[ad_1]
In the best of all possible baseball worlds, the 2022 Rockies will feature a player who thrives in the vast expanse of central field, strikes for power and poses a threat down the bases.
The Rockies might already have this player in Sam Hilliard. The emphasis is on power.
The tools are certainly there: 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, a sprint speed that ranks in the top 7% in the major leagues, a bat that produced an exit speed of 114.1 mph, and graceful athleticism that sets it apart. allows you to patrol the center at Champ de Coors.
What is missing is a coherent production. What gets in the way is way too many strikeouts. Hilliard’s base percentage of .294 2021 was far too low for an average player, and his strikeout rate of 36.6% was alarming.
Last season was tough for Hilliard, not just because of his struggles at home plate. His father, Jim, died on September 12 after a three-year battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
“I want to end (the season) strong,” Hilliard said after his father’s death. “He would have liked it that way. “
Manager Bud Black was impressed with the way the outfielder handled the loss.
“Sam handled it as well as anyone could handle it,” Black said. “There were some emotional moments with Sam. He kept his chin up, his chest open, he represented his family, he represented the cause of ALS.
Despite the brunt of his father’s illness and death, Hilliard found a way to stay engaged in baseball.
He went to great lengths to correct the flaws in this swing. He changed mechanics during the season, which is never easy to do. And, although Hilliard will be 28 in February, he has agreed to play winter ball in the Dominican Republic, most likely from November through mid-January.
“This is a winter ball type engagement from Sam to get more hitters and get more playing time,” said Black. “He’s got raw ability, we all see it. The five tools are all there. Now we just have to make more constant contact, put the ball in play and let his strength help his game. ”
Hilliard is ready to do whatever it takes to keep his promise.
“I want to get into (spring training) with a few hitters under my belt against a good pitcher and be ready to go,” he said. “I think it will help me be ready from the start.
Hilliard certainly doesn’t want a Spring 2021 rerun. He struggled mightily at the start of the season, reaching 0.108 with an OPS of 0.478 in his first 20 games. That prompted a trip to Triple-A Albuquerque on May 4 for a 53-game tune.
“He understands what he needs to do and he’s trying to make that adjustment against 95 mph fastballs, big league changes, big league break balls,” Black said.
There were signs towards the end of the season that Hilliard was finding a level of comfort with his new swing. It reached .243 with an .849 OPS in August and .243 with an .812 OPS in September and October.
He’s hit two home runs in Colorado’s last three games in Arizona, but he’s also sniffed seven times in those games and hit at a 32.5% rate in September and October.
In other words, Hilliard’s modified swing remains a work in progress.
Before the adjustment, his swing was too long and too curly. It played well in the minors, but left him vulnerable against big league pitchers who look for swing faults like sharks look for blood in water. According to Baseball Savant, Hilliard reached 0.250 against fastballs, but only 0.163 against brittle balls and 0.154 against all out-of-speed pitches.
Put simply, Hilliard’s hands are now much lower and the direction of his foot towards the ball has changed slightly and is more direct.
“The basic idea was just to try to simplify everything by bringing my hands a bit closer to my body and working more inside the baseball,” he said. “When I stay there it gives me the best chance to recognize low speed terrain and not hunt too much out of the area.”
Hilliard said adjusting his swing in the middle of a season was not as difficult as he had expected.
“It was natural and athletic and it gave me the ability to cope with it,” he said.
And while Hilliard admits last season “was pretty tough,” he said he’s in a better position.
“I feel extremely confident,” he said. “Every time I come to plate I feel like I have a chance to do some damage. It’s definitely a good feeling and it’s something that I feel I can trust. I know all I have to do is touch the ball, put it on the barrel and it’s going to be fine.
Progress reportRockies outfielder Sam Hilliard had a grueling 2021 season, including a 53-game stint at Albuquerque Triple-A in early May. But there were some signs of progress:
| Month | Games | Pennsylvania | Avg. | HR | SPO | SO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March April | 19 | 39 | .108 | 2 | .478 | 48.7 |
| July | 14 | 38 | .212 | 2 | .740 | 28.9 |
| August | 22 | 78 | .243 | 5 | .849 | 38.5 |
| Sept./Oct. | 25 | 83 | .243 | 5 | .812 | 32.5 |
Source: Baseball Reference
[ad_2]
Source link