Will Bill Hall ever make adjustments?

[AJAY]

I remember when Bill Hall had his breakout season, he constantly slammed the ball to right centerfield for extra basehits. What ever happened to his opposite field hitting approach? He looks like he is swinging for the left-field fences all the time now. For the last THREE SEASONS, opposing pitchers have done nothing but throw junk over the outside corner and yet he has shown no ability to adjust. Everyone knows exactly how Hall is going to be pitched and yet he still can't seem to make the adjustments against righties

 

Now that Hall seems to be in a platoon again, I also worry that he is going to mentally lose it and feel the need to hit a five-run homerun to prove he can be an everyday player. I worry about him getting even worse.

 

I personally think need he needs to do three things: (1) Think opposite field, (2) Expect breaking balls low and outside, and (3) Shorten the swing. He has got enough natural power that he doesn't need such a long swing.

[Postseason2006]

Tonight was just brutal taking the golden sombrero. Lasix was not the solution. It is the lack of adjustments. Ryan Braun is a classic example of a guy that has learned how to take what they pitch him.

[bobskube]

No, he won't. He may change his stance a bit, but will not change approach. Is most stubborn guy on team and I am counting the days till he is gone.

 

He hurts the team against righties and should see very minimal ABs against them. Lefties only and he never should bat 2nd.

[moofnelson]

If he hasn't figured it out by now, I don't think he ever will.

 

I'm tired of Bill Hall. Every time he has 2 or 3 hits in a game, he says that he "figured something out" in batting practice. One time it was adjusting his hands. Another time it was because he wasn't wearing the right type of contacts. Now it's the Lasik surgery that is going to make him a better player. He has been the same player for the last three years. He's going down the same path that Sixto Lezcano went: a great right-center gap hitter that decided that trying to pull the ball over the left field wall is easier. Too bad. He's a pretty good defensive third baseman.

 

Let's let Gamel play third until his defense costs the team a game or two. Who knows, it might be tomorrow. Or, it might be August.

[owbc]

Bill Hall is my favorite player--but that is the Bill Hall who hit the ball both ways and came through late in the game. That being said, I would also rather see Gamel in there against all righties from now on. I worry a little about Gamel because he seems to swing at just about everything, but unlike Hall, he actually hits the pitches.

[Hate those Rodents]

He's a great platoon player on even a very good team. But there's only one side of the human body that he should ever see a plate appearance from.

[ELCABALLO45]

Bill Hall since 2007 has hit 34 home runs.

 

He has 5 of them going the other way or to center field. 29 of them he has pulled.

 

In 2006 Hall had 35 home runs.

 

He had 18 of them going the other way or to center field. 16 of them he has pulled.

 

That 35 home run season could of been the worse thing to happen to Hall. All he tries to do now is pull the ball. If he can ever learn to hit the ball the other way and make the pitcher pitch to him he could still be a decent hitter.

 

I remember at the start of 07, him hitting the ball the other way and having it fall just short of the wall many of times. I also think that made him pull the ball even more to match his 06' home run total.

 

[hauser42]

Bill Hall's career is on the downside. He has two very good years and since that happened he has come back to earth. He was very over rated since then as a lot of people feel he is going to bounce back and hit a bunch of bombs and play awesome D.

 

Excuses for Hall's fall have been almost every thing: being moved around (3B to CF to 3B), his batting stance and then his eyes. Bottom line is the free swinging Hall was just hitting more balls with some luck for 2 seasons and now he is missing more than connecting.

[Invader3K]

I missed most of last night's game, but that final AB had to be one of the worst ABs I've ever seen from anyone on the Brewers. It was like you could tell exactly how it would go. Three pitches and he was done.

 

I know you can't judge a player on one AB, or one game for that matter, but it was a pretty pathetic showing.

[BrewCrewForever]

I'm not sure he will ever be the player he was in the 2005 and 2006 seasons. Although he hit for more power in 2006 with the 35 HR's I always thought 2005 was maybe his better year hit 17 HR's with a .292 average. I hope Macha pretty soon just goes to a straight platoon Hall/Gamel. It is just painful to watch Billy try to hit RHP.

