What has happened to Bradley Jr?

[dustcover]

Jackie obviously had a tremendous first half of the season including the 29-game hitting streak where he was making solid contact it seems on every at bat while hitting over .400. Then, just when the hitting streak ended, his swing abandoned him. And from that date to the present he is hitting just a tad over .200.

 

What has caused this abrupt turnaround? Is he too concerned with putting up power numbers, or has he just lost his confidence, or was taking him out of the #9 hole had the effect of changing his mindset, or is it the newly acquired role and demand of fatherhood, or is it simply a player coming back to earth and returning to being the weak-hitting/defensive-whiz center fielder as that which he earlier showed himself to be???????

 

I find it incomprehensible that a player, sans injury or succumbing to the age factor, can ostensibly go from a glittering star in the galaxy to a burned out meteor tumbling to earth!

[sk7326]

If you were around for the Mike Napoli Experience, this should be entirely unsurprising. Bradley is very streaky - but the end product is super valuable. If he were guy who had that hitting streak, he'd be the best player in baseball. Bradley is a sort of three true outcomes sort of player offensively (with less power). Walk, strikeout, do something really good.

[mvp 78]

I just can't believe he doesn't have a 162 game hitting streak!

[dustcover]

If you were around for the Mike Napoli Experience, this should be entirely unsurprising. Bradley is very streaky - but the end product is super valuable. If he were guy who had that hitting streak, he'd be the best player in baseball. Bradley is a sort of three true outcomes sort of player offensively (with less power). Walk, strikeout, do something really good.

 

The Napoli Experience is a bit 'apples and oranges'. However, I do agree with your premise. And, the 'walk, strikeout, do something really good' trilogy is something I would readily embrace even if he struck out a third of his AB's but then 'walked' a third of his at bats, and 'did something good' a third of the time.

 

But this scenario is not at present playing out. Let us just hope that JF putting him back in the #9 hole will elicit a resurgence of his early season brilliance at the plate.

 

[sk7326]

August has been rough - but the other months have been fine - I would bet against a .237 BABIP persisting

[Bellhorn04]

Major league pitching and random variances happened to him. They can both be real pricks.

[moonslav59]

According to fangraphs, JBJ is the 12th best runner in MLB. That helps hide some of his deficiencies as well.

 

I could care less about Ks, as long as you get on base and/or swat HRs. JBJ does both well.

[oldtimer]

Jackie obviously had a tremendous first half of the season including the 29-game hitting streak where he was making solid contact it seems on every at bat while hitting over .400. Then, just when the hitting streak ended, his swing abandoned him. And from that date to the present he is hitting just a tad over .200.

 

What has caused this abrupt turnaround? Is he too concerned with putting up power numbers, or has he just lost his confidence, or was taking him out of the #9 hole had the effect of changing his mindset, or is it the newly acquired role and demand of fatherhood, or is it simply a player coming back to earth and returning to being the weak-hitting/defensive-whiz center fielder as that which he earlier showed himself to be???????

 

I find it incomprehensible that a player, sans injury or succumbing to the age factor, can ostensibly go from a glittering star in the galaxy to a burned out meteor tumbling to earth!

 

This may be beating a dead horse as I offered this point of view twice before, but JBJ appears to be using an uppercut swing of late. That means he has to be nearly perfect on a fast ball since his bat is looping with respect to the plane of the fastball coming in. Ted Williams book covered that point of view in detail. JBJ has a lot of power when he does connect, the problem is his contact rate. Yes, there are other things that can cause the low contact rate, but I would look to the simplest reason first.

[bosoxmal]

This may be beating a dead horse as I offered this point of view twice before, but JBJ appears to be using an uppercut swing of late. That means he has to be nearly perfect on a fast ball since his bat is looping with respect to the plane of the fastball coming in. Ted Williams book covered that point of view in detail. JBJ has a lot of power when he does connect, the problem is his contact rate. Yes, there are other things that can cause the low contact rate, but I would look to the simplest reason first.

 

Best afvice I ever heard (of) is: Wait, wait, wait---Quick, quick, quick. Betts does this to perfection. JBJ gets anxious. Yes, batting 9th will help.

[Wade Boggs]

I remember the days I heard, if JBJ can hit 240/250 and play great D I'll take it. Now playing GGD and hitting maybe 270 isn't enough....Expectations...

[Maxbialystock]

He pisses me off, but I'm wrong. He's a plus at bat, on the bases, and in the field and especially compared the $154M man the Yankees have in CF.

 

The point on the upper cut swing could be dead on.

[Hugh2]

at the end of the day, JBJ has had what amounts to a bad month. I'm not worried, players are streaky....with his defense people just wanted him to be a non black hole at the plate. Everything above that is just an awesome bonus.

[moonslav59]

Even with the .609 OPS over the last 28 days, JBJ still managed 11 RBIs, which places him 6th on the team in that time period.

 

It's not great, but it's also not "black hole".

