Three-ounce home run
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Apr 11, 2010 
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Here’s a little bit of inside baseball.
Nick Swisher swings a 31-ounce bat. He’d never used anything else in a major league game until his last at-bat this afternoon. Swisher had been out front all game, and in an split-second decision, he thought a 34-ounce bat might slow him down just enough.
He hit his first home run of the season.
Swisher has a 34-ounce bat for the offseason, batting practice and the on-deck circle. He gets used to that weight, then feels stronger when he uses a lighter bat in the game.
“When you get that lighter bat, you get that feeling of dominance,” he said. “It feels like a toothpick.”
He was swinging the 34 ounce bat on deck in the eighth inning and decided to take it with him to the plate for the first time. He doesn’t expect it to be a permanent change, but it’s an in-game adjustment he might make again at some point.
Carl – Well, then I stand corrected. Not the first time, and, unfortunately, won’t be the last
Interesting note. Thanks, Chad.
That is really cool. I love stuff like this.
Chad – interesting tidbit about Nick, there. Thanks.
That’s awesome…do players do that (switch weight of bat mid-game to compensate for lack of timing) often?
I agree. Very cool anecdote.
Stuff like this is what make this blog great
Baseball’s “king of swat” Babe Ruth reportedly began his hitting career using a 54 ounce (1.5 kg) hickory bat, and is known to have used a 40oz bat in 1927 when he hit his 60 home runs.
Tell Swish Babe Ruth said man up.
Doreen, I didn’t have a chance to go to the Navy Pier. I took an architecture tour and also a culinary tour of one of the neighborhoods (I forget which one, though). I went to Wrigley, which I loved (chatted with some guys, lol), checked out Marshall Fields (this was right before it became a Sears) and ate some deep dish pizza. I’m also fascinated by the Columbian Exposition of 1893, so I took a tour of the area where it was. The Ferris Wheel was first exhibited at the fair; there is only one building still standing as the other buildings were only meant to be temporary and burned. Have you ever read Devil in the White City? HH Holmes, America’s first serial killer, did his business just outside Chicago during the Fair – fantastic book.
Betsy -
I did not read that book. I’m looking for summer reading so I’ll make note of it.
(We didn’t care for deep dish. )
Betsy – Marshall Fields’ was bought by Federated Dept. Stores, which changed it into a Macy’s. As someone who lived in Chicago for 9 years, I can tell you that did not go over well.
But, Chicago is a great place to spend some time. The winters that go on from Thanksgiving to mid-April can be a bit depressing, though. When I lived there, we would go entire months without the temp getting above freezing. Add windchills below -30 at night – makes me shiver just thinking about it.
Betsy – Hughes rules (pleading the Fifth) April 11th, 2010 at 5:59 pm
Doreen, I didn’t have a chance to go to the Navy Pier. I took an architecture tour and also a culinary tour of one of the neighborhoods (I forget which one, though). I went to Wrigley, which I loved (chatted with some guys, lol), checked out Marshall Fields (this was right before it became a Sears) and ate some deep dish pizza. I’m also fascinated by the Columbian Exposition of 1893, so I took a tour of the area where it was. The Ferris Wheel was first exhibited at the fair; there is only one building still standing as the other buildings were only meant to be temporary and burned. Have you ever read Devil in the White City? HH Holmes, America’s first serial killer, did his business just outside Chicago during the Fair – fantastic book.
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Betsy, if you or your father are students of or Civil War buffs, Oak Woods Cemetary just off of the Lake Michigan shore. Camp Douglas was the worse Union POW camp with a record that only Andersonville topped. 6100 POWS died in the camp. At the time, it was in the middle of Chicago. It earned it’s name of “Eighty Acres Of Hell”.
When will baseball players get the news that the idea that swinging something heavier before swinging something light will make the lighter one easier to swing is a myth? In fact, it slows you down. Experiments have proven that swinging something LIGHTER and then swinging the heavier thing will make you swing faster.
Joe, I know it – I remember reading people’s reactions on the internet when I was researching my trip. I was disgusted as well. Also, I had very hot weather for Memorial Day weekend – it was in the 90′s. I felt stupid for not bringing a bathing suit, lol.
Doreen, no deep dish? Heresy in Chicago. I will say that I am not fan of the Chicago dog. The relish is weird looking bright green and – just overall, I didn’t “get” it.
check out daylife A few pictures of YS getting prepared for Tuesday.
someone needs to tell Soriano to use a lighter bat
Betsy -
We tried it. We wanted to like it.
