Seattle's Cal Raleigh Struggles: A Commentary on Role and Swing
Cal Raleigh's role as Seattle's catcher focuses on refining his stance and swing to enhance his performance. What does he need to do to turn it around?
Video Transcript
What do you, what do you think has happened to Seattle this year?
You know, I made a comment yesterday, Cab, that, and you know this as well as anybody, when you're a catcher and you're behind the dish 130 games, that right hand from a pitcher does this, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang.
Then you start getting these lazy hits to right field, and that's kind of what you're starting to see with Cal Raleigh, and starting to really take its toll on him.
When do you get to a point where you start doing this, "Hey, let's find another position for him.
Let's get him out there so he's not taking the wear and tear on his knees and on his right hand for him to be able to get his bat back."
Because that's a grinding spot back there behind the plate.
I've played it behind there, and when you're putting those kind of innings back there, that's a lot.
Do you think the Mariners need to start visiting that and go down that lane with him, with Cal Raleigh?
Yes, and also they should have already done that a long time ago.
So I wanna say this, as somebody that trains with a lot of baseball players, Cal has changed his swing.
And now when I say this, I don't want people to think, "Oh, so it's so simple that some, you know, guy that gets on, the internet and talks sports can just point out what it is, then why hasn't he fixed it?"
I'm not saying it's simple to fix, but it is simple to see what's happening.
His back elbow has disconnected from his hip.
His hands are extending a little too far out, which is causing his barrel not to stay in the zone as long.
And when your barrel's not in the zone as long, you don't have as much of an opportunity to hit the baseball.
What I'm getting at is this has been something that I don't understand how they have not taken him out for two weeks, three weeks, and fixed the swing, guys.
It's a mechanical thing in his swing.
So, and it, it's, it drives me crazy