[StephenCurry30]

Hitting .180 with a .250 obp is a black hole, thats what jbj has been this month

[jad]

Hitting .180 with a .250 obp is a black hole, thats what jbj has been this month

 

Exactly. Why deny it? Also, batting 9th hasn't done much for him tonight (except perhaps reducing the number of Ks from 4 to 3). Chili Davis? Isn't correcting this in your job description?

[StephenCurry30]

I am still not sold on him. yes, his overall season stats are good, but this is 2nd year in a row he has gone on an absurd hot streak for 2 months and been complete s*** the rest of the season. i don't know how to judge this guy or what to think.

[Bellhorn04]

Exactly. Why deny it? Also, batting 9th hasn't done much for him tonight (except perhaps reducing the number of Ks from 4 to 3). Chili Davis? Isn't correcting this in your job description?

 

The greatest hitting coach in the history of the world can't prevent all his hitters from having any bad months.

[Jasonbay44]

JBJ by month

April - ..807 OPS

May - 1.175 OPS

June - .804 OPS

July - .839 OPS

August - .597 OPS

 

He has only had one bad month, slumps happen. Lets relax a little bit.

[oldtimer]

The greatest hitting coach in the history of the world can't prevent all his hitters from having any bad months.

 

Of course they are working with him, but for some reason it hasn't been making a dent in his problem. He is a great defensive player with speed. We need him in the lineup but we also need his bat to come to life. It is strange how our left hand batters have gone silent recently with Shaw, JBJ and Leon when batting left have all been involved in a bad stretch.

[moonslav59]

JBJ by month

April - ..807 OPS

May - 1.175 OPS

June - .804 OPS

July - .839 OPS

August - .597 OPS

 

He has only had one bad month, slumps happen. Lets relax a little bit.

 

Agreed.

 

I think the 2 year sample size of JBJ is enough to have stronger faith in his ability level. In 776 PAs, he's at .262/.345/.494/.839. Combine this with stellar defense and base-running and you got a keeper.

 

OF WAR 2015-2016 combined:

16.6 Trout

13.3 Harper

11.4 Betts

9.8 Cespedes

9.0 Cain

8.3 Eaton

7.9 Springer

(7 more guys)

6.7 McCutchen

6.6 JBJ

 

He's a top 20 OF'er over the past 2 years. I'll take an occasional prolonged slump.

 

[oldtimer]

Agreed.

 

I think the 2 year sample size of JBJ is enough to have stronger faith in his ability level. In 776 PAs, he's at .262/.345/.494/.839. Combine this with stellar defense and base-running and you got a keeper.

 

OF WAR 2015-2016 combined:

16.6 Trout

13.3 Harper

11.4 Betts

9.8 Cespedes

9.0 Cain

8.3 Eaton

7.9 Springer

(7 more guys)

6.7 McCutchen

6.6 JBJ

 

He's a top 20 OF'er over the past 2 years. I'll take an occasional prolonged slump.

 

 

Today, three solid hits against three different pitchers and ones who had been striking him out the night before. Was it the day game or have the hitting coaches got Jackie back to a more level swing? Whatever it was, keep on doing it.

[moonslav59]

Today, three solid hits against three different pitchers and ones who had been striking him out the night before. Was it the day game or have the hitting coaches got Jackie back to a more level swing? Whatever it was, keep on doing it.

 

JBJ eventually may improve to the point where he can make quicker adjustments and keep away from pro-longed slumps. If or when he does, watch out!

 

I love this guy!

 

Thanks DD for not dealing away the player every GM wanted.

[Maxbialystock]

Wild applause for those who stuck by JBJ. I was definitely down on him even though I did not think he was headed back to where he was early last year and all of 2014.

[jad]

Probably my favorite player on the RS. That's why it drives me crazy when he goes into prolonged slumps and seems to be making no adjustments (something for which I blame the coaches, since I don't like blaming him).

[sk7326]

This is what he is ... a .270/.350 hitter with power and a lot of peakiness ... with the glove that is a fringe All-Star, so let's not sweat too much here

[Behindenemylines]

Looks tired and his swing is showing that with contact being an issue. Hopefully, the last couple of games means he is breaking out of the slump. With him you still get the great D.

[cp176]

I enjoy him for what he is. He is one hell of a player. Replacing everything that he gives us would be next to impossible to do.

[a700hitter]

I enjoy him for what he is. He is one hell of a player. Replacing everything that he gives us would be next to impossible to do.

I think that he has snapped out of his hitting funk

[moonslav59]

I enjoy him for what he is. He is one hell of a player. Replacing everything that he gives us would be next to impossible to do.

 

I totally agree. Props to Ben and DD for sticking with this kid through some tough times, not giving up on him, and not trading him when so many GMs called to ask about him.

[Wade Boggs]

Being dropped down in the lineup has been good for him. It's a good piece of mind. He can relax a little bit and not press. Without any injuries he should bat down there and continue to rake. Just being steady and consistent is the key. If he struggles with the bat , his glove is always there.