One other thing that cracked me up about the Chicago area (and I will make the assumption that it is a very middle American thing) was the “holiday sweater.” Every holiday, every woman would wear holiday sweaters. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter. The department stores were loaded with them. You know the ones – pumpkins and leaves, turkeys and santas, bunnies and flowers. I thought it was hysterical. There was also a haircut. I had longish hair when we went there but decided to get it cut short. When I came home, my husband laughed and told me I looked like every other woman you saw.
it was a very good 2 years in our lives.
““didn’t watch an inning of the game, looks like Laptop went 5 IP 2 ER””
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FWIW, the 3rd run should have been earned.
man on 3rd, 1 out.
groundball to shortstop and Bill Hall makes an error. the run is probably going to score anyway with the runner off on a groundball to the middle infield.
but since it was an error and the runner was safe at first, I guess they decided that the run was unearned.
a gift for Buchholz, IMO.
If anyone is watching the Masters, Augusta is one of the prettiest places in America. The colors, they just jump out from the TV screen.
Looks like Mike Lowell is hanging it up after this season.
He was always a class act in my book.
http://www.boston.com/sports/b.....fter_2010/
That is, a good 2 years except for the pizza. (And no Yankee baseball in 1998!)
“If anyone is watching the Masters, Augusta is one of the prettiest places in America. The colors, they just jump out from the TV screen.”
It’s absolutely beautiful! TV quality has gotten so good it’s almost like being there.
Phil Columbus -
Oh! I love Augusta. Every time my husband watches it (he’s not home right now so I don’t have it on), I comment that it is one of the most beautiful places on earth!
Man if this lineup stays healthly, it has a shot to score 1000 runs this season. What do u guys think?
I’d be very happy if Hughes gives an outing on Thurs like Buchholz did today.
If anyone is watching the Masters, Augusta is one of the prettiest places in America. The colors, they just jump out from the TV screen.
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I only see white and green.
Aroldis Chapman made his debut today in AAA.
He threw 4 2/3 innings. I believe he hit his pitch limit at that point.
He struck out 9 hitters in those 4 2/3 innings.
He hit 101 on the gun and seemed to be sitting in the high 90′s all game.
From the highlights he looked a bit like David Price did against the Yanks two games ago. Only he was throwing harder and against AAA hitters.
Chapman was a lottery ticket. Looks like the Reds may have hit on a once in a life time talent. Chapman looked great all spring and he was utterly dominant today.
CB -
Why did so many teams pass on Chapman? What did they see/not see?
Good for the Reds, but wow.
Also, Project 13 is going to have a big season.
u can tell with his body language so far, he looks like a man on a mission.
“Chapman was a lottery ticket. Looks like the Reds may have hit on a once in a life time talent. Chapman looked great all spring and he was utterly dominant today.”
I was a little surprised the Yanks passed on that arm.
CB: yes. My take it the same, at this time
did the Reds sign Chapman for 4 or 5 years ?
Angels coming into the stadium at 2-5…………. having lost 3\4 to Minnesota at home and 2\3 to Oakland at home.
Chapman has world class fastball. If he continues success with control and secondary pitch the sky’s the limit.
Houston has a young pitcher named Jose Cisnero who appears to be quite a good young pitcher. Upper 90s fastball, curve, slider and change-up. Has allowed 2 hits, 2 walks and 7 strikeouts in 4.2 innings. Threw a lot of pitches today, though. One hit and the two walks in the bottom of the 5th inning.
Ramirez has pitched 5 innings, 5 singles, 1 run (unearned), 0 walks and 6 strikeouts. He could be better than Arodyz Vizcaino and only a year older, just turning 20.
Charleston makes up for his first inning error with an RBI single.
CB
Thanks for answering my question from the game thread.
u do a great, great job on your views on the yankees and baseball overall.
OC Angels now 2-5.
Maybe pitching matters too.
“I was a little surprised the Yanks passed on that arm”
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yes. Except the RedSox did also
the scouting reports us fans were receiving, were definitely mixed. At the time, i believe NYY did the right thing. Lay back, and wait for him to hit FA at the end of his first contract.
now, not so much…
Long’s offseason work with Swisher has paid off.
According to Sealttle, the old name for Randy Johnson, “Mr snappy,” now belongs to Milton Bradley! lol
Ramirez is probably over his pitch limit because he hit the first batter in the 6th and gave up a double. he’s out of the game.
Chapman was a lottery ticket. Looks like the Reds may have hit on a once in a life time talent.”
