Article: How Do You Like Chris Parmelee Now?

[Parker Hageman]

You can view the page at http://twinsdaily.com/content.php/2976-How-Do-You-Like-Chris-Parmelee-Now

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Again, great stuff Parker. I hope Chris can continue to adapt and prove his readiness

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Good article, Parker. Thanks.

[kdrupp09]

Hopefully this is the break through we all have been waiting for.

[daanderson20]

Is the leg lift Brunansky-influenced? He played with Puck, ya know.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

Cool stuff as always.

I imagine that he was thinking "How do ya like 'MELEE NOW?" after that homer yesterday.

 

Is there post in the future for either Hicks or Kubel? They seem to have had the opposite trend this year compared to Parmelee and, say Suzuki...

[Otto von Ballpark]

Ultimately, with $242,200 of salary on the line to stay with the Twins, Parmelee accepted his reassignment to Rochester and went to work improving his offense.

 

More accurately, Parmelee was simply reassigned to Rochester. As it was his first time being outrighted, he did not have a choice in the matter. (I'll never understand why they still say he "accepted" a decision he had no choice in! I guess, maybe he accepted it more philosophically/emotionally, as in "came to terms with" rather than approved...?)

 

Diamond, having been outrighted previously in his career, was given a true choice whether to accept the assignment or become a free agent. (Question: would Diamond still have received his ~$280k split contract salary if he had declined the assignment? Or ParmeIee if he had simply been released? I know veterans like Pelfrey still get paid regardless, not sure if it is a different set of guarantees or lack thereof for pre-arb, split-contract guys.)

[Otto von Ballpark]

In 2013 and during spring training, Parmelee had changed his swing from the previous year. What Parmelee demonstrated last year was a more contact-oriented approach in his swing,

 

Was there a reason for this change? If it was contact, it failed pretty badly, no? He struck out as much as ever in 2013 (although frankly, his 2013 results were pretty similar to his 2012 MLB results, some of which came between very successful AAA stops -- do you have any GIFs of his 2012 swings, at AAA/MLB?).

 

I should add, great article and analysis as always. When the Twins try to hire you away, at least give TD a chance to match the salary!

[Parker Hageman]

More accurately, Parmelee was simply reassigned to Rochester.

 

Right, he didn't have a choice in the matter. Let's just say I meant he accepted his reassignment in the metaphysical sense.

 

Question: would Diamond still have received his ~$280k split contract salary if he had declined the assignment? Or Parmelee if he had simply been released?

 

In Diamond's case, he would have forfeited his salary if he did not accept. That was the big deal with his 48-hour decision window -- hard to see him declining that amount for a much smaller paycheck somewhere else.

[Otto von Ballpark]

In Diamond's case, he would have forfeited his salary if he did not accept. That was the big deal with his 48-hour decision window -- hard to see him declining that amount for a much smaller paycheck somewhere else.

 

Thanks Parker! There is indeed a big difference between $280k and a normal AAA salary. Given Diamond's performance thus far, I also wonder if that $280k is fully guaranteed, even if he is released? (Sorry for going off-topic!)

[TheLeviathan]

I've never got off the bandwagon with this guy and I really hope he proves he's ready to be part of the future this year. Love the adjustment they made so that he can drive the ball better. The results so far are very encouraging.

 

Also, and this is off topic, but my goodness did that Anthony quote about taking too many first pitches just drive me up the wall. Parmelee needed to drive the ball more, but what Anthony said about him basically applies to our star player more than anyone else. (And I don't even agree totally with that criticism for Mauer either, just a poor way to phrase that criticism on every level)

[Shane Wahl]

Great analysis. This is a very timely article.

 

1. We have to hope that this is a Dozier-esque kind of adjustment.

2. I agree mightily with Levi's comment about Antony.

3. How on earth did he go SO LONG with the toe tap????????????? Is there no Parker equivalent in the Twins organization??

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Was there a reason for this change? If it was contact, it failed pretty badly, no? He struck out as much as ever in 2013 (although frankly, his 2013 results were pretty similar to his 2012 MLB results, some of which came between very successful AAA stops -- do you have any GIFs of his 2012 swings, at AAA/MLB?).

 

I should add, great article and analysis as always. When the Twins try to hire you away, at least give TD a chance to match the salary!

Where's the LIKE button?

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Great analysis. This is a very timely article.

 

1. We have to hope that this is a Dozier-esque kind of adjustment.

2. I agree mightily with Levi's comment about Antony.

3. How on earth did he go SO LONG with the toe tap????????????? Is there no Parker equivalent in the Twins organization??

Agreed on all

 

How does a hitter go about changing his hitting mechanics? My assumption is (Frequently) the subject is broached by coaching staff, the player gets directed to a coach with film and stills much like Parker's, and then comparisons are made to other more successful players to emulate, then more film and BP, the repeat.

 

my assumption is, Joe is the best hitter in baseball and Parms has been struggling and shows a similar skillset to Joe, let's coach Parms into a higher contact more patient approach like Joe.

 

it seems like Brunansky and Molitor have had a profound impact on the team in a fairly short amount of time, and the shift of focus from contact hitting focus to power hitting focus with Parms may be more evidence of it.

[nicksaviking]

Great analysis. This is a very timely article.

 

1. We have to hope that this is a Dozier-esque kind of adjustment.

2. I agree mightily with Levi's comment about Antony.

3. How on earth did he go SO LONG with the toe tap????????????? Is there no Parker equivalent in the Twins organization??

 

Perhaps there is now in Paul Molitor.

[Parker Hageman]

When I talked to Tom Brunansky last year in regards to how he makes changes, he said he prefers hitters get a "feel" rather than a "look".

