Vernon Wells

But it was more related to more range of velocities, range of pitches, what they like to go to in certain situations.

But we also had to rely on our previous at-bats against pitchers.

So let's say we faced a...

uh a barry zito and his previous start he was throwing his curveball 30 of the time and let's say we were facing him and he didn't have control over it so things change over the course of the game uh over course of the bats i think for for for teams and communication at that point becomes key

The numbers kind of go out the door once the guy starts because if he's not feeling a certain pitch, if he can't control his slider, he's having issues going to certain pitches or he's going to certain pitches and certain counts and leverage counts.

Those are things that you have to be able to pick up on and communicate about from hitting coach standpoint, even to each hitter.

So that's where when you're when your team is locked in and you see teams offensively one through nine that are that are.

really going well.

I guarantee you communication and the information that's being passed along is at its all-time high.

So that's one of those things when it comes to cohesiveness of a unit, of cohesiveness of a lineup, that your communication skills need to be really good and

And when you're used to everyone who's around you, you're all speaking the same language and you're all pulling in the same direction.

First of all, it's fun.

It's fun being around guys that were a part of your career.

The first group was, I was able to be coached by Ernie and George.

George Bell was my roving hitting instructor in the minor leagues.

And we got a chance to catch up and just joke about his philosophy when it came to hitting, because we'd do early batting practice in the minor leagues.

And

it seemed like he just wanted to make you so mad that you swung harder and hit the ball harder.

And he said, once you did that, he loved it.

And now he says that wasn't what his approach was, but I was like, yeah, okay, whatever.