Andy Haines named hitting coach

[PinaMadness]

He was the Cubs assistant hitting coach last season.

 

[And That]

Haines is very progressive from an analytics standpoint. Seems like a good hire/good fit.

 

To wit, here’s the last thing he retweeted:

[brewmann04]

adding another analytics guy guess this is putting a stamp on what DS is looking for .

[TURBO]

The hitting coach on a team that had hitters regress tremendously?

 

This doesn't make me feel that great.

[And That]

The hitting coach on a team that had hitters regress tremendously?

 

This doesn't make me feel that great.

He worked with Christian Yelich as a coach in the Marlins’ minor league system. That seemed to turn out ok.

[KCBrewerfan34]

I've always thought hitting coaches have minimal impact to the teams offense. However, it would be nice if we could teach a few players to not swing at balls in the dirt or are a foot outside.

 

I'm guessing this guy will be able to provide some behind the scenes insight which might help our pitching.

[dlk9s]

I'll wait to hear what he has to say at a press conference and then read into every word he says.

[502 to Right]

I think hitting coaches get too much credit for team hitting success, and too much blame for team hitting failure.

[sveumrules]

The hitting coach on a team that had hitters regress tremendously?

 

This doesn't make me feel that great.

 

Not the hitting coach, the assistant hitting coach.

 

Cubs batters 2017 | 108 wRC+

Cubs batters 2018 | 107 wRC+

 

How much of that one point decrease in wRC+ can we confidently attribute to the assistant hitting coach?

[BrewCrewForever]

Last time they plucked a guy from the Cubs coaching ranks and gave him a promotion in position it was DJ, that turned out okay. Hopefully Haines can have a positive impact on our guys the way DJ did.

[3and2Fastball]

Good hire! (I think)

 

It is good to get everyone on the same page in terms of analytics. I'll be interested in seeing if Stearns brings in another high contact/high batting average hitter ala Cain/Yelich. The 3TO guys are good to have in a few spots in the lineup, but too many of them really kill rallies & comebacks etc, especially in the postseason.

[Thurston Fluff]

I've always thought hitting coaches have minimal impact to the teams offense. However, it would be nice if we could teach a few players to not swing at balls in the dirt or are a foot outside.

 

I'm guessing this guy will be able to provide some behind the scenes insight which might help our pitching.

 

Maybe I'm wrong but I think hitting coaches help fix mechanics or change the type of swing somewhat but strike zone judgement is more on the player than the coach. I just can't see many coaches teaching them to swing at garbage.

[patrickgpe]

I think Counsell deserves the benefit of the doubt on this one. He did a good job hiring his initial staff. I was thinking they would bring in Hinske. I’m much more interested in who they bring in as pitching coach. Not sure how much the hitting coach moves the needle day by day over the course of the season.

[Oxy]

I've always thought hitting coaches have minimal impact to the teams offense. However, it would be nice if we could teach a few players to not swing at balls in the dirt or are a foot outside.

 

I'm guessing this guy will be able to provide some behind the scenes insight which might help our pitching.

 

Maybe I'm wrong but I think hitting coaches help fix mechanics or change the type of swing somewhat but strike zone judgement is more on the player than the coach. I just can't see many coaches teaching them to swing at garbage.

 

Kinda depends on the age of the player. A young guy may have not seen enough different types of pitches/ spins/ arm angles/ etc. so he is more easily fooled by big league pitching. Teaching a young player to recognize how he is being fooled is a pretty big aspect of being a hitting coach.

 

On this team that basically means that Arcia is the only guy really still "coachable" in a true teaching sense--and perhaps Aguilar.

 

I would prefer that a good teacher like that would be at Wisconsin or Carolina rather than the big league club--but again, minor league pitching might not actually be good enough to consistently fool batters based on a scouting report as most pitchers are working on their own stuff rather than worrying about the scouting report of the hitter.

[JohnBriggs12]

The hitting coach on a team that had hitters regress tremendously?

 

This doesn't make me feel that great.

 

Not the hitting coach, the assistant hitting coach.

