Convo with hitting coach Jeff Albert

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Jocephus
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Convo with hitting coach Jeff Albert

Post by Jocephus »

A Conversation with Cardinals Hitting Coach Jeff Albert
by David Laurila
November 6, 2018
https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/a-conve ... ff-albert/
Jeff Albert brings a combination of common sense and analytic know-how to his new job as St. Louis Cardinals hitting coach. He also brings with him a degree of familiarity. Prior to joining the Astros organization in 2013, Albert spent five years tutoring up-and-coming hitters in the Cardinals’ farm system.

Last season was his first at the big-league level. After four years as Houston’s minor-league hitting coordinator, the 38-year-old spent the recently completed campaign as the Astros’ assistant hitting coach. His expertise is multi-faceted. Along with being a new-age hitting guru, Albert is a certified strength-and-conditioning specialist with a master’s degree in exercise science.
it's like, 15 paragraphs of his thoughts

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GeddyWrox
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Re: Convo with hitting coach Jeff Albert

Post by GeddyWrox »

This feels like a pretty big coup for us.

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CardsofSTL
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Re: Convo with hitting coach Jeff Albert

Post by CardsofSTL »

nice read; thanks for posting

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Joe Shlabotnik
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Re: Convo with hitting coach Jeff Albert

Post by Joe Shlabotnik »

He's no John Mabry.

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sighyoung
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Re: Convo with hitting coach Jeff Albert

Post by sighyoung »

Image

HEY HEY HEY! IT'S JEFF ALBERT!

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go birds
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Re: Convo with hitting coach Jeff Albert

Post by go birds »

Lol

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Jocephus
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Re: Convo with hitting coach Jeff Albert

Post by Jocephus »

The Cardinals new batting coach has a system for helping players avoid striking out. Is this system something that can have an element that the players can work on during the offseason? Are there spring training exercises that will be scheduled? Is it something mainly for players who strike out a lot, or is it something that other players will benefit from also?
George M.


Excellent question. From my understanding -- and I hope to ask more about this through this winter -- this is part of what the Cardinals are doing this offseason. They sent out PDFs and emails to players throughout the 40-man roster with data about what worked, what didn't work, and what could be worked on. For some, this was like heat maps about where a pitch was most successful, or for hitters where they did the most damage. (Keep in mind teams usually use heat maps now for damage, not average. They're pointing out where extra-base hits happen, slugging happens, not guys hitting .300.) So, the Cardinals are using analytics now to open up conversations with players that will take place with coaches, trainers, nutritionists, and so on throughout the winter. Albert will be a part of that, and the goal will be to get a head start on what he's going to work with them on so that, yes, some of this work can be done during the winter. Swing prep can take place before Florida.
Derrick Goold

Aside: Privately, Matt Carpenter has been telling anyone who asks or anyone who he can get to listen that Albert is one of the best hitting coaches he's had and one of the best he thinks there is in the game. Just FYI.
Derrick Goold

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CardsofSTL
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Re: Convo with hitting coach Jeff Albert

Post by CardsofSTL »

Cardinals look forward to working with new hitting coach

As soon as Kolten Wong heard of the Albert hire, he texted Mike Shildt. Wong wanted to connect with the manager’s new hitting coach. Wong had heard things. How he was “amazing.” And how he’s “ahead of the curve.” Wong’s call to Albert ended up lasting a couple of hours. They discussed Wong’s heat charts of the strike zone.

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MAGA
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Re: Convo with hitting coach Jeff Albert

Post by MAGA »

How is this data applicable when hitting depends on reaction time in nearly hundredths of a second. Genuinely curious. I guess it can help you adjust to holes in your swing and pre-swing setup.

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Re: Convo with hitting coach Jeff Albert

Post by lukethedrifter »

MAGA wrote:How is this data applicable when hitting depends on reaction time in nearly hundredths of a second. Genuinely curious. I guess it can help you adjust to holes in your swing and pre-swing setup.
Our big human brains are just wondrous in their ability to process information. Without us “thinking” about it.

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