Ned Yost and Braun's defense

[brewers255]

On mlbtraderumors.com it says that brewers manager Ned Yost is asking Braun to field 1,000 groundballs per day.

 

What are your thoughts on that, don't you think thats to much and he should be resting up or taking it a little easier this off-season?

[JJHardy7]

If Braun does this, I guess this answers the question for those who wondered if Braun wanted to improve. I really think that question to begin with was a knock on Ryan. I'm sure Braun has discussed his season with Milwaukee and he appears to be a very competitive guy -- I'm really liking this and we will see if he's improved pretty quick in spring training.

 

This is another example of Milwaukee wanting to keep Braun at 3B and Braun wanting to stay there. He's willing to move to the OF, but I don't think that's his first choice.

[stoops17]

I think it is good to see him working on his weak points, I am sure he is still taking his swings too.

[twobrewers]

I am sure he is still taking his swings too.

I don't have a link to the quote - but I am 90% sure that Ned said he wanted him taking 1000 balls a day. And not picking up a bat until February (or something like that)

 

I am sure it is an exaggeration - but you get the idea.

[Chorizo5]

does he want him to throw each one of these 1,000 ground balls to first, too? he better

[whizkid]

I hope not. He had a sore arm last spring. Probably can't overdo fielding balls but throwing you can.

[Brian the Automator]

does he want him to throw each one of these 1,000 ground balls to first, too? he better

The problem, according to Braun, was his footwork getting to the ball, which threw off his timing throwing. Yeah, as whizkid said, you don't want to throw a thousand balls to 1B a day.

I think it's a great idea...

[stoops17]

And not picking up a bat until February (or something like that)

Yeah I think you are right, I remember that now too.

 

[Invader3K]

1,000??? Really??? I'm not an athlete, but that sounds like a ton of work each day.

[Chorizo5]

does he want him to throw each one of these 1,000 ground balls to first, too? he better

The problem, according to Braun, was his footwork getting to the ball, which threw off his timing throwing. Yeah, as whizkid said, you don't want to throw a thousand balls to 1B a day.

I think it's a great idea...

 

well, i initially posted that as a bit of a joke. of course, he shouldn't be throwing the ball 1,000 time a day. however, i'm pretty sure the motion of throwing to first would include his footwork. so, regardless of what the problem was, practicing would help that. none of this will matter next year, however; cut-off men are much more mobile since they don't need to keep one foot on a base.

[dadofandrew]

1000 seems like a ton, but if you have your own coach hitting them, I suppose 12 or so a minute is possible, that's be about 2 40 minute sessions.

[mothershipconnection]

Fluent performance in anything requires a lot of repetition and speed. There's obviously a limit to how far each person can advance in each skill, but I'd say that having Braun practice to a level many would see as excessive is the way to go.

 

The problem is that you need accurate performance at low speeds before mass trials will do you any good. Otherwise, you're just becoming more fluent at making the same old errors.

[Baldkin]

Very true MSC.

 

Until you know how to do it right, drilling yourself in doing it wrong won't help at all.