Here's A Pretty Good Breakdown Of The Braves Outfield Struggles

[Falconsfan567]

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/37394/braves-outfield-trio-needs-to-start-hitting

[K26dp]

Yes, it's a good analysis. From this it looks like if Justin Upton can make an adjustment to lay off or fight off pitches up in the zone, he should be back to being productive. It's a better explaination than "he doesn't want to hit".

Heyward's stuggles against left-handers is more of a long-term issue, but Heyward certainly is young enough to improve in that area.

[north falcon]

Here's a pretty good breakdown...

Old fossil Mexican league Marlon Byrd vs. Young superstar Justin Upton - who has the edge?

Batting average - Byrd

HR - Upton

RBI - Byrd

Doubles - Byrd

Slg % - Byrd

OPS - Byrd

OF assists - Byrd

[K26dp]

Here's a pretty good breakdown...

Old fossil Mexican league Marlon Byrd vs. Young superstar Justin Upton - who has the edge?

Batting average - Byrd

HR - Upton

RBI - Byrd

Doubles - Byrd

Slg % - Byrd

OPS - Byrd

OF assists - Byrd

So as a Mets fan, would you trade Marlon Byrd for Justin Upton?

[north falcon]

So as a Mets fan, would you trade Marlon Byrd for Justin Upton?

In a heartbeat. I've said here a few times that I think Justin is a great player. I'm just making a point on how random baseball players can be.

[K26dp]

In a heartbeat. I've said here a few times that I think Justin is a great player. I'm just making a point on how random baseball players can be.

Fair enough.

[Birdy™]

He's clearly not doing something that he did in April. So I was thinking Justin's problems has something to do with his reaction time.

I tried to see if maybe he had gained weight, or even lost weight, that might have affected his swing negatively, but after looking at different clips of Justin from

April and from the past 2 months, I hadn't noticed any difference in his physique. Nor his batting stance.

So I just came to the conclusion that Justin's poor performances the last couple months isn't something physical, but mental. I mean all I can possibly believe is that maybe he suffers from depression or possibly he just lost his passion for the game. Or maybe he's just simply lazy.

[Falconsfan567]

He's clearly not doing something that he did in April. So I was thinking Justin's problems has something to do with his reaction time.

I tried to see if maybe he had gained weight, or even lost weight, that might have affected his swing negatively, but after looking at different clips of Justin from

April and from the past 2 months, I hadn't noticed any difference in his physique. Nor his batting stance.

So I just came to the conclusion that Justin's poor performances the last couple months isn't something physical, but mental. I mean all I can possibly believe is that maybe he suffers from depression or possibly he just lost his passion for the game. Or maybe he's just simply lazy.

It is mental but it's not a lack of passion for the game. It's a lack of confidence in trusting his hands. But the good news is that the last 2 games he has gotten a couple of big singles that shows he might be getting some confidence back.

[Birdy™]

It is mental but it's not a lack of passion for the game. It's a lack of confidence in trusting his hands. But the good news is that the last 2 games he has gotten a couple of big singles that shows he might be getting some confidence back.

That is true, he's been batting runners in lately, but his power's not there. Maybe scouting reports have just figured him out.

[Falconsfan567]

That is true, he's been batting runners in lately, but his power's not there. Maybe scouting reports have just figured him out.

He had to get back to getting hits first. Then he'll get back to hitting for power.

[Birdy™]

He had to get back to getting hits first. Then he'll get back to hitting for power.

I hope you're right.

[K26dp]

So I just came to the conclusion that Justin's poor performances the last couple months isn't something physical, but mental. I mean all I can possibly believe is that maybe he suffers from depression or possibly he just lost his passion for the game. Or maybe he's just simply lazy.

Baseball is a game of constant adjustments and one one of doing things isn't going to be successful for anyone any length of time. There's also mental and physical fatigue, injuries, and other external factors involved. Finally, hitting a baseball well is the most difficult thing to do in any team sport.

