Goold post on Walker making significant changes

[Galatians221jb1]

https://x.com/dgoold/status/1994384798719279200?s=46

Sure hope this works. His comment about standing like a statue is spot on. He also needs to stop taking early fastballs down the middle.

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Yea, seems like every offseason there is a story about whoever going to Driveline, or whatever facility, and the guy talks about what they're working on and how good they feel.

But it's still a good read. Good to see that he's recognizing some of the things that were pretty obvious the last few years. Hoping it works, because I don't want to give up on the guy. This is probably his last year that he's going to be given a shot like this. Hope he takes advantage.

[scoutyjones2]

https://x.com/dgoold/status/1994384798719279200?s=46

Sure hope this works. His comment about standing like a statue is spot on. He also needs to stop taking early fastballs down the middle.

Lol. Bunch of nothing. Lots of messaging last year that the kid doesn't take to instruction and do the work

[C-Unit]

The potential must still be there. It's almost hard to remember he hit .276 with a .787 ops (113 ops+) his rookie year. Still only 23 (24 in May). He still can show himself to be a part of this new era for the Cardinals.

[BrockFloodMaris]

https://x.com/dgoold/status/1994384798719279200?s=46

Sure hope this works. His comment about standing like a statue is spot on. He also needs to stop taking early fastballs down the middle.

Lol. Bunch of nothing. Lots of messaging last year that the kid doesn't take to instruction and do the work

You might be right. Or, you might be dead wrong. JW might be the next perennial 20/20 RH outfielder that we give up on.

[Banner29]

My big concern with Walker is that he seems to mentally sh**s himself whenever he steps foot in the batters box. And that anything he has learned or changed at that point will be out the window.

Not trying to be a Debbie downer to how hard he apparently is working. It’s great and all. But he needs to work on between the ears too

[Carp4Cy]

https://x.com/dgoold/status/1994384798719279200?s=46

Sure hope this works. His comment about standing like a statue is spot on. He also needs to stop taking early fastballs down the middle.

Lol. Bunch of nothing. Lots of messaging last year that the kid doesn't take to instruction and do the work

You might be right. Or, you might be dead wrong. JW might be the next perennial 20/20 RH outfielder that we give up on.

Tony would have figured this out way before year 4. Made him listen or moved on from a lost cause.

[Galatians221jb1]

Here's a quote from Goold's article today on STLToday:

"The Driveline assessment confirmed what he sensed and what he and the Cardinals worked to change during the season: His back hip was collapsing. He was drifting forward in his stance, losing the anchor of that back hip and making him dive after pitches. That’s unplugged his power.

He was given drills that involve resistance bands and swing training to work on keeping his back hip firm and rotating from there.

“If you look at how I’m going to the ball, how I’m attacking the ball, my bat stays a little more still and it goes a little more direct, but also I’m not falling as much forward,” Walker said. “If you pull up an at-bat, 90% of them you would see a leak forward. I would leak forward a little early. It looks like a fall, and I feel like the drills are really helping me get rid of that. I can feel the difference. Now, it’s about getting that as muscle memory where I’m not thinking about it as much. I can just sit in that back hip and fire from there.”

That description alone hints at how else that stance will help him."

[bccardsfan]

Here's a quote from Goold's article today on STLToday:

"The Driveline assessment confirmed what he sensed and what he and the Cardinals worked to change during the season: His back hip was collapsing. He was drifting forward in his stance, losing the anchor of that back hip and making him dive after pitches. That’s unplugged his power.

He was given drills that involve resistance bands and swing training to work on keeping his back hip firm and rotating from there.

“If you look at how I’m going to the ball, how I’m attacking the ball, my bat stays a little more still and it goes a little more direct, but also I’m not falling as much forward,” Walker said. “If you pull up an at-bat, 90% of them you would see a leak forward. I would leak forward a little early. It looks like a fall, and I feel like the drills are really helping me get rid of that. I can feel the difference. Now, it’s about getting that as muscle memory where I’m not thinking about it as much. I can just sit in that back hip and fire from there.”

That description alone hints at how else that stance will help him."

Can they teach him pitch recognition? If he doesn't learn that, and understand how they are setting him up and getting him out, then he will still have troubles. Same with Gorman. I certainly hope for improvement and wish both of them success, but they just aren't very smart about their approaches so far....

[Swuhgen]

https://x.com/dgoold/status/1994384798719279200?s=46

Sure hope this works. His comment about standing like a statue is spot on. He also needs to stop taking early fastballs down the middle.