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I was a little frustrated the Yanks didn’t more seriously pursue him.
I remember SJ44 saying he was a once in a generation opportunity that you simply cannot pass up. A couple months later he was saying the Yanks should pass on him.
I always thought he was a risk worth taking. If he pitches like Jeff Suppan, he’ll justify his 5yr/$30M contract.
The fact that he could be an ace means that’s prob a risk worth taking for sure.
vinny-b,
I understand that but to me it was their chance to sign a talent that they normally don’t get a chance to sign because they never draft high enough.
Charleston’s Landoni makes up for his first inning error with an RBI single
Doreen,
It was just teams not wanting to take a risk. He really was a lottery ticket. Teams had limited views of him in game competition.
In his prior international competition he was evaluated as being very raw. And he looked it in the WBC when most teams could take a look.
But the WBC performance turned out to be a poor indicator of where Chapman was now as a pitcher.
With all young pitchers, they can grow and develop very rapidly. I think that’s happened for Chapman.
I’d guess the Reds and some other teams saw the clean up in his mechanics and stuff and were willing to go all in and make a huge bet on him.
To me the thing that was difficult to get a feel on with Chapman was whether or not he profiled as a starter. IMO, if that’s they way the team evaluated his talent and stuff then they should do what it takes to try to sign him. If not then there’s reason to be more cautious.
But he’s a much better pitcher than he was during the WBC.
Unless he gets hurt he is going to be an absolute monster. His stuff is dazzling. He throws harder than Randy Johnson.
From the left side – you just don’t see this. It’s truly astonishing. The term gets thrown around some, but he truly is a once in a life time talent.
Daniel McCuthen got hammered in Arizona. 3.1 innings and 9 earned runs. Edwin Jackson even hit a homer along with Young, Snyder and Johnson.
blake:
feel you.
in the end, maybe one has to tip their hat to the Reds scouts. They evidently saw something, some of the other teams didn’t.
personally, i wasn’t impressed with the scouting info we were seeing. The reports made it seem like he may only be a relief pitcher. His mechanics were raw. His fastball command was spotty. And his secondary pitches, a question mark, etc. Apparently some of these views were shared by the Yankees and Redsox scouts. Otherwise, you can bet one of the 2 teams would’ve signed him. Not Cinncinatti
CB – Thanks.
I guess, we can say at least he’s in the National League.
CB,
Your comments earlier were dead on about Granderson, he’s dominating both sides of the game right now and has been just a game changing type player. Granderson + improved approach Cano + improved approach Swisher = gauntlet of a lineup.
“I was a little surprised the Yanks passed on that arm.”
This one is going to be tough, especially after not being able to sign Cole.
The way he throws the baseball…. it’s just amazing. He’s so athletic and coordinated and has such long levers… His kinetic chain is just remarkable to watch uncoil.
After he defected, I wrote a bunch of long posts saying that Chapman was a must sign for the yankees. That they could not pass regardless of price.
But as time passed there was more and more talk about many teams seeing Chapman as a reliever. And that was reasonable given how raw he was.
If he projected as a reliever he made no sense to sign.
I assumed that the yanks were profiling him to be a reliever.
Arm wise – this is one of the best arms to enter baseball in years. Him being left handed just puts him on an entirely different level where comparisons even become difficult.
If anyone wants to see a telling difference – look at how Cole Hamels throws the ball and look at how Chapman throws the ball.
And I’m not talking about velocity. It’s everything that comes before the release of the ball.
Hamels is a much more typical “plus lefty” the way he throws.
Chapman is just another beast. The way he throws is beautiful.
“Daniel McCuthen got hammered in Arizona. 3.1 innings and 9 earned runs”
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dayum. Always been high on McCutch
Vinny,
yup you have to tip the cap to the Reds for not only reading Chapman but taking that risk.
Edwin Jackson hit a homer??!?!?! Too bad pitchers can’t earn fantasy points
Landoni commits another error when he throws away an inning ending double play grounder. 5 runs have scored when Charleston should have been out of the inning without a run scoring.
What a day for Phil.
blake,
Granderson has been just phenomenal. He’s playing baseball at an absolutely elite level. It’s not even the totals he’s putting up but the way he’s playing the game.
It’s just amazing to watch.
His swing is so short, yet he generates massive bat speed. At the same time he plays plus CF defense and can dominate on the bases with his speed. He gets down the first base line so fast. And he’s a very smart base runner. On the bases he’s stolen – it’s not even close.
