fire walker

[kitekrazy]

The fact that Beckham doesn't look like how he was at Georgia, in the minors, and in 2009 is the biggest indictment of Walker.

 

We had a guy who most baseball experts were sure was the next great second baseman and while he is turning into a defensive wizard, he should be a top flight offensive 2B, but instead has a long, scared swing.

 

Then again http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0,2253213.story

 

But a veteran National League scout who watched Beckham play in the Arizona Fall League in 2008 predicted that Beckham's long swing could get him into trouble and said he wasn't fully convinced that Beckham would blossom into a productive hitter.

 

I guess he didn't get a chance to break out of it spending time in the minors.

 

[clyons]

I just heard on the Score that the White Sox team batting average is like .215 with the bases loaded, whereas league average is .277. The overall team BA is .254. That's a terrible indictment of approach, and imo, of Walker.

[kitekrazy]

His swing is not like it was at Georgia, and is longer and loopier than it was when he first came up. What is it with the Sox? Borchard, Crede, Fields, and Anderson all had major holes in their swings too. Crede finally was getting it together and then his back gave out. Do they teach guys to try to pull and kill the ball? This is exactly the kind of situation that a good hitting coach should be able to respond to. All of these players had great potential and only Crede was able to have somewhat of a decent career. This thing with Beckham makes me ill.

 

Maybe they lack a lot of baseball IQ. That doesn't seem to be important in this organization.

Maybe the Cell and the affiliates are too hitter friendly and guys spend their time trying to jack homers during batting practice.

 

Maybe JR and KW know Walker is a terrible hitting coach and that's why Viciedo hasn't been brought up yet.

 

[SI1020]

Then again http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0,2253213.story

 

But a veteran National League scout who watched Beckham play in the Arizona Fall League in 2008 predicted that Beckham's long swing could get him into trouble and said he wasn't fully convinced that Beckham would blossom into a productive hitter.

 

I guess he didn't get a chance to break out of it spending time in the minors.

Here is a scouting report from 2009 that praises his swing.

 

Beckham scouting report

 

I stand by my original post. His swing has gone to hell.

 

[greg775]

I just heard on the Score that the White Sox team batting average is like .215 with the bases loaded, whereas league average is .277. The overall team BA is .254. That's a terrible indictment of approach, and imo, of Walker.

 

I blame our lousy hitters but I do agree with those who say the only defense of walker is that hitting coaches do not matter.

And the fact he works hard at his job.

[The Ginger Kid]

who's calling the shots on this disaster?

 

@CST_soxvan Daryl Van Schouwen

Beckham knows it: 'right now I'm having hard time laying off bad pitches.' GM KW said he'd rather see Beckham's old swing he brought from GA

 

[greg775]

It really sucks to have so much negativity in a baseball team.

I can't believe we're just 2-3 under .500.

To me it seems like we're Royals-bad, like 19-20 under.

Really has been a depressing season to me at least.

[Flash Tizzle]

Here is a scouting report from 2009 that praises his swing.

 

Beckham scouting report

 

I stand by my original post. His swing has gone to hell.

After the draft, I recall a website posting a video comparison of Gordan Beckham's swing to that of...........Alex Rodriguez. They were nearly identical. There was no excessive looping action. I honestly believe it was a case of scouting reports identifying a weakness, and Walker/Beckham completely overhauling his swing to accommodate that weakness; which only spiraled out of control.

 

[Marty34]

who's calling the shots on this disaster?

 

@CST_soxvan Daryl Van Schouwen

Beckham knows it: 'right now I'm having hard time laying off bad pitches.' GM KW said he'd rather see Beckham's old swing he brought from GA

 

What good does it do for Kenny "The Genius" Williams to say that to the media other than curry favor with the public? If he didn't tell Beckham this privately, he shouldn't say anything. Even if he did, he shouldn't tell the media.

[Dick Allen]

Do people really believe Greg Walker re-tools everyone's swing once they become White Sox? I will admit if he does he shouldn't be the hitting coach. If he has the abiility to make successful people who make millions doing things their way unsuccessful by listening to him, he has a far more important calling than that of a hitting coach. I really think the problem is the basic fan has Little League playing experience and thinks a major league hitting coach teaches a professional making 20 times the cabbage he's making how to hit.

[SoxPride56]

After the draft, I recall a website posting a video comparison of Gordan Beckham's swing to that of...........Alex Rodriguez. They were nearly identical. There was no excessive looping action. I honestly believe it was a case of scouting reports identifying a weakness, and Walker/Beckham completely overhauling his swing to accommodate that weakness; which only spiraled out of control.

 

 

Here is that site...

http://www.baseball-intellect.com/Articles...kham-swing.html

[BigSqwert]

Do people really believe Greg Walker re-tools everyone's swing once they become White Sox? I will admit if he does he shouldn't be the hitting coach. If he has the abiility to make successful people who make millions doing things their way unsuccessful by listening to him, he has a far more important calling than that of a hitting coach. I really think the problem is the basic fan has Little League playing experience and thinks a major league hitting coach teaches a professional making 20 times the cabbage he's making how to hit.

