Stacey King
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Joined: 7/21/2007
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Good add by the Yanks. Low risk , high reward.
Interesting Headley tidbit from a few weeks ago...
Chase Headley got a grip. Actually, he just got it back.
To be sure, there’s been a noticeable and long-awaited upsurge in Headley’s batting average since the start of this month, a rise from sub-.200 to .229 in a very short time. A week-long run of .462, including two four-hit games, will do that for your numbers and your confidence.
Less discernible, however, is what Headley identifies as a major reason for the vast improvement in July. It’s all in the hands.
Specifically, Headley has returned to his natural grip, which he admits is “unorthodox.” Instead of holding the bat fully with both hands, the switch-hitting Headley drapes and intertwines the pinky and sometimes even the fourth finger of his top hand with the first and second fingers of his lower hand.
“It’s just an overlap,” said Headley. “Not a golf grip, but similar. It’s not drastic for me, because it’s something I’ve done my entire career.”
Indeed, Headley was last using the crossover grip on a regular basis in the epic second-half he produced in 2012, the year he finished as the National League leader with 115 runs batted in and hit 31 homers. He broke a bone in his right hand in spring training of the following season, however, and that made his intertwined grip less workable.
“I struggled when I came back, so I went to a more conventional grip,” he said. “I decided to try to stay with it. I gave it a fair number of at bats this year and didn’t feel like I was able to control the barrel like I have in the past.
“I’d take what I thought was a good swing, but then I’d get on top and it rolled over. I thought I was taking the right approach to the ball, so I thought it was time to make an adjustment. So far, so good.”
With rumors spreading across the nation about Headley as trade bait – he’s in the final year of his contract with the Padres – Headley hadn’t endured a hitless game since the end of June before Tuesday night.
The presumption was that an epidural he received to battle a herniated disc had worked wonders on a body that’s been plagued with myriad injuries the past two seasons, and it certainly didn’t hurt either his timing or mechanics.
The change back to more-comfortable handle on the handle, however, seems to have made the most difference.
“It lets me feel a little bit shorter to the ball, gives you a little more leverage,” said Headley. “It’s not extremely common. Maybe only a few other guys who use it. It’s definitely unorthodox, but it’s something I’ve kinda done my whole life.
“I just trained my eyes to know where my barrel is the way that I swing. It’s hard to untrain. I think that’s a big part of what’s going on.”
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