If you are actually trying to figure something like "why is Justin Upton playing worse now than two months ago", look for those reasons first, because they are much more likely than depression or laziness. As much as fans hate to hear it, because human minds naturally want cause-effect relationships, but sometimes a player is just having bad luck. I'm not saying that's the case for Justin, but it does happen and can effect performance over small sample sizes, like a week or even a month. It goes in reverse too... Justin was good and lucky for most of April, which is what contributed to his performance that month. While we expect a good player to stay good, luck never holds and there is always regression to true talent level. Justin is a good player, but he's not a 1.136 OPS hitter as he was sporting at the end of April.

But fans that call out players, or even whole teams, for being "lazy" is pretty, well, lazy since no major leaguer gets to where he is without working for it. Usually the answers are there if you look in the numbers and listen to what the players and manager is saying.

[Birdy™]

Baseball is a game of constant adjustments and one one of doing things isn't going to be successful for anyone any length of time. There's also mental and physical fatigue, injuries, and other external factors involved. Finally, hitting a baseball well is the most difficult thing to do in any team sport.

If you are actually trying to figure something like "why is Justin Upton playing worse now than two months ago", look for those reasons first, because they are much more likely than depression or laziness. As much as fans hate to hear it, because human minds naturally want cause-effect relationships, but sometimes a player is just having bad luck. I'm not saying that's the case for Justin, but it does happen and can effect performance over small sample sizes, like a week or even a month. It goes in reverse too... Justin was good and lucky for most of April, which is what contributed to his performance that month. While we expect a good player to stay good, luck never holds and there is always regression to true talent level. Justin is a good player, but he's not a 1.136 OPS hitter as he was sporting at the end of April.

But fans that call out players, or even whole teams, for being "lazy" is pretty, well, lazy since no major leaguer gets to where he is without working for it. Usually the answers are there if you look in the numbers and listen to what the players and manager is saying.

That's a great point, great post, but of course there has to be something mentally affecting Justin's performance as a hitter.

I know momentum is a wild, crazy thing but over a period of time, one should be able to regain their momentum and start hitting better. And that's what makes this situation with Justin Upton so odd. He's had only 2 HRs in the span of two months, while he had 13 in the span of one month back in April. You can't just be unlucky for two whole months.

[Falconsfan567]

That's a great point, great post, but of course there has to be something mentally affecting Justin's performance as a hitter.

I know momentum is a wild, crazy thing but over a period of time, one should be able to regain their momentum and start hitting better. And that's what makes this situation with Justin Upton so odd. He's had only 2 HRs in the span of two months, while he had 13 in the span of one month back in April. You can't just be unlucky for two whole months.

I would say Justin Upton is slowly but surely getting back on track. Here's what he's done in his last 5 games.

.278/.435/.333 (.768) - 5 G, 23 PA, 18 AB, 1 R, 5 H, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 4 BB, 2 SO, 1 SB

The most important thing there is that he has only 2 strikeouts in those 5 games and they came in the same game. So he's had 4 games without a strikeout. Like I said yesterday he had to get back to just getting hits first. Then the power will come again.

[K26dp]

That's a great point, great post, but of course there has to be something mentally affecting Justin's performance as a hitter.

I know momentum is a wild, crazy thing but over a period of time, one should be able to regain their momentum and start hitting better. And that's what makes this situation with Justin Upton so odd. He's had only 2 HRs in the span of two months, while he had 13 in the span of one month back in April. You can't just be unlucky for two whole months.

The thing is, a week, a month, even two months is a relatively short period of time in the course of a season or a career. There's nothing particularly remarkable about an eight-week slump. It's not really "momentum", it's a set of adjustments and factors. There's no whistle or bell that goes off when someone gets in or out of a slump. There's not a magic pill that solves a slump. Sometimes it's more batting practice, or less batting practice, or watching more or less film. Sometimes it requires rest if there's an injury or fatigue involved, sometimes the only thing that helps is getting as many at-bats as possible. Players and coaches try one thing and then the next and so on until the slump is over.

