Article: With a Simple Timing Adjustment, Joey Wiemer is Breaking Out

[Jake McKibbin]

The Freshmen have been asked to integrate into the broader student population a bit more quickly and completely than the Brewers imagined when this season began, and there have been some growing pains. One of the youngsters, though, is starting to look as though he's ready for the advanced coursework at this level.

Image courtesy of © Sam Greene-USA TODAY Sports

In May, Joey Wiemer had a slash line of .188/.274/.306 for a .580 OPS. At times, it looked like, even despite his defense, he needed to be sent down to work on some adjustments that could allow his power to come through at the major-league level. He had some early-season BABIP luck, beating out infield dribblers, but hasn’t produced solid, consistent contact at any point.

He has an expected batting average (xBA) of .195, has an expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA) of .284, and a hard-hit rate in the 28th percentile for the league. Not the power-hitting right fielder we expected, and his swing-and-miss tendencies have had him looking almost blind at the plate through May. So why the optimism?

Everything with Wiemer, since joining the Brewers in the fourth round in 2020, has been centered on simplifying his swing, which looks wild to say the least. When things go wrong at the plate, the Brewers usually go to their default answer: “Let’s eliminate his leg kick.” That (non-)movement is catching the league by storm, with the likes of Jeremy Pena adopting the approach, as well as Keston Hiura.

In this case, it seems to have worked. Before Wednesday, Wiemer had just 13 out of 108 batted balls hit 102 mph or harder. Since Thursday, though, he has hit six out of 12 batted balls over that mark, producing much more regular, solid contact and more professional at-bats. On Sunday, he had a 103-mph groundout, a 106-mph single, and 104-mph ground ball that (alas) became a double play. On Monday, he hit two doubles, one of which was over 110 mph, and his only out came after hitting a ball just foul into the upper decks in the Great American Ball Park.

In his most recent home run, look how much less stressful the swing is:

432 ft... that's gas!#ThisIsMyCrew | @JWiems17 pic.twitter.com/EPixrisXWQ

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) June 2, 2023

Wiemer has had just four strikeouts in his last 22 at-bats. In the 64 previous trips, he had 25, a 39-percent strikeout rate. In his recent at-bats, he seems to have developed better timing, with a much smoother swing, but this could be due less to the toe tap he worked on in the late minors last season than to his awareness. His pitch recognition has looked far superior to what we saw earlier in the season, and he’s able to hit through the ball rather than simply poke at it when anything offspeed comes at him. He’s getting into better counts and doing damage.

In short, the main difference between Joey Wiemer of a month ago, and the version we have now is his calmness at the plate. His swing has evolved to look far less panicky, and he has a better idea of what pitchers are trying to do to him.

Compare the above clip in terms of timing to his first AB in the major leagues:

Duck-snort double for Joey Wiemer's first @MLB hit! pic.twitter.com/kiMwbqoNvP

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 1, 2023

It’s resulted in him being able to attack pitchers, as well as take his walks, with five walks in the last week and a slash line of .318/.444/.545. That’s to go along with some BABIP misfortune, with some balls rifled at fielders. If we’re seeing the Joey Wiemer breakout, then the Brewers will be going a long way towards fixing their impotent May offense.

Joey has arrived. 

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[Jake McKibbin]

They do say timing is everything..

[Samurai Bucky]

When looking at videos of Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Hank Aaron and even Wade Boggs, you will see that there is no big lifting of the leg.  For Ruth, there was a bigger slide step.  Their foot doesn't get much more than 2-3 inches above the ground.

Also in those swings, you clearly see the momentum going forward.  I would argue that it isn't as pronounced today.

Trea Turner video.  Bo Bichette uses this approach on two strikes and I would argue that he is good enough that he doesn't need to toe touch or slide step on strike zero or strike one 😉

 

[Jason Wang]

6 hours ago, Jake McKibbin said:

They do say timing is everything..

lol came here to write this exact comment.

[WV Brew]

I wish they could get him to stop that tomahawk chop he does when the pitcher comes set.  I have seen a few times this year where the pitch was on the way to the plate and he wasn't back into his ready position yet.  I know it's a timing thing but it sometimes puts him behind on the pitch.

[rickh150]

2 hours ago, WV Brew said:

I wish they could get him to stop that tomahawk chop he does when the pitcher comes set.  I have seen a few times this year where the pitch was on the way to the plate and he wasn't back into his ready position yet.  I know it's a timing thing but it sometimes puts him behind on the pitch.

Happy Gilmore playing baseball.

[rickh150]

Just now, rickh150 said:

 

[Robocaller]

wow, small sample size alert.

 

[Jake McKibbin]

4 hours ago, JasonWang7517 said:

lol came here to write this exact comment.

The flow of that mullet... Hot DAMN

2 minutes ago, Robocaller said:

wow, small sample size alert.

 

It's based more on the quality of the at bats and quality of his contact, which was awful the first two months and has been considerably more consistent and repeated since late May. But absolutely! Here's hoping by the end of the season he's solidified it more

[RWeeksFan23]

On a seperate note, Weimer might be the worst interview this team has had since Mat Gamel. 

[Ewitkows1]

What a day he's having

[wallus]

4 hours ago, RWeeksFan23 said:

On a seperate note, Weimer might be the worst interview this team has had since Mat Gamel. 

 

[Oxy]

5 hours ago, RWeeksFan23 said:

On a seperate note, Weimer might be the worst interview this team has had since Mat Gamel. 

Corey Hart struggled as well...although he's been better since he retired.

[Jake McKibbin]

9 hours ago, RWeeksFan23 said:

On a seperate note, Weimer might be the worst interview this team has had since Mat Gamel. 

He strikes me as a kind of quirky guy whose recently been taught how to do an interview, and inside his head he's just going "don't say anything stupid" over and over again 

But what a game! My god

[Underachiever]

8 hours ago, wallus said:

 

I felt as if he was more concerned with being ambushed with a water cooler than talking to Sophia last night. Kept glancing over his shoulder.