Vast majority of baseball coaches teach what is the equivalent of teaching a golfer to slice the s*** out of a golf ball. Stop it.
Coach stops and talks to him for 5 minutes doing constant demo swings of "swing down" nature. Next five swings are gross and praised.
Coach stops and says something to the effect, "c'mon, get on top." Player takes two more brutal swings. Then takes a good swing = laser
Watching a coach in a cage work with a player. Takes three brutal chopping swings, one decent swing resulting in line drive.
And they don't just teach it... They impose and enforce and punish based on it. "I want/need you to" type language. How can I make it stop?
I have a solution for the Twins. Pay CC a couple million $$ to justify giving him consistent ABs.
BA .246 (not so good)
But....he's productive....
RBI 36 (4th on the team; team high is 45; ALL THREE ABOVE HIM HAVE AT LEAST 100 more AB's; leader has TWICE AS MANY AB's; AND.....Colabello has more than Joe Mauer....with Mauer having 130 more AB's)
But, the OBP and OPS are anemic
MLB instruction is HORRENDOUS....but....Tewks....YOU ARE COMPLICIT
You see things....that need to happen. But what you teach is LONG. VERY LONG. And it is simply a killer when every pitcher you see is a big league pitcher.
This action, that you taught him....
....quite frankly....IS HIS PROBLEM
It has lengthened his swing to the point that when he's bad....IT IS UGLY. He looks amateurish when he's bad. The AB's he takes....are amateur. A big league manager will stick with big league AB's. He can't afford amateur AB's.
There is no better clip to show the length than this one...
Cabrera's hands stay in a tight little circle (in relation to his torso) THAT is HAND ACTION. Colabello's hands 'flop around a much larger circle. THAT is ARM ACTION.
And that final little 'up' move....of the hands....as part of his launch....that is performed BY THE ARMS.....IS.....THE KILLER. It's certain death.
Cabrera's hand movement....circle....is much smaller....and....it is a result of movements by his BACK....not his arms.
This is what he should have been taught....
Colabello's length comes directly from the arm action that you taught him.
Until he gets the bat in his hands, he will not only be inconsistent, but he will look so bad when he's off, that a big league manager will not fail with those mechanics. He will fail with someone who 'looks' better....even though he isn't better.
All of your quotes above are accurate. But.....you are a large part of Colabello's frustration.
He would take big league at bats always.
And his average and OBP and OPS would be at sufficient to stay in the lineup....giving him the opportunity he deserves.
He's a sure fire 100 rbi and 25 HR guy....if he can hit over .250....and take big league at bats.
Will you accept responsibility?