Morning Post: April 18, 2007

by Valatan on Apr 18, 2007 6:30 AM EDT in News Comment 30 comments

Well, I had to work during yesterday's game, and I can't say that I feel too horrible about having missed that. This is Izzy's second appearance in a losing game this season. I forgot the feeling of having your closer pitch in an uncontested game, just needing to get his work in. Can't say that I missed that particular feeling. We all are quite aware that the pitching is holding up more than was expected--the Cardinals forty six runs thus far is enough for their pitching staff to rank in seventh place amongst major league squads, and second in the NL (Mets, Dodgers). Also clear is the fact that the offense is simply struggling mightily. Every single player on the roster, with the exception of Chris Duncan, seems to slumping and pressing and struggling mightily. Zubin was kind enough to assemble a side by side video of Albert's first home run on Sunday, interspersed aside one from his destruction of the Reds on Easter 2006. The latter is on the left, the former on the right. Video appears below the fold.

These two homers are against two different pitchers, and the pitches delivered are two different pitches. But there are a few things that are starkly different in the two videos. Zubin notes that the swing is slower and more compact now versus last year, and that the follow through is different. The main difference I see, however, is that Albert doesn't seem to really be using his legs in the 2007 shot--the 2006 blast has him turning on his legs, allowing him to use the full power of his body in his swing. The 2007 shot shows none of this--he seems to be hitting the ball with nothing but his upper body. The footwork just looks so severely different in the two shots that I can't help but think that this might be a primary source of the problem. I do remember a similar flaw developing in Mark McGwire during his decline phase--he lost the ability to drive from his leges, and just became increasingly dependent on lofting balls over the fence. The enheartening thing is that McGwire was an older player on the decline by the time that flaws in his swing began to develop. Pujols, however, is young, and there is every indication that he enventually will be able to bust out of this slump. Or else, I don't want to think about the ramifications for this team.

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Actualy I think Poo's swing is SLOWER and LESS COMPACT think year. He doesn't seem to have those quick (strong) wrists he had last year.

I sent a gif of the video (maybe LB or V can post that too) and if you frame by frame look at his swing some things can be seen.

His footwork for both homers start at the same time in frame 2 and gets more pronounced by frame 4.

His swing in '06 mainly occurs in frames 5 to 6, but in '07 he starts his swing earlier (frame 4) and takes a bit longer to get the bat trough the zone. Frame 7 shows Albert's 06 bat clearly ahead of '07 dispite the fact that he started his swing earlier in '07.

by Zubin on Apr 18, 2007 8:24 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wow

thanks for the video. It really is pretty clear how dis-similar the two swings are. In 2006, which pretty clearly was the best Albert has ever swung the bat over a month or two (he carried the club), his crouch is much deeper and the swing slower.

But what is really striking to me is the angle of his upper body. In the 2006 shot, Albert's upper body is at a slight angle coming through the swing, but the lower body is still pretty well straight. This is not the case in 2007, as from the feet to his head, Albert is leaning toward the Cards dugout coming through his swing. It almost looks in the 2007 shot Albert is moving his whole body to avoid twisting just his upper body. Makes we wonder again about an injury.

by JMedwick on Apr 18, 2007 9:15 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

albert doesn't seem healthy this year....

though I am not sure that's his only problem. But seeing how consistent he's been thus far in his career, something is wrong. The oblique theory sounds the best to me so far, as his hammy (obvious on the few times I've seem him actually run this year) I wouldn't think would have that kind of impact on his hitting. Albert wasn't the same last year after he came back from his oblique injury (he was just albert, but he was on fire therebefore).

his mechanics are definitely altered, much more closed now, hitting w/upper body.

other suggestions?

by HoosierCardFan on Apr 18, 2007 9:16 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Check out the hands

It's tough to tell, but it appears that in the '06 swing that his hands are much closer in, he's using less arm, and the bat is traveling faster through the hitting zone. It also appears that his swing is more level.

This could be due to a relative lack of leg drive and hip/trunk rotation in the '07 swing. Less leg and hip drive means the shoulders and arms are doing more of the work to uncoil the torso and whip the bat through the zone. It would also catch an upward arc in the swing.

Just my 2 cents.

by Hungry Jack on Apr 18, 2007 10:09 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I 100% agree.

n/t

by Zubin on Apr 18, 2007 10:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

My thoughts:

Can we be sure that the speeds are equal in the videos? I just don't buy the fact that we can judge bat speed by this breakdown. Am I completely wrong here?

