Joe Maddon

I remember long ago, Longoria was in a big slump.

Not that he liked it, but they put him in the one hole, and all of a sudden, line drive started happening up the middle.

It's just rearranging the chairs on the deck, and it just gives a guy a different perspective.

but my viewpoint on that was whenever i did that with a really good offensive player that might have been struggling a bit i would say listen i really just want you to try to get on base when i want you to try to singles up the middle i want you to see pitches work counts etc etc but really play with the middle of the field first and then almost i mean invariably eventually a kind of relaxation component to it he starts seeing the ball better he starts playing with the middle of the field then all of a sudden but he normally does start showing up again

I think it's a mindset kind of a thing.

It's kind of a philosophical in a sense, but just a different look on occasion can't make a big difference regarding getting somebody unstuck that might be stuck in a mud a bit.

Well, I mean, that's classic George Brett right there.

George Brett's line in that situation, I use it a thousand times with my guys, was to try easier.

And, of course, that's easier said than done.

I wouldn't drop them down.

I always move them up.

And, again, just like I just mentioned to you, I would really try to minimize the goal per at-bat.

Because right now if he's trying too hard, he is trying big.

Everything's trying to be big.

He's trying to hit the ball farther, harder.

He wants to, you know, you look at the scoreboard, your batting average is like 215 and you want it to be 280 by tomorrow.

It doesn't work that way.

So it's a process kind of a situation.

So I really would lay it out to him just like we talked about in that previous segment there.

middle of the field, really simplify things, accept your walks.