 

So then his role is to do what? Nothing? Watch them hit and clap? This guy is useless and nothing bad could come out of a termination of his contract. Why the hell are people sticking up for a guy that has brought nothing to the table and has the longest tenure at his position in the AL Central?

 

And if anyone believes his services would be a hot commodity if we let him go then pass me whatever it is you're smoking.

Edited August 20, 2011 by BigSqwert

[Dick Allen]

And if anyone believes his services would be a hot commodity if we let him go then pass me whatever it is you're smoking.

 

And you know this how? Walker only wants to work for the White Sox. So many people think saying something to someone and throwing pixie dust into the air will make anyone a .330 hitter with 40 home run potential. Beckham is struggling right now. Its not uncommon in young players. Heyward is struggling. Morrision was sent to the minors under the guise he was struggling. BJ Upton has struggled. Delmon Young has been pretty bad. More struggle than do not. It sometimes takes a while.

 

You can pick any hitting coach out there and someone is struggling under their "watch". Anyone who has ever played should know you can know exactly what you are doing wrong and exactly what needs to be done to correct it, but it still takes a while. You have to have it built in. If you go up to the plate thinking about 100 things, you are screwed.

 

As for Beckham's swing. Let me get this straight, the Sox draft Beckham, he goes to the minor leagues and Walker calls up and tells him he needs to change his swing? Is that how this went? Please give me what you're smoking.

 

As Ozzie said, the minor leagues are for instruction. In the majors is tweaks. If you have no idea how to hit when you get to the major leagues, again, you're screwed.

Edited August 20, 2011 by Dick Allen

[caulfield12]

Pretty clearly AL pitchers adjusted to Beckham in late 09, early 2010.

 

What doesn't make sense is what happened from the second half of last season to the beginning of 2011?

 

Seemingly, he adjusted back enough to be a productive hitter and went through a productive streak again (last year) but when was the "hitchy/loopy" swing change incorporated (seemingly without Walker or KW's blessings)?? Was that change in mid-season 2010 or before the 2011 season? After 2009?

 

This year, he's been stuck between a 600-660 OPS for virtually four months.

[Balta1701]

He always had a hitch in his swing, he had that when he came up, but its become more pronounced with time.

[Flash Tizzle]

And you know this how? Walker only wants to work for the White Sox. So many people think saying something to someone and throwing pixie dust into the air will make anyone a .330 hitter with 40 home run potential. Beckham is struggling right now. Its not uncommon in young players. Heyward is struggling. Morrision was sent to the minors under the guise he was struggling. BJ Upton has struggled. Delmon Young has been pretty bad. More struggle than do not. It sometimes takes a while.

 

You can pick any hitting coach out there and someone is struggling under their "watch". Anyone who has ever played should know you can know exactly what you are doing wrong and exactly what needs to be done to correct it, but it still takes a while. You have to have it built in. If you go up to the plate thinking about 100 things, you are screwed.

 

As for Beckham's swing. Let me get this straight, the Sox draft Beckham, he goes to the minor leagues and Walker calls up and tells him he needs to change his swing? Is that how this went? Please give me what you're smoking.

 

As Ozzie said, the minor leagues are for instruction. In the majors is tweaks. If you have no idea how to hit when you get to the major leagues, again, you're screwed.

I now want Walker fired for no other reason than to see your reaction.

 

And if the major leagues is only for tweaking hitters, Walker has failed at that too. Time for him to do whatever he does in the postseason permanently.

[ILMOU]

Rios, Dunn, Beckham, Morel, Teahen (essentially half the team) all reached career worsts as professional hitters under Walker's watch this year. Others, Q and Lexi, are trending slightly downward, IMO. ONLY Paulie has improved steadily over time. I can't really see how you can continue to stick up for the guy, DA, other than the "hitting coach makes no difference anyway" argument.

[greg775]

Do people really believe Greg Walker re-tools everyone's swing once they become White Sox? I will admit if he does he shouldn't be the hitting coach. If he has the abiility to make successful people who make millions doing things their way unsuccessful by listening to him, he has a far more important calling than that of a hitting coach. I really think the problem is the basic fan has Little League playing experience and thinks a major league hitting coach teaches a professional making 20 times the cabbage he's making how to hit.

 

George Brett lived and died with his hitting coach, Charlie Lau.

He did everything Lau told him to do. Brett was on the radio recently saying Walker does a lot of the things Lau did.

 

I don't know if Dick is right here, but he had 2 great posts.

 

I also heard a discussion on the radio that in the non steroid era, get used to s***ty hitting.

They were talking about how Francour actually now is an above average hitter and was worth signing for 6.5 mill a year cause of the new standards.

Edited August 20, 2011 by greg775

[Dick Allen]

I now want Walker fired for no other reason than to see your reaction.

 

And if the major leagues is only for tweaking hitters, Walker has failed at that too. Time for him to do whatever he does in the postseason permanently.