My thoughts on his mechanics:
1)AP is definitely squatting lower. This impedes his powerful hip turn. He does not "stand up" as the ball gets into the hitting zone either. He stays crouched, his hips remain out toward the 3B line.

2)AP opens his hips before he rotates his trunk. His swing is "dissociated" - probably decreasing his bat speed. Look at the 2006 swing. His hips open, his trunk rotates, and his left shoulder rotates almost at the same time. Awesome swing.

3)AP has changed his footwork on the front foot. See how he "loads" by turning his front foot inward in 2006. Nothing there in 2007.

I can't really say what may be causing this. I wonder if he has an injured oblique, but I can't say that this video gives us any evidence of an injury.

Albert's 2007 swing doesn't look all that bad, really. I have seen more issues with pitch recognition this year.

by silent_bob on Apr 18, 2007 10:10 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Video speed/ Pitch recognition

I can't be sure that the MLB.TV video is the exact same speed, but based off of how they were recorded they are very likely close.

As far as pitch recognition goes could that simply be a byproduct of a slower swing starting sooner?

by Zubin on Apr 18, 2007 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I can't really see where the ball is but his hips

snap open awfully fast.

by sdrone on Apr 18, 2007 10:31 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

this is interesting

and thank you a ton, zubin, for going to the trouble. i'd like to know how you achieved this; it's illustrative.

my general impression is that the 2007 swing depends more on the arms, as opposed to the whole body. some of the people above articulated this much better than i could have.

but like silent bob i hesitate to draw firm conclusions. the pitches are extremely different. look at where the catcher is set up on the respective pitches: in the '06 frame(s), the catcher is set up on the inside corner, and they bust albert inside with a fastball. (at least, the mph reads "89" in the lower left corner of the frame, so i assume it's a fastball.)

for the '07 pitch, the catcher is set up on the outside corner ---- maybe even off the corner --- and the pitch is a breaking pitch.

this may explain a large part of the difference between the two swings. you have to be quick and compact to catch up to an inside fastball --- but on the outside breaking pitch, he had to adjust to the speed (that may be why the swing appears slower) and then reach out over the plate.

i'm not arguing that differences are completely meaningless, but don't think we can say they're definitive. i'd like to look at additional side-by-sides like this one and see how the year-to-year swings compare.

by lboros on Apr 18, 2007 10:38 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

More side by sides

I can try to make another video, if someone will do the footwork, so to speak and find an '06 and '07 swing to compare.

And I agree and understand about the limits of the subjects I chose, but I still firmly believe his wrist are slower this year. That is why he is getting jammed and has no power the other way. I really really hop I am wrong because if I am right I think the problem is very serious...

by Zubin on Apr 18, 2007 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Very good points...

Pitch type does make a difference. Albert rotated his hips early in the 2007 video, but he may have kept his hands and shoulders back to adjust to the breaking ball.

I have some videos saved on my Windows Media Center - All the World Series games and Opening day. I can check these out, see what I see.

by silent_bob on Apr 18, 2007 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lower Half

Look at his lower half from impact through the end of the swing. His entire lower half is opening up in 2007. You can see both of his legs in full view at the end of the swing. In 2006 his lower half remains square and his right leg is partially hidden by his left at the end of the swing. We have seen his lower half flying open way more this year especially on inside pitches..

by TenRingsAndCounting on Apr 18, 2007 10:49 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

In other news...

Weaver got lit again. 7 runs in 6 inn.
Schmidt is going to the DL.

J. Stark reports:

The cards are 0-7 this year when giving up more than 2 runs.
AROD has out-homered the entire Cardinals team.

1 and 2 make me happy that we didn't commit big money to either of those guys. 3 and 4 make me wish we had acquired a bat. I'm still on the Pat Burrell bandwagon. We need a righty bat that can mash lefthanders and play RF.

by OCCardsFan on Apr 18, 2007 11:14 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I wouldnt mind giving up a few arms

To land Burrell, but its doubtful anything will happen until JuanE is back.

by El Hombre on Apr 18, 2007 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

crouch

the video is small on my computer so i'm not sure this is accurate, but it seems that in 2006 pujols was more on top of his feet in his crouch, ie further forward. this year his butt seems to be sticking out more and he's leaning back further, putting his body behind his feet and likely not letting him use his legs as much. i don't know much about anatomy, but i suspect this may have something to do with the lingering hamstring injury. just a guess.

by jojo5492 on Apr 18, 2007 12:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Contract Insurance

someone asked about contract insurance a few days ago.

http://www.baseballmusings.com/archives/cat_management.php

Yeah, probably still can't go more than 3 years. This article lists a reason or 2 GMs offer long contracts.

by sdrone on Apr 18, 2007 1:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Opposite Field

I can't say that I've watched all the games this year, but I cannot remember Albert driving anything to the opposite field. It always seems like when he is really on, he drives the ball consitently to right for singles and doubles, causing pitchers to try to bust him in.

We all get excited when Albert is hot and the catcher sets up inside because we know if the pitch misses by an inch it's gone. I haven't seen any of that this year. Albert has been swinging at balls off the inside corner, jamming himself. Look at the game against the Pirates on Monday.

He almost opporates like a pitcher in that he sets up the inner half of the plate by hitting balls on the outer half to right field for line drives. We haven't seen any of that this year. Instead he is trying to pull everything, resulting in a lot of weak ground balls to short and third. Not a good sign.

We've seen this happen before, both with trying to pull everything and poor power numbers. Think when he came off the DL last year. No power, but he was hitting the ball to right. I'd rather see Albert start banging doubles to right. Have him get control of the plate again. He's always described himself as a line drive hitter that sometimes hits home runs. I think the power numbers will work themselves out, but he needs to get back to his tried and true approach at the plate.

That's all, I always like watching MattyMo pitch, but let's beat him up tonight and hope Keister can get away with some more 81mph soft sliders.

get up baby, get up

by jimmybaseball42 on Apr 18, 2007 2:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

4/28/06

If you have mlb.tv watch pujol's 14th homer in '06. He went deep the otherway there.

by Zubin on Apr 18, 2007 9:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Go over to Bleed Cubbie Blue

and check out the pics on there. I'd post them here but don't know how. Peoria brought Sandberg to the dugout with the Clydesdales. I hope they don't turn our opening day tradition into a losing one.

That's bad karma.

by Pujols4Pres on Apr 18, 2007 2:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hasn't been mentioned there yet

But in that game Ozzie Smith threw out the first pitch to Ryne Sandberg.

Peoria Chiefs article on that.

by liam on Apr 18, 2007 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So they're trying to steal our wizard

and our Clydesdales?

Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Actually that's pretty cool.

by Pujols4Pres on Apr 18, 2007 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Albert said he was hurt last week in the PD

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/C02708C95AF68E7C862572BE001035C3 ?OpenDocument

Albert admitted he was hurting. his oblique was bothering him again after opening night when he hurt it again. plus his hammy has been bothering him since early in the spring. so does that explain the big diffeances in the swings? could something else also be bothering him?

how do the Cards fix Albert's injuries? are there any quick fixes? anyone got any ideas?

anyone got any ideas about how to fix the rest of the teams offensive struggles? PacBell isn't exactly a good park to break out of any hitting slumps. next two games don't look good for our hitters. MattyMo also wants to beat us badly.

I can't believe how down I am on the Cards after less than two weeks.

The 2006 St.Louis Cardinals. WORLD CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD. And That's A Winner!

by gdm426 on Apr 18, 2007 3:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The beautiful thing about yesterday's game

is that the 3 'everyday' players with the best OBP/Batting Averages on the team over the last week: Chris Duncan, Adam Kennedy and Yadier Molina were all sitting down.

Aaron Miles was the only real 'qualifying' player over the last week that was in the lineup with an OBP over .300.

Walk your dog, not Pujols.

by Hardcore Legend on Apr 18, 2007 4:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

another jack

for Ankiel. apparently thats all he can hit, though.

by longhornscardinals on Apr 18, 2007 6:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wow he has now hit 5 right?

That is only two less then the entire big league squad put together. Obviously he needs more seasoning but that is encouraging.

by OCCardsFan on Apr 18, 2007 8:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

AP media

ok not sure its been said and i won't rant about the neg media pub on AP. However a few weeks ago when they played Houston there was a thing I read about him sitting with Reporters after he ended the game and was struggling...Didn't say he was angry or hostile or anything but he was candid..now that could mean angry I guess or it could be honest...It also talked about how he was immediately viewing tape.

I thought it was a good piece and def. tore down the Bonds comparisons IMO...just thought i'd drop that in..no i don't have a link cause i'm retarded

Kenny is a "dirt" bag?

by punchinjudy on Apr 18, 2007 6:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

BirdLand has a good article

I was wondering in the game thread the other day who calls the pickoffs. Goold has a good discussion. I'm still not sure if AP or Yadi call them, but it seems that it could be either.

He also gives a shout out to VEB again. Keep up the great work Larry, Erik and Val.

by OCCardsFan on Apr 18, 2007 8:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs