Josh Fields' Swing

[joeynach]

Anyone else pretty disgusted with Josh Fields' swing mechanics....I mean wow does this guy look like the epidemy of the go back to the minors to work on it type guy or what. I mean not only can he never hit any fastball above 90 MPH...PERIOD, but his little stupid clutch/hitch before he swings is pathetic. Its like the worst part of a swing I have ever seen. Then of course he cant hit anything thigh high or above, becuase well lets face it, the damn swing clutch slows him down. Then you see his right hand, fly off the bat as he wraps his bat around his body with his follow through with only 1 hand. Seriously, WTF is wrong with this guy. He seems like the exact opposite of the type of hitter Ozzie and KW have been preaching for years now. Honestly, go away Josh Fields it looks like you have a lot to work on in the minors still! I cant be the only one who sees this.

[Balta1701]

Just what I wanted! Another Josh Fields thread!

[OilCan]

Um.......Joeynach........Josh's swing in his last 10 games have given him 12 hits in the last 35 ABs, according to Yahoo Sports.Com.

 

It may be ugly/girly/whatever....but it's working, with the exception of tonight.

 

Who knows?????? If it ain't broke...

 

 

[fathom]

His swing is broke..don't let that last week fool you. His time with the Sox is coming to a close.

[OilCan]

That's a lot of fools gold then. Regardless, 12 hits is 12 hits.

I'm not in Josh's corner by any means. But he had a heck of a stretch there.

 

I dunno, tonight he's 0-4, 3Ks. To me, he seems like he's trying way too much at home.

Consider, .258 BA on the road; .227 at home.

 

 

[joejoesox]

His swing is broke..don't let that last week fool you. His time with the Sox is coming to a close.

 

Sample si... oh f*** it.

 

Welcome aboard, Slayer!

[elrockinMT]

Just what I wanted! Another Josh Fields thread!

 

 

I would have called for Fields to be traded for Crede, but Joe has asore knee right now

[JDsDirtySox]

I just don't think I have every seen any other everyday player swing and miss on so many 90 mph fastballs.

It is sort of sad. I am almost starting to feel bad for him.

 

[lostfan]

I would have called for Fields to be traded for Crede, but Joe has asore knee right now

[BearSox]

All of Josh's mechanics are messed up. What I noticed tonight was that his load and step are completely out of whack. The basic way of hitting and generating some of the power in your swing is to have a nice balanced swing where your hands go back and you turn your hips while you step forward. While Josh is stepping forward, he is only doing that hitch thing. His hands don't move back and he doesn't turn his hips while his foot is in the air, all he's doing is that hitch where he brings his hands up. By the time he steps down and his foot is on the ground, he then brings his hands back and turns his hips. So, at the time he is suppossed to be coming forward, he's just starting his load, with his foot already being on the ground. All of his mechanics are f***ed up. It's a pity too, cause there's no doubt he's got the tools.

 

I also don't care about him finishing up with 1 hand. I've never believed that really affected your swing. Think about, when you make contact with the ball, it doesn't matter what your swing looks like at the end. You gotta focus on getting that bat through the zone with some velocity and putting a charge in the ball. Whether you finish up with 1 hand or 2 hands on the bat, all that matters is what your swing looks like when you make contact with the ball.

 

EDIT: After re-watching Josh's swing several times in slow-mo, I've changed my original paragraph.

Edited June 2, 2009 by BearSox

[ptatc]

The thing I noticed tonight, Josh doesn't even really have a load in his stance. Most hitters (power hitters mainly) turn their hips and hands back while they step. While Josh is stepping, he goes up with his hands with that hitch. He doesn't really load and his mechanics are all f***ed up. He needs to get his hands back, not drop down with his right shoulder, and get a good rythem in swing. Also, he really needs to choke up on the bat a bit, especially with 2 strikes.

 

I also don't care about him finishing up with 1 hand. I've never believed that really affected your swing. Think about, when you make contact with the ball, it doesn't matter what your swing looks like at the end. You gotta focus on getting that bat through the zone with some velocity and putting a charge in the ball. Whether you finish up with 1 hand or 2 hands on the bat, all that matters is what your swing looks like when you make contact with the ball.

 

most people who advocate the release of the top hand say that it keeps the bat on the same plane longer so that the hitter can make more efficient contact. This way the top hand doesn't "pull" the bat up because the top hand is no longer in contact.

 

I don't really buy it because the pronation of the top hand should nullfy it but who knows maybe for some people with decreased flexibility it might make a difference.

 

The Lau/Hriniak philosophy of hitting somewaht revolves around this concept.

 

[ThunderBolt]

Wait. Hold Up. People on this board don't like Field’s approach at the plate? WHAT? Inconceivable.

[BearSox]

most people who advocate the release of the top hand say that it keeps the bat on the same plane longer so that the hitter can make more efficient contact. This way the top hand doesn't "pull" the bat up because the top hand is no longer in contact.

 

I don't really buy it because the pronation of the top hand should nullfy it but who knows maybe for some people with decreased flexibility it might make a difference.

 

The Lau/Hriniak philosophy of hitting somewaht revolves around this concept.

It's whatever works for you, and gets the bat through the zone the fastest. I believe Willie Mays was a one handed hitter.

 

However, I've always believed in a two handed swing and really focusing on trying to get that top hand through the zone and flipping those wrists.

Edited June 2, 2009 by BearSox

[greg775]

I was really shocked when he whacked that two-strike pitch deep in Kansas City.

He got some big hits in that series. Weird that he couldn't build on the road trip with 3 K's tonight.

 

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

If the Sox will be ending the Fields era soon and Beckham is going to come up, I'd rather see the Sox go with Beckham at 2B and look to deal both Fields and Getz. I believe Beckham is going to end up at 2B long-term anyway, so I'd like to start him there and leave him there if at all possible, with the Sox picking up a veteran 3B.

 

Some ideas for that veteran 3B:

Troy Glaus - coming back from injury and the Cards seem to want Wallace up there, but Cards IMO would have to eat salary or take back a bad contract (Contreras) to get talent IMO

Russell Branyan - having a monster season for Seattle so will cost something, but is he for real? I don't think so.

Adrian Beltre - not going to be offered arb even if he's Type A, so a small amount of talent + savings should do it... but if we could get them to take back Contreras' contract in exchange for a bit more talent, then that would be gravy

Melvin Mora - probably won't have his option picked up and shouldn't cost much

 

My favorite idea is this:

-Trade something small to SF for Uribe who should come very cheap. On a $1M contract this year I believe and would be a great backup option all around.

-Try to deal for Scott Rolen. Rolen is injury prone, but he played 115 games last year and hasn't missed any time this year. Rolen is due $11M option next year which the Jays really do not want to pay, and over the offseason the Jays were rumored to have been offering talent simply to take on that contract. My idea would be to see if the Jays will take back Contreras' contract for this year and eat about $5M next year in return for Fields and a package of pretty good prospects but not our great prospects. That way, we'd have Rolen this year while only adding $1M to the payroll, and we'd also get him at $6M next year. The Jays would save a total of $7M by doing this and would pick up some talent. Then we could bring Juan back at $1M again for 2010 or find another suitable backup for the same price, which would give us Rolen/Uribe as a 3B for $7M in 2010. The main reason I would really like this deal is because it would buy us another year for Viciedo's development without us having to sign a 3B for a 2-3+ year deal over the offseason. I'm sure other 3B will sign for a lot less over the offseason, but I still don't see a guy like Crede or Beltre signing a 1-year deal unless it has vesting options that could guarantee it for much longer (ala Maggs' contract with Detroit, except much cheaper annually).

Edited June 2, 2009 by Kenny Hates Prospects

[SoxFan1]

Dude had a 7 or 8 game hit streak until tonight. Give him a break.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

I'm all for giving Fields time and have stated as much repeatedly, but none of that matters if the Sox don't want to go that route.

 

I'm wholeheartedly against bringing Beckham up without giving him positional security. If the Sox don't see Slayer as a 3B long-term, then don't put him there. I have to think they view him as a 2B with Alexei here, so if that's where he's headed, and if the Sox want Slayer in the lineup, then do whatever is necessary to put him there and then keep him there.

 

If the Sox want more out of 3B and do not want to give Fields more time, then go out and get a veteran stopgap until Viciedo is ready.

 

Those are my thoughts.

[qwerty]

Dude had a 7 or 8 game hit streak until tonight. Give him a break.

 

Dude has 53 strikeouts compared to 55 total bases for a .632 ops. Dude had 4 extra base hits in the month of may, and a whopping five extra bases hits in april. Dude had an ops of .646 prior to the oakland game, which was his highest since may 16th. Dude, as expected, has been one of the very worst fielders in all of baseball, let alone third base.

 

He has been garbage. A break in not deserved

[RockRaines]

I still think he has the ability to be a solid everyday player, the problem is that we have a guy who has a chance to be a star nipping at his heels.

[GoodAsGould]

Id give Fields another month to hopefully straighten things out, warmer weather and less pressure at the bottom of the lineup will hopefully help him. If after that month no improvement by Josh and Beckham is still wacking the ball around in AAA, I think a change has to be made.

[NorthSideSox72]

Until last night, Fields appeared to be making progress. Not only did he have that nice hitting streak going, but his swing had actually changed, and he was hitting fastballs.

 

But last night, it looked like he regressed about a month, going right back to that big bat load/hitch again.

 

Hopefully that was a blip, and he goes back to the quicker bat reflex again. If its a real regression, then yeah, Beckham will be in Chicago very soon.

 

[joeynach]

All of Josh's mechanics are messed up. What I noticed tonight was that his load and step are completely out of whack. The basic way of hitting and generating some of the power in your swing is to have a nice balanced swing where your hands go back and you turn your hips while you step forward. While Josh is stepping forward, he is only doing that hitch thing. His hands don't move back and he doesn't turn his hips while his foot is in the air, all he's doing is that hitch where he brings his hands up. By the time he steps down and his foot is on the ground, he then brings his hands back and turns his hips. So, at the time he is suppossed to be coming forward, he's just starting his load, with his foot already being on the ground. All of his mechanics are f***ed up. It's a pity too, cause there's no doubt he's got the tools.

 

I also don't care about him finishing up with 1 hand. I've never believed that really affected your swing. Think about, when you make contact with the ball, it doesn't matter what your swing looks like at the end. You gotta focus on getting that bat through the zone with some velocity and putting a charge in the ball. Whether you finish up with 1 hand or 2 hands on the bat, all that matters is what your swing looks like when you make contact with the ball.

 

EDIT: After re-watching Josh's swing several times in slow-mo, I've changed my original paragraph.

 

BINGO BINGO BINGO. And if this is something easy for us fans watching on TV to see...well then. Where is the discussion on this from Stoney, or Farmer. Where is the discussion on this from Scott Merkin, Cowley, or any other reporters. Why does this seem to be something only we on this board are noticing, its freaking obvious. Fields needs to learn and practice, not strikeout over 200 times this year and be given an automatic shot again next year. The guy needs a lot of help its obvious. The swing clutch, the inability to hit anything 90+ MPH or belt high, the man simply does not belong as a starting players for any MLB team. Homers, Hits, anything that he does aside is all a band-aid on the problem. Poor mechanics and Poor approach will kill his career, dont let a week or two fool you, this guy has a lot of work to do (not at the ML level), before he should even be considered an everyday player.

[StrangeSox]

Stone and Hawk were talking about Josh's swing last night.

[southsider2k5]

All of Josh's mechanics are messed up. What I noticed tonight was that his load and step are completely out of whack. The basic way of hitting and generating some of the power in your swing is to have a nice balanced swing where your hands go back and you turn your hips while you step forward. While Josh is stepping forward, he is only doing that hitch thing. His hands don't move back and he doesn't turn his hips while his foot is in the air, all he's doing is that hitch where he brings his hands up. By the time he steps down and his foot is on the ground, he then brings his hands back and turns his hips. So, at the time he is suppossed to be coming forward, he's just starting his load, with his foot already being on the ground. All of his mechanics are f***ed up. It's a pity too, cause there's no doubt he's got the tools.

 

I also don't care about him finishing up with 1 hand. I've never believed that really affected your swing. Think about, when you make contact with the ball, it doesn't matter what your swing looks like at the end. You gotta focus on getting that bat through the zone with some velocity and putting a charge in the ball. Whether you finish up with 1 hand or 2 hands on the bat, all that matters is what your swing looks like when you make contact with the ball.

 

EDIT: After re-watching Josh's swing several times in slow-mo, I've changed my original paragraph.

 

Way to steal what Hawk was saying last night...

[YASNY]

While I agree that Josh's swing looked messed up last night, the thing that I have noticed about him over the past few weeks is that he seems to be consistently "just under it". They say you get an average of one good pitch to hit per at bat, and Josh has fouled that one pitch straight back time and time again. His timing has been right there on those pitches, but he's not centering it. He's below center constantly.