot in Iguchi lately and yes even Crede may be starting to do the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted June 26, 2005 Share Posted June 26, 2005 Imagine that... listen to the hitting coach and good things happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsideirish71 Posted June 26, 2005 Author Share Posted June 26, 2005 QUOTE(JimH @ Jun 26, 2005 -> 10:50 AM) You misread it. Pierzynski is saying the Sox coaches have been telling him from the beginning that he could and should be driving the ball the other way ... they are not telling him to pull the ball. Actually the purpose of this was to commend the team on hitting the other way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxFan1 Posted June 26, 2005 Share Posted June 26, 2005 Well, he just pulled the ball.......into a DP that pretty much end's the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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