Rocco Baldelli and Carl Crawford could be 20-homer threats, but the Rays are cautious about tinkering.
By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published October 5, 2004
What is a hitting coach to do?
Tampa Bay's Lee Elia studied the swings of young stars Rocco Baldelli and Carl Crawford nearly every day during batting practice. He dissected them on video. Evaluated strengths and weakness.
Mostly, though, he watched baseballs jump off their bats. And that, believe it or not, is the problem.
Elia said there are subtle changes he could suggest that might turn both players from moderate to serious home run threats. On the other hand, he doesn't want to mess up a good thing.
"It's almost like a Catch-22," Elia said. "You see some things that can get better and maybe you can correct. But do you want to fool with somebody hitting .300 in the big leagues in their second year?
"Or do you let them continue getting their feet wet and understand themselves so when you make an adjustment in their swing, it's something they feel rather than being completely foreign to them?"
It is a complicated and important question for the Rays, who this season finished tied for 12th of 14 AL teams with 145 home runs and 13th with 714 runs.
If Tampa Bay is not going to spend money to acquire power (and until it proves otherwise, assume it won't), it must develop it. There seems no better place to start than with Baldelli and Crawford, who this season hit 16 and 11 home runs, respectively.
Manager Lou Piniella said he believes one, or even both, could consistently hit 25 with 100 RBIs.
"We need either Crawford or Baldelli to come out of the mix," Piniella said.
"You start talking about putting an offense together that can score 800 runs, you got to get those RBIs from somewhere. You need one of them to to develop into a 100-RBI guy and the other into a 60 or 70."
The benefits would surpass individual numbers.
Imagine what slugger Aubrey Huff could do if he had more protection in the order? And with the Rays loathe to pick up Tino Martinez's $8-million option, the lineup could have a 23-home run hole to fill.
Baldelli, a centerfielder from Woonsocket, R.I., hit .280 this season with 74 RBIs. Crawford, a leftfielder from Houston, hit .296 with 55 RBIs.
Both are 23 with muscular frames and room to fill out. Baldelli is 6 feet 4, 187 pounds. The barrel-chested Crawford is 6-2, 219. Perfect building blocks.
Crawford, whose 451-foot blast Sept. 24 against the Blue Jays was the second longest this season at Tropicana Field, said, "I take it as it comes. I'm just trying to hit the ball hard. If it goes, it goes."
Baldelli said he planned to hit significantly more home runs than the 11 he had in 2003 and bulked up. But he said the extra muscle inhibited his swing, and trying to yank the ball during exhibition games messed up his mechanics.
"It carried over into the first month and a half of the season," Baldelli said. "Now I try not to worry about things like that. I try to hit the ball hard and they've been taking off. That's how it happens for me. It doesn't happen when I'm up there trying to smoke or crush the ball."
What will provide Baldelli and Crawford more power? Elia prefered not to get into specifics.
Baldelli said he needs a more consistent and smoother push off his back leg. That would help him better hit breaking balls and cut down on an occasional uppercut.
Crawford said Elia wants him to flatten his bat. Crawford said he shifts it from flat to upright as he begins swinging, meaning he spends precious micro seconds flattening it before it gets to the hitting area.
Small things, subtle things. But Elia said they can make all the difference: as much as 10 to 20 points in batting average and a more "powerized" stroke.
"Both have the ability," Elia said. "Once they hone in on their swings a little better, they should bear the fruits of it."
The tweaking could start in November when Baldelli, Crawford, B.J. Upton and Jorge Cantu are in St. Petersburg for a hitting camp.
Elia said he will proceed with caution. It's not as if Baldelli and Crawford didn't produce. Still, so much more is expected.
"I can't worry about expectations," Baldelli said. "Once you start worrying about things, you don't perform. Over time you learn how to put different swings on the ball. You don't hit home runs by getting real big or swinging hard. It all comes down to hitting line drives and staying up the middle."
"I don't project myself at a certain level," Crawford said. "I surprise myself every year, so why should I say I just want to hit 20 home runs? Who knows how many I could hit one day."