In retrospect I think it’s much better for him to not hit second. If he was I think he’d be reticent to use his speed to steal bases.
He’s been phenomenal. If he can continue hitting lefties only at the rate he has so far he’ll be an all star.
CB, if you watch old videos of the way Jackie Robinson ran the bases….always moving when on 2nd base, that’s who Granderson reminds me of. Really obvious when he went to third on the grounder to the pitcher. Few players steal bases feet first with a pop-up slide any more…always ready to run on an errant throw.
At the rate that granderson is hitting left handers right now, he’s going to hit .300 against them. he’s 3-10. Mash the ball off of the right handers and ping hits to left field off of the lefties is the best thing he can do right now.
FYI Roy Halladay is 2-0, with 0.56 era went 9 innings for his 50th complete game.
# gfd April 11th, 2010 at 6:58 pm
FYI Roy Halladay is 2-0, with 0.56 era went 9 innings for his 50th complete game.
I don’t know if its because hes that good, or the NL is that bad, or both
CB,
He’s really showing everybody why the Yankees wanted him so badly.
If he continues to progress against lefties then you could have two guys potentially making the leap to elite status (he and Cano). The lineup really has so much potential.
GB7,
Any comparison to the great 42 is really something. From everything I’ve read he seems to have been a superlative base runner.
Curtis has been great. You can just tell that he knows how to play the game. He’s got great baseball intelligence. Alex has it. Jeter has it. Mo, Tex and CC. Granderson fits into that mix very well.
Couple that baseball intelligence with his skill and physical ability. Quite a package.
What a great trade.
Halladay is that good. He’s like maddux with better stuff and more weapons. He’s going to destroy the national league.
GB7 -
Not to mention, Grandy is just so NICE!
(And cute, too.)
CB, if Granderson hits for the kind of average as Robinson, with 30 homer power, he’ll have an outstanding career. The real comparison was in the base running, though. Watching him jump back and forth at 2nd base was all Robinson. Haven’t seen him do any hook slides this year, but, that running style is pretty unmistakebable with his arms helping his balance and moving faster as he runs. Clemente had a similar running style.
Carl
49 of those complete games by Halladay was in the AL, REMEMBER? Today the crappy Astros didn’t know what hit them, lol. The score was 2-1.
“He’s really showing everybody why the Yankees wanted him so badly.”
It’s a real testament to how far the yankee’s system has come that they were even able to make a deal like that.
The tigers had very specific requirements in that deal. They wanted a CF and a starting pitcher.
The yanks having Austin Jackson in the system was the key to the deal. And that’s a real tangible gain from the system.
But the deal also required having a guy like Kennedy in the system. Arizona was only going to make the deal if they got back a major league ready arm.
Another reason why not making the Santana deal has paid dividends.
Doreen, he comes from the same sort of family background as Jeter…both professionals and educated, both mothers were teachers, so it’s no surprise that they are comfortable with the media and polite with everyone. It shows that they were taught to respect everyone. That’s a huge advantage that they had over someone like Rodriguez….family background.
BBTN doing KC/Boston highlights.
miscommunication between Hall & Elsbury scored a run. and beltre/ellsbury looked like it could’ve been avoided if either one was paying attention.
But Kruk did call the trop a joke because of the rings. and they made a little pedroia joke.
I also have been really impressed with AJ in both of his starts. I don’t know if he’s turned some kind of corner or what but he has limited damage and pitched through adversity in these first two starts as well as I’ve seen him. Let’s hope this becomes a trend.
How do you say ‘yo la tengo’ in Navajo?
Nice start to the season despite the tough April with a 4-2 record vs. our ALEast rivals on the road. The bullpen looks solid and the lineup is producing. We’re back to playing Yankee baseball, keeping it close in the first 6 innings and feasting on the opposing middle relief. This should be a fun season in the Bronx.
I can?t wait to see how Phil does.
With the start that Cano has had and the difference in his drive and committment to changing his approach, Pedroia knows that his status as “the league’s best 2nd baseman” is hanging in the balance. Pedroia’s size and swing will not age well, I don’t think.
hi………
It’s fitting surprising to check.
His sway is so position, yet he generates large bat move. At the one clip he plays positive CF aggregation and can overlook on the bases with his ratio. He gets drink the rank alkali credit so hurried. And he’s a rattling voguish control offset. On the bases he’s stolen – it’s not stuffy.
In remember I suppose it’s much outstrip for him to not hit agreement. If he was I believe he’d be taciturn to use his locomote to move bases.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Cynthia
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