June 23, 2008
Denbo Split
The Toronto Blue Jays hitters seem to be split on former batting coach Gary Denbo. Matt Stairs didn't like Denbo's approach:
Matt Stairs likes what he hears from Gene Tenace, the Toronto Blue Jays new hitting coach. And he is not bashful about declaring that the former coach, Gary Denbo, did not suit his style.
Stairs believes he is not the only Jays hitter who regressed under Denbo. And he says Denbo's approach also contributed to the Jays home-run drought this season.
"I honestly think that this team has forgotten how to pull baseballs," Stairs said Sunday. "That's why our home runs are down. You get into batting practice and you're hitting balls to right-centre, left-centre, instead of working on the proper way of pulling baseballs, and elevating baseballs."
Rolen and Overbay disagree:
But after the offence stepped up in Sunday's 8-5 win over Pittsburgh, Scott Rolen and Lyle Overbay maintained that Denbo did not endorse a passive approach.
"I've been hearing that a lot," Rolen said. "I don't agree with it ... It hasn't been this season, by design, in any fashion, that we were going to take, take, take. We've been up there to hit all the way through."
Overbay said Denbo simply urged batters to "get a good pitch to hit and go after it."
I'm guessing Denbo tried to push all batters into a particular hitting style, rather than trying to recognize a hitter's strength and working with those. Those that match his style will like him, those that don't won't.