Ankiel, cont..........

That's unusuall that a mlb player goes into a slump,I believe that was stated by more than 1.

I believe it probably has a little to do with the accusations right now.

I would like to say he will pull through it but knowing his past,I have my doubts.I hope I am wrong.

Not just his hitting seems to be suffering.

His slump has little to do with mechanics and more to do with what is above the shoulders.IMO

quote:

His slump has little to do with mechanics and more to do with what is above the shoulders.IMO

I don't think so....

Chameleon said Ankiel's swing mechanics were questionable and that his swing probably wouldn't hold up.....And, he was right.......He took alot of flack for saying it as Ankiel was going good at the time.....

Now, it's time to give Chameleon the credit he deserves....

So is it his mechanics that is affecting his defense also?

quote:

Originally posted by BlueDog:

quote:

His slump has little to do with mechanics and more to do with what is above the shoulders.IMO

I don't think so....

Chameleon said Ankiel's swing mechanics were questionable and that his swing probably wouldn't hold up.....And, he was right.......He took alot of flack for saying it as Ankiel was going good at the time.....

Now, it's time to give Chameleon the credit he deserves....

OMG! You've got to be kidding me! I guess ARods mechanics are suspect too, huh??? What was he 1 for 57 between 499 and 500th home run. I would venture to say 80% of the players in the MLB had 1-20 or more streaks. I agree with tfox, the slump started with the steroid scandal.

So true its, so true

BlueDog- -EDITED. NO MORE ATTACKS OR FOUL LANGUAGE-and you know it. Everybody goes in slumps. The pressure with the HGH story has everything to do with it. The kid is a great athlete and his swing has been effective at every level of professional baseball. You guys can over-analyze all you want. The bottom line is that unless you push yourself away from your ergonomically-correct computer chair and get on the field, none of you have any credibility.

While I wouldn't disagree that technical improvements to a swing can help a player -- that's just stating the obvious -- the notion that there is only one way to swing the bat and succeed is a fallacy. Baseball history is replete with examples of players with cranky swings who produced, even made it to Cooperstown. Some of them are such amazing athletes that they can overcome their eccentricities. Others just fall into a comfort zone, or they excel in a way that doesn't fit some folks' preconceptions of how someone "should" swing.

Bluedog likes the HR, and who doesn't? But is there room in his world view for, say, Rod Carew? How about slap-and-run guys like Brett Butler or Otis Nixon?

All players go through slumps, as we know. I wouldn't tap dance on Ankiel's grave just yet. The evidence establishes that he has the eye-hand coordination and the natural power to hit in the bigs. Maybe he'll get back on rhythm on his own. Maybe he'll get with a swing guru and work on his swing mechanics. Maybe he'll figure out what advance scouts have noticed about him, how they're pitching him, and come up with a strategy to fill in the hole they're exploiting.

The fact is, the bloom is off the rose for the Cards and they are now going to have to just play out the season without hope of a playoff berth. Before everyone starts patting themselves on the back with a bunch of "I told you so's", maybe you'll want to wait and see how Ankiel produces over an extended period of time, like over the entire 2008 season.

Over the entire 2007 season, he's pushing 40 HR's I think, and while a lot of that is vs. minor league pitching, minor league pitching is not chopped liver. And overall he has been more than productive at the major league level.

If a guy produces and he doesn't fit your mold, maybe the problem isn't with him. Maybe you need more than one mold, to account for how different players use different approaches to succeed in different ways.

Midlo Dad,

Ankiel's average is dropping like a rock......Homeruns have come to a halt.....

Good call, Chameleon....

Oops. He had 2 hits on Sunday.

P.S.

Do you also sell your investment stocks every time they go down for a few days? If so, I'm buying!

Ankiel is 1 for 5 tonight. Slight edge to Chameleon....I will update the scorecard later.

bottom of the 13th

I hope we don't have to keep up with Ankiel inning by inning.

If Ankiel gets a sixth AB it could really sway the outcome..... the suspense is killing me.

He's up.

struck out

"That is a Little League swing being performed by a great athlete."

"Bust him hard in off the plate. Then fastballs low and away. Sliders away.

"Change up should give him REAL trouble."
Quotes by Chameleon


Ankiel's average has dropped about 100 points since Chameleon said these things well over a month ago............And, the homeruns have stopped.......

I must add, Chameleon also said these things while others were praising Ankiel's ability to keep it going by virtue of his swing and/or his mental makeup..........