Dodgers: Former Hitting Coach Analyzes Cody Bellinger’s Struggles
However people choose to spin Cody Bellinger’s struggles, there is always one common theme. Bellinger was once a great player and he has taken a huge leap backwards since his MVP season.
Despite his hitting struggles, Bellinger finds himself on an MLB team although rumors have started to come about his future with the Dodgers. Bellinger saw some huge lows during the season, going as much as eight games in a row without recording a single hit so his future being bleak comes with little surprise.
The talent is there, but the struggles have brought the attention of former hitting coach Mark McGwire of what Bellinger needs to do in order to get back to his MVP form (via AM570 LA Sports)
“He has to embrace the failure. He can’t run from it. Ca’t think that ‘oh i did ok’. No, you didn’t. He’s such a great athlete. Watching him and seeing what he did in 2019 winning the MVP he started having a downside the second half of 2019 and he really hasn’t recovered since then. He strikes out way too much.”
Bellinger has done great things with the Dodgers in the past, but the NLDS collapse was apparent that the Dodgers can’t afford any liabilities with scoring runs. It didn’t matter how dominant the Dodgers were all season long as the pitching unit collapsed right in time for the postseason and the entire team struggled to put points on the board.
Bellinger needs to find a way to step it up, but he may have run out of time to finally show trust within the organization.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube Channel yet? Subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up to date on all the latest Dodgers news, rumors, interviews, live streams, and more!
Dodgers News: Caleb Ferguson Makes Exciting Announcement With Wife Carissa
McGwire absolutely offered no insight into Cody’s hitting problems. Philosophical BS is not the answer. The answer lies in his mechanics. Get a coach that can straighten out his mechanics and have Cody adjust accordingly. I’d take a Cody that could hit .270 or .275 to any other center fielder in either league. Just get him on base, he doesn’t have to hit a home run every time he steps up to the plate.
Cody has been messing with his mechanics for 3 full years, with zero results. After his MVP season he dumfounded everybody by arriving the following spring with an entirely new batting stance. That, and everything he has tried since, has failed. Any batting coach can pull up video from 2019, and the Dodgers have some of the best batting analysts in the industry. I don’t think his shoulder is the same. Pre-shoulder surgery, just about anything Cody squared up in the air was way over the wall. Not any more.
Gary, I agree with you. Just talking is cheap. Give Cody something that will help him. I really want him to get back to the player he can be and I hope that will be with the Dodgers.
A great fielder one that reminds me of both Willie Mays and Willie Davis. maybe his fielding will keep him in the game. a player striking out 150 times in a season, is worth a dime a dozen. the minor leagues are felled with those kind of players
He can’t hit what he can’t see. I think a large part of his issue is with his eyes; more specifically his drooping eyelids, which is most likely an inherited trait and is progressive. His first consult should be with an ophthalmologist.
Your take is absurd and borderline racist. Many see 20/20 with “drooping eyelids” and it’s not any different than 2019. Big ears is also “progressive”. If you think a face lift is going to solve his problems, you’re delusional. His back and shoulder injuries, mixed with a complex swing that is difficult to replicate after said injuries are the issue here.
JimR48’s take is interesting but far out. But what would it hurt to check it out. Drew thinks Cody’s complicated swing along with his injuries are the culprit and that seems to be the consensus of most of the fans. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but Cody’s problems began long before the injuries. They started after the All Star game of his MVP season.
Beli is susceptible to high pitches because he sets his hands too low, drops the barrel and collapses his stance