There's nothing that Justin is or isn't doing that any other player does. Justin doesn't strike me as emotional or demonstrative as his brother, and maybe that's what you're picking up as "lazy" or whatever, but people are different. That was the knock on him in Arizona, that he wasn't going to slam his head into a wall if things go bad like other players. I see that as a positive myself; the best Braves teams were poised and collected, win or lose.

[Birdy™]

I would say Justin Upton is slowly but surely getting back on track. Here's what he's done in his last 5 games.

.278/.435/.333 (.768) - 5 G, 23 PA, 18 AB, 1 R, 5 H, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 4 BB, 2 SO, 1 SB

The most important thing there is that he has only 2 strikeouts in those 5 games and they came in the same game. So he's had 4 games without a strikeout. Like I said yesterday he had to get back to just getting hits first. Then the power will come again.

And I have noticed that Justin has been making a lot better contact with the ball recently and showing better plate discipline, so it's only a matter of time, I guess, until the homers return.

However, after his homer back in the Padres game a few weeks ago, I really had thought we were finally going to see his mad slugging return. Turns out, that didn't happen. But maybe, like you said, that's all part of the gradual process.

[Birdy™]

The thing is, a week, a month, even two months is a relatively short period of time in the course of a season or a career. There's nothing particularly remarkable about an eight-week slump. It's not really "momentum", it's a set of adjustments and factors. There's no whistle or bell that goes off when someone gets in or out of a slump. There's not a magic pill that solves a slump. Sometimes it's more batting practice, or less batting practice, or watching more or less film. Sometimes it requires rest if there's an injury or fatigue involved, sometimes the only thing that helps is getting as many at-bats as possible. Players and coaches try one thing and then the next and so on until the slump is over.

There's nothing that Justin is or isn't doing that any other player does. Justin doesn't strike me as emotional or demonstrative as his brother, and maybe that's what you're picking up as "lazy" or whatever, but people are different. That was the knock on him in Arizona, that he wasn't going to slam his head into a wall if things go bad like other players. I see that as a positive myself; the best Braves teams were poised and collected, win or lose.

Well, I've seen Justin erupt before, though. I refer back to the Dodgers series a month or so ago where he flipped out over that one bad call (And rightfully so). And few other times when the ump had made a poor call, as well. So I know he cares. But I don't know how much "extra work" he's putting outside of the diamond. I know his brother has, not so sure about Justin.

Though I've played football and basketball, I've never really played baseball, but it is probably the hardest sport to play, mentally. So you are more than likely correct. It's just the rough nature of baseball.

[Falconsfan567]

Well, I've seen Justin erupt before, though. I refer back to the Dodgers series a month or so ago where he flipped out over that one bad call (And rightfully so). And few other times when the ump had made a poor call, as well. So I know he cares. But I don't know how much "extra work" he's putting outside of the diamond. I know his brother has, not so sure about Justin.

Though I've played football and basketball, I've never really played baseball, but it is probably the hardest sport to play, mentally. So you are more than likely correct. It's just the rough nature of baseball.

Just because you don't know how much extra work he's doing doesn't mean he hasn't been doing it.

[Birdy™]

Just because you don't know how much extra work he's doing doesn't mean he hasn't been doing it.

I never came to the conclusion that he was lazy. I was throwing it out there as a possibility.

[K26dp]

After watching him this weekend, I think Justin is trying to play through an injury. I don't know if it's his hand, something else, or a combination. He's visably wincing at some swings.

[Falconsfan567]

After watching him this weekend, I think Justin is trying to play through an injury. I don't know if it's his hand, something else, or a combination. He's visably wincing at some swings.

Yeah they said that was the reason he sat out a couple of games in Milwaukee.