Chapter 1: What insights does Liam Hicks share about his hot start to the season?
All right, welcome back to Blair and Barker, brought to you by Capital One. Capital One, giving Canadians credit for 30 years. Well, as we mentioned before the break, the Miami Marlins have been... one of the better stories in baseball this year. They got off to a terrific start.
The National League East is kind of in a weird state of affairs right now with the Mets and the Phillies kind of on the... Bit of a slippery slope here. But the Marlins have just kind of quietly been there, kind of setting themselves up for perhaps, some of us thought, a playoff spot this year. It was a long shot.
One of the reasons the Marlins have gotten off to the start they've gotten off to is our next guest.
Chapter 2: What hitting strategies did Liam focus on during Spring Training?
He is a native of Toronto. He is Liam Hicks. Catcher and first baseman with the Marlins. There he is. Liam, thanks so much for joining us today on Blair and Barker. Hey, congrats on the start to the year so far, man. I know the last year, 10 for 24, your last six games, 21 games played for four homers, 19 ribbies, 926 OPS. What's it like to be on a roll in the majors?
It's pretty fun. Yeah.
Chapter 3: How does Liam Hicks handle slumps during the season?
No better place you'd rather be on a roll, but yeah, it's been good. It's been fun. Team's been a lot of fun, obviously. Haven't won as many games as we'd like to the last couple series, but hopefully we turn it around now.
What's been the major, or what was the major point of emphasis for you in spring training when it came to hitting, and has that in fact carried through to this start?
Yeah, I think you could go back to even the start of the offseason. The main focus was to get some more power and try and hit some more homers. Obviously, last year had some success, but a lot of singles, controlled the strike zone well, put the bat on the ball, but was looking to do a little bit more damage this year and still trying to do that.
Liam, I noticed when I was looking up your stats that you've been hammering the breaking ball. What's led to that part of your game?
Chapter 4: What is the significance of the ABS challenge in MLB?
Yeah, it's tough to say. I think last year I was so focused on hitting fastballs, just trying to survive and just trying to be on the fastball. And then this year, I think in the offseason, I just did a better job of working on everything. And I think, you know, being on time for that fastball, you're automatically going to be able to adjust a little bit better to the other stuff.
So that's helped a lot. How about being used to the league? Like, you know, seeing pictures that you've seen before, how much does that help?
I definitely don't think it can hurt. I think it definitely helps just kind of being used to the travel, used to the stadiums, used to playing the teams, you know, maybe seeing how they pitch you certain times. It definitely helps a lot.
Chapter 5: How does the Marlins' coaching staff support players like Liam in-game?
And then also just, you know, being more comfortable. Confidence is a big thing that can help you in this game. So, you know, knowing that you can go out there and do it and have success, it takes a lot off you mentally.
Mm-hmm. You know, when you look at some of your stats from last year, you know, you had the fifth lowest out-of-zone swing percentage. I mean, a lot of your numbers were just tremendous in terms of what? You ranked second in strike percentage. With percentage, you led MLB. I mean, your profile was a little bit like Luis Urias, which is not bad. How do you add power without taking away from...
the obvious strengths of your game? Great question.
I think the Marlins really did a good job of kind of showing me what some added bat speed could do to me and be able to help, you know. Obviously, that's not something I want to take away from my game, but if I could trade, you know, a couple swings and misses throughout a week for – you know, a couple balls hit 95 plus. That's going to help me in the long run as the season goes on.
So that was just something like, you know, being patient is something that I've always been good at. But, you know. One thing that we've talked about a lot is it would be better to swing and miss than to hit a 50-mile-an-hour ground ball, especially with less than two strikes. That's kind of what I've been trying to figure out how to do.
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Chapter 6: What changes has Mike Trout made to improve his game this season?
That's pretty cool. Where's the Marlins at? I know you mentioned earlier you haven't won as many games. You'd like to win a couple of games under .500. The Jays are struggling, too, when it comes to wins. But where do you think your team as a whole is at this early in the season?
I'm pretty optimistic about our team. I think we're going to be really good. Obviously, yeah, we started off really hot and then just kind of hit a rough stretch. But, you know, that's baseball.
Chapter 7: How do the Angels' young players impact the team's performance?
You know, there's lots of ups and downs. It's a long season. But the good thing with us is the clubhouse hasn't changed at all. You know, wins or losses, it's the same guys in here going to give the same effort every day. So really optimistic with the next few weeks and hopefully the rest of the season as well.
Liam, how hard is it early in the season to, I don't want to say get off to a hot start, but control your slumps early in the season?
definitely it's it's definitely tougher you know you early in the season you know you get that one hit and the the average might jump 50 points or you go for two and then you see it dropping another 50 so it's it's tough not to look at that when it's on the the giant jumbotron on the stadium but yeah really just trying to be a good teammate you know try and uh Just take it one day at a time.
I think just being my second year now, it's definitely been a little bit easier of mentally knowing what to expect, knowing like there are going to be ups and downs. You don't have to panic after, you know, two 0-4 games.
Chapter 8: What are the expectations for the Angels and their pitching staff this season?
It's baseball. It's going to happen.
Liam, we just finished talking to Dan Schulman, and one of the things we were talking about with the Blue Jays is it's still pretty obvious they're trying to find their comfort level with ABS, both as hitters and also behind the plate. I'm just wondering how you have found it, and because you are off to such a good start offensively, do you...
do you have to, I try to figure out how to ask this, but I mean, do you have to keep your knowledge of the strike zone and everything? Do you have to kind of keep it in check so that, you know, first inning, I know that's a, I mean, I know that's a strike, but I can't call it because the first ending I'm behind the plate, you have to kind of find that balance.
Yeah, I definitely think there are optimal times to use it. Yeah, we've kind of got a strategy in place where we're trying to use it in optimal spots. You're not trying to use it in an 0-0 count with two outs and no one on base. Even if you're sure, the reward isn't as great as bases loaded, two outs, and they've got... the guy strikes you out on a close pitch.
You know, you might be more willing to challenge that. So I think it's definitely an adjustment. I think a lot of the league's kind of trying to figure out how to do it the best to it. to do it the best and we use it in the best strategy possible. But yeah, so far it's been a little bit of an adjustment.
We've got, we've used a lot and overturned a lot behind the plate, which is, which has definitely been helpful.
Now are the Marlins and I apologize cause I don't, I don't have this right in front of me, but are you still getting some help from the dugout and calling pitches? Cause I know we saw the Rockies here and they were doing it. And I got to tell you quite frankly, it's, It worked. It worked in the case of the Rockies. Are you guys still doing that? And is that as big a deal as people in baseball?
Some people in baseball make it out. Does it upset you any?
Yeah, that's a good.
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