Similar story comes out every offseason.

[rockondlouie]

Yea, seems like every offseason there is a story about whoever going to Driveline, or whatever facility, and the guy talks about what they're working on and how good they feel.

But it's still a good read. Good to see that he's recognizing some of the things that were pretty obvious the last few years. Hoping it works, because I don't want to give up on the guy. This is probably his last year that he's going to be given a shot like this. Hope he takes advantage.

Ditto ronnie

[Galatians221jb1]

Agree. Listened to Ted Simmons debate Mike Shannon in a bar in Atlanta. Ted took Charlie Lau’s philosophy and Mike defended Ted Williams. It was fascinating. I remember Mike quoting Williams: “you’re lucky if you get one pitch to drive, if you take a first pitch strike, you may never get another pitch to drive”. Lau was George Brett’s guru. He divided the strike zone into quadrants. Only swing in your preferred quadrant early in the count. At two strikes expand your quadrants.” (all paraphrased). Walker looks at fat fastballs down the middle and is at 0-2 or 1-2 and feebly waves at a breaking ball. He has to be more aggressive early in the count. Gorman has the same problem. This is why I think Brant Brown is a subpar hitting coach.

[Adam2]

I'll believe it when i see it, and it sustains

[Youboughtit]

Here's a quote from Goold's article today on STLToday:

"The Driveline assessment confirmed what he sensed and what he and the Cardinals worked to change during the season: His back hip was collapsing. He was drifting forward in his stance, losing the anchor of that back hip and making him dive after pitches. That’s unplugged his power.

He was given drills that involve resistance bands and swing training to work on keeping his back hip firm and rotating from there.

“If you look at how I’m going to the ball, how I’m attacking the ball, my bat stays a little more still and it goes a little more direct, but also I’m not falling as much forward,” Walker said. “If you pull up an at-bat, 90% of them you would see a leak forward. I would leak forward a little early. It looks like a fall, and I feel like the drills are really helping me get rid of that. I can feel the difference. Now, it’s about getting that as muscle memory where I’m not thinking about it as much. I can just sit in that back hip and fire from there.”

That description alone hints at how else that stance will help him."

How does that help pitch recognition?

[Talkin' Baseball]

Here's a quote from Goold's article today on STLToday:

"The Driveline assessment confirmed what he sensed and what he and the Cardinals worked to change during the season: His back hip was collapsing. He was drifting forward in his stance, losing the anchor of that back hip and making him dive after pitches. That’s unplugged his power.

He was given drills that involve resistance bands and swing training to work on keeping his back hip firm and rotating from there.

“If you look at how I’m going to the ball, how I’m attacking the ball, my bat stays a little more still and it goes a little more direct, but also I’m not falling as much forward,” Walker said. “If you pull up an at-bat, 90% of them you would see a leak forward. I would leak forward a little early. It looks like a fall, and I feel like the drills are really helping me get rid of that. I can feel the difference. Now, it’s about getting that as muscle memory where I’m not thinking about it as much. I can just sit in that back hip and fire from there.”

That description alone hints at how else that stance will help him."

How does that help pitch recognition?

He won't look so hopelessly lost when he stays back on the hip, rather than lunging forward and across the plate?

[Ozziesfan41]

Here's a quote from Goold's article today on STLToday:

"The Driveline assessment confirmed what he sensed and what he and the Cardinals worked to change during the season: His back hip was collapsing. He was drifting forward in his stance, losing the anchor of that back hip and making him dive after pitches. That’s unplugged his power.

He was given drills that involve resistance bands and swing training to work on keeping his back hip firm and rotating from there.

“If you look at how I’m going to the ball, how I’m attacking the ball, my bat stays a little more still and it goes a little more direct, but also I’m not falling as much forward,” Walker said. “If you pull up an at-bat, 90% of them you would see a leak forward. I would leak forward a little early. It looks like a fall, and I feel like the drills are really helping me get rid of that. I can feel the difference. Now, it’s about getting that as muscle memory where I’m not thinking about it as much. I can just sit in that back hip and fire from there.”

That description alone hints at how else that stance will help him."

How does that help pitch recognition?

+1 it’s the same thing as when some people were saying Gorman was going to have a big year because he worked hard with brown in the offseason on his swing. great swing mechanics are irrelevant if you’re chasing unhittable pitches outside the strike zone and taking fastballs right down the middle. But it’s good he’s working hard at least