 

Cubs batters 2017 | 108 wRC+

Cubs batters 2018 | 107 wRC+

 

How much of that one point decrease in wRC+ can we confidently attribute to the assistant hitting coach?

 

Cubs batters in 2017: 223 HR 822 Runs Scored 1,401 K's

 

Cubs batters in 2018: 167 HR 761 Runs Scored 1,388 K's

 

I believe only the Orioles had more games where they scored 1 run or less than the 2018 Cubs

[pacopete4]

Kris Bryant played 50 less games last year. I’m sure that plays into those stats a bit.

[CrewFanBrewMan69]

Haynes was with the Cubs for longer that last year I believe while all their guys were developing. I think he’s a pretty solid hire for as much as a hitting coach can possibly matter.

[homer]

I don't even know who the Brewers assistant hitting instructor is...or if they have one. Anyone giving this dude credit or blame for anything the Cubs did or didn't do is really pushing an agenda.

[Oxy]

I don't even know who the Brewers assistant hitting instructor is...or if they have one. Anyone giving this dude credit or blame for anything the Cubs did or didn't do is really pushing an agenda.

 

There used to be a phrase "paralysis by analysis." Not en vogue these days. Especially on the internet.

[patrickgpe]

I don't even know who the Brewers assistant hitting instructor is...or if they have one. Anyone giving this dude credit or blame for anything the Cubs did or didn't do is really pushing an agenda.

Last season it was Jason Lane, I do agree with your larger point. I’m sure Craig met with him, liked his approach and hired him. Can’t really look at the cubs performance for any benchmark.

[Patrick425]

Not sure the hitting coach has anything to do with this, but would really like to see Brewer hitters show a little more patience at the plate after following a guy who just walked on 4 or 5 pitches.

[Samurai Bucky]

Not sure the hitting coach has anything to do with this, but would really like to see Brewer hitters show a little more patience at the plate after following a guy who just walked on 4 or 5 pitches.

While I agree, didn't Yelich hit better when being more aggressive earlier in the count?

[homer]

Not sure the hitting coach has anything to do with this, but would really like to see Brewer hitters show a little more patience at the plate after following a guy who just walked on 4 or 5 pitches.

While I agree, didn't Yelich hit better when being more aggressive earlier in the count?

 

Yes and it was on purpose. The theory is that pitchers are more likely to throw in the zone early in the count. Rather than wait for the pitcher's "out" pitch you attack early. It can be frustrating to see guys ground out on the first or second pitch but obviously can't quibble with Yelich's results.

[Patrick425]

Not sure the hitting coach has anything to do with this, but would really like to see Brewer hitters show a little more patience at the plate after following a guy who just walked on 4 or 5 pitches.

While I agree, didn't Yelich hit better when being more aggressive earlier in the count?

 

Yes and it was on purpose. The theory is that pitchers are more likely to throw in the zone early in the count. Rather than wait for the pitcher's "out" pitch you attack early. It can be frustrating to see guys ground out on the first or second pitch but obviously can't quibble with Yelich's results.

 

 

I don't mind being aggressive early when the pitcher is throwing strikes, but when the pitcher just walked the last guy on 4 straight pitches or 5 pitches and showing signs of not having great control, I don't get it. I may be imagining it, but it seems like I saw this a lot this year.

[amt2138]

I don't mind being aggressive early when the pitcher is throwing strikes, but when the pitcher just walked the last guy on 4 straight pitches or 5 pitches and showing signs of not having great control, I don't get it. I may be imagining it, but it seems like I saw this a lot this year.

 

I am very much not on board with this. The theory here is that if a pitcher is wild and not throwing strikes that when he does throw strikes he is going to be "wild in the zone." Major league hitters need to be trusted in this scenario to hunt their pitch. I 100% agree with you that if the pitcher goes from 4+ balls in a row to a nasty pitch on the black, you don't need to be swinging on that. But if hitters are going up their hunting a certain pitch and they get it, I absolutely want them to swinging at it.

 

Taking pitches in your nitro zone just because the previous pitches have been wild is a good way to give the pitcher the advantage back that you have just gained.