Former Seattle Mariners Infielder Delivers Opinion on Julio Rodriguez and His Approach

If the Seattle Mariners are going to make a push to the playoffs, they are going to do it, in part, because of Julio Rodriguez getting truly hot at the plate.

Rodriguez has been solid this year, but not spectacular. He's hitting a respectable .252 with 11 homers and 41 RBIs entering play on Thursday, and he's stolen 13 bases.

However, I've made note multiple times about his approach at the plate on the Refuse to Lose podcast. I feel that he's getting himself too often and isn't getting into enough hitters counts.

I brought that point up to former M's infielder Jeff Schaefer on our most recent episode and asked him about Julio, and about approaches in general:

...every ​pitch ​that's ​thrown ​to ​any ​hitter ​in ​the ​major ​leagues ​is ​documented ​on ​video ​and ​the ​synergy ​platform ​that ​they ​have. ​So, ​before ​the ​game ​comes, ​they ​know ​that ​he's ​going ​to ​chase, ​they ​know ​that ​where ​his ​eyes ​are going to see ​the ​ball ​and ​they're ​not ​going ​to ​stop ​doing ​it ​until ​he ​stops ​doing ​it. ​Meaning ​they're ​not ​going ​to ​give ​him ​something ​to ​hit ​early ​in ​the ​count. ​They're ​not ​looking to ​go ​ahead ​and ​challenge ​him ​​because ​he's ​one ​of ​the ​most ​talented ​players ​in ​the ​game. ​So, ​he's ​got ​to ​recognize ​that ​and ​know ​that ​​he's ​not ​going ​to ​get ​challenged. ​So, ​he ​has ​to ​take ​a ​different ​approach, ​like ​you ​said, ​and ​he ​has ​to ​go ​ahead ​and ​zone ​a ​little ​bit ​better. ​

Meaning, ​he ​knows ​the ​pitches ​that ​he ​can ​do ​damage ​on. ​He ​has ​to ​basically ​start ​his ​swing ​into ​that ​zone ​and ​if ​it's ​not ​there, ​spit ​on ​it. ​And ​work ​yourself ​into ​a ​hitters ​count ​because ​that's, ​that's ​the ​only ​way ​that ​you ​hit ​at ​this ​level, ​now, ​because ​these ​guys ​throw ​so ​hard ​and ​they're ​throwing ​90 ​mph ​sliders, ​89 mph ​sliders ​100 ​mph ​fastballs ​and ​dirty ​change​ups ​and ​the ​balls ​just ​doing ​different ​things ​than ​it's ​ever ​done. ​So, you ​have ​to ​be ​extremely ​disciplined. ​And ​the ​other ​part ​of ​it ​is ​you ​can't ​miss ​the ​pitches, and ​we ​used ​to ​say ​this ​all ​the ​time. ​The ​best ​best ​hitters ​in ​the ​game ​don't ​miss ​the ​pitches ​they're ​supposed ​to ​hit. ​And ​if ​you're ​missing ​the ​pitches ​you're ​supposed ​to ​hit, ​you ​know, ​you're ​in ​trouble....

Schaefer spent parts of five years in the big leagues, including three with the Mariners (1990-1992).

You can listen to the full interview with him in our podcast player below: