The Strib's Phil Miller takes on the topic of Justin Morneau's anemic home run numbers head on today, including talking to Morneau and his approach:

 

“It’s hard to change your identity as a hitter. And I still believe I’m a power threat,” the Twins’ cleanup hitter said Wednesday. “But for some reason, I’m going through a stretch [without a home run], and it’s hard to figure out why.”

 

 

He’s going through the worst stretch of his career, actually.

 

It doesn't sound like Morneau has tried to change his approach - he just isn't hitting the dingers right now.

 

Twins notes: RBI, but not HRs, for Morneau | StarTribune.com

Age? Lingering effects of the two lost seasons? Inadvertent technical changes in swing?

 

Not the best way to start a contract year.

I didn't see Miller's article before I wrote this, but I noticed the same thing when looking at his stats this morning:

 

Y! SPORTS

He still has the Power... He doesn't appear to have the swing for it.

I'd like to see a skilled technition like Parker break down his swing to see if it has changed recently, because most of the numbers just don't add up.

 

His K% is below his career norm so he's putting the ball in play enough. His BABIP is high but it has greatly fluctuated in his career to the point where I don't know that any correlations can be made. His FB% is just 1% below his career average as is his GB%. Both the career and season FB% and GB% are nearly identical numbers.

 

The biggest number that sticks out is his terrible HR/FB%. It is at 3% down from his career average of 13%. Bad luck? The high RF fence? I don't know if those contribute.

 

With my extremely untrained analysis, I also notice one other thing that sticks out slightly. The last three years (post concussion) Morneau has been swinging at more pitches out of the zone, 37% this year compared to 31% for his career though previous to 2011, that number was never higher than 31.1%. In 2011 and 2012, this may have contributed to his poor hitting however this year his contact percentage on pitches outside the zone is at a career high of 73%. So he's hitting more balls outside the zone and his .331 BABIP indicates he is likely putting a higher percentage of these in play. Of course balls hit outside the zone generally do not lead to many HR. Unless you are Vladamir Guerrero.

He just needs Torii Hunter to punch him in the head to motivate him.

He just needs Torii Hunter to punch him in the head to motivate him.

 

Only to have him miss two months with post concussion related issues.

My completely unscientific impression .... Morneau doesn't appear to be staying in on the ball the way he did when he was hitting HRs. He's always had a bit of a look like he's pulling off the ball, but it's more pronounced (IMO) this year.

Only to have him miss two months with post concussion related issues.

 

Seems to me that Hunter missed and hit Nick Punto if I remember that story right...