[Invader3K]

Someone on the JSOnline blog commented "Sometimes you have to take one step back to take two steps forward." Maybe last night was a case of that, as Hall will have nothing to complain about after not coming through yet again against right handed pitching.

[Ennder]

2006 was a fluke, BIll Hall is not a starting quality major league baseball player. He should spot start vs RHP and start every day vs LHP but he is a replacement level player against RHP.

[Invader3K]

Well, again, with Mat Gamel on the team at this point, there's no good reason not to give him chances to play if Hall is going to put on displays like last night's game.

[Ennder]

Having said what I did I'm still fine with him letting Hall hit last night now that I know the reason. He is giving Hall his chance to prove he deserves to face righties and Hall is showing him he does not because even if he lucks into a few hits it is painfully obvious his overall approach is horrible vs them.

[Invader3K]

Exactly. I have confidence that unlike Yost, Macha will not be sticking with a player who fails in certain situations indefinitely.

[naivin]

He won't, and having him bat 2nd in the order is insanity.

[Teatoe993]

Yeah. Macha has got to hide him down in the 6th or 7th slot and move Hardy up to the 2nd.

[Never Outhustled]

He won't, and having him bat 2nd in the order is insanity.

Hall dominates versus lefthanded pitching, why not take advantage of that by hitting him up in the order?

[Ennder]

Hall batting 2nd vs lefties is probably fine. Obviously if he is going to bat vs RHP he should bat 7th or 8th.

[RobDeer 45]

Ok, I hate saying throwing this aroudn but do you think he could have been one of the many players who used steroids? Just a thought. Because he seems to be so screwed up mentally the last few years. Guys who used, saw results, then stop using have big issues getting over the mental side of not using.

 

Either way Bill Hall has totally screwed himself up. He's constantly tinkering with things and it's just screwing him up mentally. He's always looking for different answers and he's not playing baseball. Hey, he's a great glove and can play a few positions but he's now just a platoon player or backup. I hate saying that but he's got face the music. The problem is, he still thinks he's that guy from a few years ago and seems to get selfish and stubborn when asked to be a role player. I wish he wouldn't act like that because I enjoy him on the field and seems like his teamates enjoy him (when he isn't complaining to the media).

 

I'd like to see Gamel at third with Billy coming in late innings and also backing up SS.

[naivin]

He won't, and having him bat 2nd in the order is insanity.

Hall dominates versus lefthanded pitching, why not take advantage of that by hitting him up in the order?

Because of the type of hitter he is. He is a bit of an all or nothing guy. Batting second, his responsibilities are generally going to be to do some sort of situational hitting, potentially with a man on, or get on base in front of Braun and Fielder. When I think of those things, Bill Hall is not near the top of the list. Now, I'm not blaming him, or even Ken Macha at this point, because I'm not sure we have the right guys on the roster right now. It seems as if whomever Macha sticks in the top two spots may be miscast somewhat.

[Never Outhustled]

Ok, I hate saying throwing this aroudn but do you think he could have been one of the many players who used steroids?

Only if Hall found some steroid that only works versus LHP.

[JohnBriggs12]

He's in a slump right now. Just a week ago he homered off the ace of the Marlin staff (a righthander by the way) which was the key blow in that game. Last night he got behind in counts on some borderline pitches that just as easily could have been balls including that last AB. It's a long season. Everyone goes through slumps. Hart's hitting .188/.253/.275 this month in 69 AB's. Nobody's calling for him to be benched.

[tyguy20204]

It's obvious from Macha's quotes that Hall has to prove to him that he can hit righties. If Hall doesn't hit them, which he won't, then Macha won't hesitate to PH for him in the future.

 

It's a good clubhouse thing to give Hall the chance, though, and I think Macha understands that.

[naivin]

Hart's hitting .188/.253/.275 this month in 69 AB's. Nobody's calling for him to be benched.

There's a pretty significant difference between the two (I don't necessarily think Hall should be benched, but I don't want him at the top of the order either)...there does not appear to be a better alternative for RF right now. Not sure the same can be said for 3B.