Ok so he is fast, obviously has a great eye at the plate with somewhat of a lead off persons contact hitting skills. But what is going on with his patience, and what about that ugly swing? His back foot is not staying solidly on the ground as he kicks to swing the bat. He is 0-for? in his last 4 games, should we be worried at this point? Has anything been said by our coaches? Watch today's game video mlb.tv, and notice what I pointed out, his batting stance lacks the basic fundamentals for a hitter. I love Bonafacio and I hope his amazing hot start was not a fluke like the sporting news was reporting on how most hitters who are hot in April end the season badly 9 out of 10 X's.

 

 

BTW: HAD TO EDIT MY POST A BIT

Ok so he is fast, obviously has a great eye at the plate with somewhat of a lead off persons contact hitting skills. But what is going on with his patience, and what about that ugly swing? His back foot is not staying solidly on the ground as he kicks to swing the bat. He is 0-for? in his last 4 games, should we be worried at this point? Has anything been said by our coaches? Watch today's game video mlb.tv, and notice what a pointed out, his batting stance lacks the basic fundamentals for a hitter.

 

While he is struggling, I don't think we should panic. He isn't the only player at the top of the lineup who's having a tough time hitting. They'll come around.

Ok so he is fast, obviously has a great eye at the plate with somewhat of a lead off persons contact hitting skills. But what is going on with his patience, and what about that ugly swing? His back foot is not staying solidly on the ground as he kicks to swing the bat. He is 0-for? in his last 4 games, should we be worried at this point? Has anything been said by our coaches? Watch today's game video mlb.tv, and notice what a pointed out, his batting stance lacks the basic fundamentals for a hitter.

 

While he is struggling, I don't think we should panic. He isn't the only player at the top of the lineup who's having a tough time hitting. They'll come around.

 

 

I have no doubt in my mind that our regular guys will definitely come around, but it's Bonafacio with that stance that worries me, as a guy who played the game I know very well what makes a hitter successful, he is not even practicing the basic fundamentals at this point. Should I be worried, has their been lead off hitters who have his similar style that have made it in the BIGS? Besides Pujols who has those giant legs and can afford to lift whichever leg he pleases. Who can really make it as a slap hitter, only guy that comes to mind is Luis Castillo.

Ok so he is fast, obviously has a great eye at the plate with somewhat of a lead off persons contact hitting skills.

 

4/20 was yesterday, in case you didn't get the memo.

Ok so he is fast, obviously has a great eye at the plate with somewhat of a lead off persons contact hitting skills.

 

4/20 was yesterday, in case you didn't get the memo.

 

 

really. I was wondering from that comment whether The Punisher has seen Bonifacio play recently, as he has shown little patience when it comes to that high fastball, and has K'd a sh*tload.

Not to mention that he had a hit in both tonight's and last night's games.

Those were his only hits in his last 27 at bats.

Those were his only hits in his last 27 at bats.

 

Referring to the misreported stats, not his renewed prowess or anything.

Luis Castillo.

 

uh-oh, spaghetti-oh :confused

 

EB definitely needs some work on his plate approach. But Maybin does not because he hit a home run tonight. It's really just that simple.

This is not about sugarcoating anything because that would be as wrong as cherry-picking stats to make some agenda masking point, but in the last four games, 16 at bats, EB has two hits and just two strikeouts. That means that of the twelve outs he made other than two from strikeouts they are made by making contact with the ball (14 of 16 attempts), putting the ball in play. Additionally if you watched the last two games it's obvious that he's winning the battle against his demon, the high fastball, which he appears more comfortable laying off than earlier this last week.

 

I'm am not making the productive outs argument nor hopefully opening up Pandora's Box debating the value of strikeout vs balls in play outs. What I am suggesting is when you look at the dreadful line from the Atlanta series where he struck out seven times in eleven at bats with only a single hit it's hard to ignore there are signs of improvement. Tonight his two non-strikeout outs were ground balls to the infield which, while not representing any monumental shift in his production, is what the Marlins have been trying to get him to do, put the ball on the ground rather than weakly flying out to shallow left or right field.

 

Maybe there's is some light at the end of the tunnel and being a bit more patient will bring some reward. He's fielding the heck out of third base (especially for a guy who never played there before spring training and in the short term, especially with Cantu ailing, that may be his salvation.

 

We'll see what tomorrow brings. As long he shows incremental improvement it's a good thing. Not a great thing, but sometimes it's not so much that the bear dances well, but that he dances at all that's important.

We'll see what tomorrow brings. As long he shows incremental improvement it's a good thing. Not a great thing, but sometimes it's not so much that the bear dances well, but that he dances at all that's important.

 

Great post. I agree that he is looking better against the high FB. The FB outside is still eating him up, though. He has been doing a better job of getting a bat on it and fouling some of them off, but something about the way he swings really hurts him on the outside pitch. Someone mentioned something about it in a different thread, and I agree with them that it looks like a footwork problem.

 

The fact that he is no longer striking out at that insane rate is, as you said, a good thing.

Maybe there's is some light at the end of the tunnel

 

 

He shows some great range at 3B. There 'ya go...