 

“A lot of that goes to just the feel. And that’s what hitting is anyways. Like anytime you play the game – it’s feel. You want guys to not really dwell on what they look at, it’s what they feel. And feel is easy to replicate, the look is tough. You can see something that looks like it needs a mechanical change in the swing and we’ll go try to implement it in the cage or on the field with the rest of the team, but it is feel that is easy to replicate and take that back into a game.”

via: http://twinsdaily.com/content.php/1714-Tom-Brunansky-is-getting-the-feel-for-the-job

 

I think in Parmelee's case, his 2013 was about feel -- he was more comfortable with that and used it more in the games.

[Shane Wahl]

Feeling and thinking. I get mad at my students when they say "I feel that" instead of what they should say which is "I think that." Baseball is the thinking game and video analysis like this can enhance the thinking approach and preparation to the game. Eeesh!

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Feeling and thinking. I get mad at my students when they say "I feel that" instead of what they should say which is "I think that."

 

So you're this guy:

 

(link to page is safe; video not quite SFW/language)

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Parmelee, in his week back in MLB, has almost as many home runs as the rest of the outfielders combined. Good to have him back.

[jokin]

Parmelee, in his week back in MLB, has almost as many home runs as the rest of the outfielders combined. Good to have him back.

 

And yet another player who didn't find much difficulty in reaching the TF right field seats. How "unfair" is this park for lefties, really?

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

And yet another player who didn't find much difficulty in reaching the TF right field seats. How "unfair" is this park for lefties, really?

 

Totally agree

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Feeling and thinking. I get mad at my students when they say "I feel that" instead of what they should say which is "I think that." Baseball is the thinking game and video analysis like this can enhance the thinking approach and preparation to the game. Eeesh!

I "think" there's room for both. We are after all talking about Kinesiology. While kinesiology has the ology at the end, it's really just physics and muscle memory and you can't bring a calculator on to the field.

 

I couldn't agree with you more that video analysis is critical to improvement, instant reaction is what causes results on the field.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

When I talked to Tom Brunansky last year in regards to how he makes changes, he said he prefers hitters get a "feel" rather than a "look".

 

via: http://twinsdaily.com/content.php/1714-Tom-Brunansky-is-getting-the-feel-for-the-job

 

I think in Parmelee's case, his 2013 was about feel -- he was more comfortable with that and used it more in the games.

Does anyone else find this incongruent with Hicks getting hung out to dry in the media by Gardy and TR for being "too laid back"?

[kdrupp09]

Does anyone else find this incongruent with Hicks getting hung out to dry in the media by Gardy and TR for being "too laid back"?

 

Personally, I kind of like it. Gardy and TR are holding him responsible for his poor performance so far this season. Hopefully this will light a fire under him and get him performing to an acceptable standard.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Feeling and thinking. I get mad at my students when they say "I feel that" instead of what they should say which is "I think that."

 

I feel you misunderstood what Parker was saying. I think it should depend on whether or not they are saying it from their head or from their heart

[DocBauer]

Always thought the Twins fell in love too early with Parmelee's potential and his numbers to close the season a couple years ago. Just felt he was rushed a bit and never really allowed to get comfortable and work through things. Thought he got yo-yo'ed. I understood passing him through waivers this year and was happy he went unclaimed as I felt there was a lot of potential unfulfilled yet. I don't know if this is a "light bulb on" time in his career or not, but between Rochester and the early returns, I am hopeful.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

So you're this guy:

 

(link to page is safe; video not quite SFW/language)

Hilarious!

[jimbo92107]

Feeling and thinking. I get mad at my students when they say "I feel that" instead of what they should say which is "I think that." Baseball is the thinking game and video analysis like this can enhance the thinking approach and preparation to the game. Eeesh!

 

When a ball is in motion, intellectual processing is too slow. Nobody thinks his way through hitting a fastball. You don't even have time to vocalize "see it, hit it," before the ball hits the catcher's glove. After a player spends a ton of time learning the proper swing mechanics, during a game all you have time to do is react to what you see, try to limit your trigger to an area of the strike zone, then put a swing on it. If it's not in that zone, you check your swing. If you understand the situation well enough, and if you read the physical cues well enough, then your zone of expectation is pretty narrow. At that point, you might just be able to hit a baseball with that stick.

[Dantes929]

And yet another player who didn't find much difficulty in reaching the TF right field seats. How "unfair" is this park for lefties, really?

Pretty unfair. There are homers that are homers anywhere and there are homers that would be off the wall in some parks and outs in other parks. Cano has averaged about 28 homers in his last 4 years with the Yankees but now has 1 with Seattle. I saw two he hit this weekend that would have had a good chance to get out at many parks. Hrbek's homers were out at any park while Mauer even in his MVP year had homers at the dome that would definitely not have gone out at Target. Its not just distance but weather. The Rockies for example have been near the top of the league for runs scored for many years without having the cast to do so at many other parks.

[Dantes929]

 

it seems like Brunansky and Molitor have had a profound impact on the team in a fairly short amount of time, and the shift of focus from contact hitting focus to power hitting focus with Parms may be more evidence of it.

I don't know if it is true or not but you can hardly blame the failure of the last three years as being too focused on contact hitting because they have been so bad at it. In fact last year the team was close to league average in power and at the bottom in OBP while setting team records in strikeouts. If anything, the last three years have been a display of swinging too hard trying to pull the ball rather than anything else. Not sure if it is still true but the stats of the team a couple weeks ago showed that the only real difference in this year's offense and last year's offense was OBP as a result of a lot more walks.