Jon Jay has new setup at plate

St. Louis Cardinals OF Jon Jay had two hits, including a home run, and four RBIs in a victory Saturday, May 4, which marked his third straight multi-hit game. Jay has raised his average from .204 to .243 and has looked "relaxed" and "smooth" at the plate recently, according to OF Carlos Beltran. "He made some pretty big overhauls to his swing," manager Mike Matheny said. "He has been working hard to find that rhythm. It's not just simplifying – the ball sounds different coming off his bat."

Jay previously had a timing mechanism at the plate that involved several hand pumps, but he became too anxious with them at times, which threw off his timing significantly. His bat started to flatten over his back shoulder and his hands came closer to his chest during his slump. A downward loop had been created with his hands that left his swing slow and long. Jay worked with the coach staff to move his hands away from his body, raised his bat perpendicular to his shoulder and made his swing more direct.

Fantasy Tip: You'll likely find Jay's name on many a mixed league waiver wire still because of his slow start. With a retooled approach, however, he has shown signs of life and should be considered for a waiver wire acquisition if you're searching for outfield depth.


(kffl.com)