Ryan Mattheus

[Redsfan1507]

God forbid...but there are players so bad teams have to release them, under contract. Andruw Jones, Uggla, more. I'm hoping Bruce isn't one of them, but you can only keep running a .165 BA, or even a .200 BA, out there so long.

 

[JohnU]

Bruce would find work but he's never going to improve. His game is what it is. Lots of ballplayers over history found the same problem. If the rest of the Reds lineup was more potent, he could hang out and do like Mark Reynolds, -- hit 40, fan 200, hit .220 ... smile a lot ....

 

[Redsfan1507]

I don't get it - it's not like Bruce had been up 3 months and can't adjust to a new pitch scheme. He put together several decent years, then all the sudden, he's a sub-.200 hitter ? They haven't invented a new pitch, or way of pitching him- he just stopped being able to get a hit. His swing has regressed. It's him changing, not the pitching.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

I'd agree.

A injury will change a athletes kinetic sequence, especially a lower body injury. When he couldn't transfer his weight from left to right, he found another way to get into hitting position....most likely initiating early hip rotation. He still appears to be flying open early finishing in the step in the bucket position.

If you practice doing something the wrong way long enough...it'll feel right even when it's wrong. Essentially he's probably still using the same kinetics he was using when he was injured.

 

[WvuDieHard]

Bruce is probably the biggest failure for the Reds in the last 20 years. Comparing the money to the production.