[siberian khatru]

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Raul Mondesi’s Development

This one is a problem I have with teaching the game, or his understanding the game.

In the fourth inning of Thursday’s game in which the Chasers were losing 6-3, Raul Mondesi attempted to lay a bunt down from the left side with a man on second base and two outs. That’s unacceptable, pure and simple! Now I couldn’t attend and didn’t ask manager Brian Poldberg if he had asked for the bunt, but I’m going to take a leap and say that he didn’t. If I’m proven wrong then I apologize for what I’m writing.

The facts are the Royals need to have a come to Jesus meeting with Mondesi and tell him the bunting MUST STOP. To bunt with a man in scoring position and two outs is either a sign that he either has too little confidence in himself to get a hit or he just doesn’t understand why that’s a poor strategy. Either way, it shouldn’t be taking place.

The minor leagues are for development and Mondesi needs to be developing his ability to hit, not bunt. Instead, he should be working on pitch recognition while modifying his swing to make better and more consistent contact – whichever you prefer. The bunt, however, should be the last in a long line of things he should be working on and taking it away from him needs to be done. If he can’t understand that, then the Royals need to make him understand it.

If this is a confidence thing, then the Royals need to take some new steps to work with him. There are far too many tools and talent here for them not to be taking extra steps whatever that may be to help him become the best possible player that he can be. Up until this moment, they have taken what some would say is an interesting path to help him develop. It hasn’t worked, and right now he is in a bad place as a player. They need to take some steps to change things up with him.