Yet as I showed many times, since Walker has been the hitting coach, the offense has outranked the pitching half the time. When pitchers suck, its because they suck. When baserunners don't take extra bases or do stupid things, its because they have a low baseball IQ. When defenders throw to the wrong base or make ill-advised attempts, its because they are dumb. When Sox hitters don't hit, its because Greg Walker is the hitting coach. I wonder who is going to be blamed when he is gone.

 

If KW is acquiring guys in trades or free agency, or promoting hitters to the major leagues that Greg Walker has to change their swing and teach them how to hit, there is a bigger problem here.

[Dick Allen]

Rios, Dunn, Beckham, Morel, Teahen (essentially half the team) all reached career worsts as professional hitters under Walker's watch this year. Others, Q and Lexi, are trending slightly downward, IMO. ONLY Paulie has improved steadily over time. I can't really see how you can continue to stick up for the guy, DA, other than the "hitting coach makes no difference anyway" argument.

The Cubs broke the bank for Rudy Jaramillo. Aren't they the worst in the league with RISP? Wasn't he going to make Soriano worth his contract? How's Soto doing? If you really think Rios and Dunn and Beckham we will leave Morel the rookie out of this and Teahen sample size and he's not doing better in Toronto, would be doing much better with another hitting coach, good for you. I disagree.

[StrangeSox]

And you know this how? Walker only wants to work for the White Sox. So many people think saying something to someone and throwing pixie dust into the air will make anyone a .330 hitter with 40 home run potential. Beckham is struggling right now. Its not uncommon in young players. Heyward is struggling. Morrision was sent to the minors under the guise he was struggling. BJ Upton has struggled. Delmon Young has been pretty bad. More struggle than do not. It sometimes takes a while.

 

You can pick any hitting coach out there and someone is struggling under their "watch". Anyone who has ever played should know you can know exactly what you are doing wrong and exactly what needs to be done to correct it, but it still takes a while. You have to have it built in. If you go up to the plate thinking about 100 things, you are screwed.

 

As for Beckham's swing. Let me get this straight, the Sox draft Beckham, he goes to the minor leagues and Walker calls up and tells him he needs to change his swing? Is that how this went? Please give me what you're smoking.

 

As Ozzie said, the minor leagues are for instruction. In the majors is tweaks. If you have no idea how to hit when you get to the major leagues, again, you're screwed.

The best (only?) defense of Walker is that hitting coaches don't matter. That's pretty sad.

 

[Dick Allen]

What will be great is once Walker is gone, and I'd say its most likely he's in his final month or so as a White Sox coach, there will be no reason to make any personnel changes. Rios will be a monster, Dunn will instantly go back to being what he was, and there will be no reason Beckham won't hit .320 with 20 homers next year.

 

Who is everyone going to blame when it doesn't happen?

[caulfield12]

Was listening to Walker on White Sox Weekly.

 

Seems to have a very good handle on Dunn and Beckham's problems....yet, no "game" solutions.

 

With Beckham, it's basically retooling his swing to get after high fastballs. He's changed his hand positioning and swing plane a lot in order to do that...when he swings at balls in the strike zone, he's around a 280-290 hitter. But, of course, Gordon gets "anxious" and puts too much pressure on himself, gets behind in the count, etc. The same story as before about him being "so good in the minors he never experienced failure" until the big league level. Not coping well. So his plate discipline has totally disappeared, and that's getting him behind in a lot of counts and fishing for breaking stuff off the plate or high fastballs. Says he does everything perfectly in pre-game....was the first one there today for hitting practice (or maybe it was taped yesterday) and they have to dial him back because he's trying so hard to improve and take those improvements into game situations.

 

Dunn, it really seems the 2 big issues were coming back too soon from the appendectomy before he was 100%...then he started experiencing a high failure rate and it got into his head. Has never seemed to find any one thing to keep him busy or comfortable when he's not hitting, between at-bats. One thing they did with Thome (and they're now trying with Dunn 4 1/2 months into the season) was having him hit from the pitcher's mound in order to lower his swing plane. Dunn is "just getting under" a lot of pitches and they're resulting in flyballs and pop-ups (or K's) rather than homers that are liners rather than high fly balls that just go out due to his strength. Made lots of comparisons with Lance Berkman's 2010 and Dunn's 2011, with the hope that if Dunn can't straighten things out this year...that he can be "Comeback Player of the Year" too in 2012.

 

Didn't talk about Rios....jumped to Konerko and Quentin.

 

 

[greg775]

What will be great is once Walker is gone, and I'd say its most likely he's in his final month or so as a White Sox coach, there will be no reason to make any personnel changes. Rios will be a monster, Dunn will instantly go back to being what he was, and there will be no reason Beckham won't hit .320 with 20 homers next year.

 

Who is everyone going to blame when it doesn't happen?

 

The new hitting coach, of course, and the new manager. There's no way any manager is going to escape the second guessing on here, and actually be popular, unless we lead the division early and keep that lead all season.

Edited August 21, 2011 by greg775

[GREEDY]

Greg Walker left tonights game early because he needed to go to Best Buy because he needed a new memory card for his digital camera.