Brown is a ‘guru’ hitting coach with hands-on approach
JUPITER
“[It’s] more simplistic than difficult at the beginning to basically increase the value of the hitter, help them become a better baseball player — understand the game, what it’s calling for — and then [learn] how to actually study for a pitcher,” Brown said. “Also, at the same time, knowing your own weaknesses. Before you can exploit your enemy’s weakness, you have to know your own.
“Hitting is hard enough,” Brown added,
“so [I’m] trying to make it as simple as possible in these realms to where they can go out and execute and not be thinking about a million things all at the same time.”
Brown has been seen giving players feedback as soon as they finish a round of batting practice. He wants his hitters to hone in on what they do best and prioritize those strengths as they get their reps in each day.
It boils down to one overarching question he is asking his players on a regular basis early in camp: What do you value in your at-bat?
“It’s about understanding where your blind spots are,” Brown said, “and making sure you’re not opening every door in the hallway.”
While Brown is extremely hands-on with putting together game plans with players, he also works in tandem with the analytics department to maximize time and effort. The relationship between the hitting coach and analytics, when executed correctly, is critical for instant decision-making during games. It is Brown’s job to take the information he receives and communicate it to hitters as simply as possible.
“We’ve been going through with all the guys,” Brown said. “‘In a sentence with eight seconds, how do I say it so you’re clear and you know what to do and you go execute?’”
Now, the players Brown has at his disposal matter, too, and the Marlins made an effort to diversify the hitter profile of their lineup this offseason through the additions of infielders Jean Segura and Luis Arraez, a duo of high-contact, lowstrikeout hitters.
Add them to a lineup that has players with power potential (Chisholm, Avisail Garcia, Jorge Soler, Cooper) and speed (Chisholm again, Jon Berti) and other contact-oriented hitters (Joey Wendle, Bryan De La Cruz) and Brown has some flexibility with how he finds ways to get hitters to amplify their strengths.
“Each lineup should have different types of hitters that have different superpowers,” Brown said. “They do what they do best. This guy gets on base. This guy is a hit collector. This guy can hit doubles and homers and singles. By putting that in a lineup every single night, you engage their superpowers and that’s how you keep consistent pressure.”