Joey Votto had a lot to say about Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s swing while watching the Toronto Blue Jays game last night, and it wasn't just casual observation.
The former big league slugger offered a detailed mechanical breakdown of what he believes is holding Guerrero back at the plate.
"Vladdy's just not 'back-legging' or 'back-hipping' balls," Votto wrote. "His forward move is delaying his barrel from snapping in place."
That's real hitting terminology from someone who spent years refining his own craft at an elite level, pointing to a specific timing issue rather than a general slump explanation.
Votto elaborated further on exactly what he sees happening.
"He sees the ball, knows it's drivable, but his move causes the bat to lag," Votto wrote. "Keeps him from getting the barrel to the ball on time."
Guerrero is hitting .259 with six home runs across 108 games this season, numbers well below his career standard, giving real weight to a technical explanation like this one.
Why this kind of analysis carries real credibility
Votto's own Hall of Fame-caliber career was built on some of the most refined swing mechanics of his generation, giving his read on another hitter's timing real weight among fans and analysts alike.
A delayed barrel, as Votto describes it, would explain why Guerrero might recognize pitches well but still fail to drive them with his usual authority, a timing issue rather than a vision or approach problem.
It's a bit like a master mechanic diagnosing a car's exact issue just from the sound of the engine, expertise that goes beyond what a casual observer would ever pick up on.
Does this kind of specific mechanical breakdown actually identify Guerrero's real issue this season, or is it simply one respected voice's theory among many trying to explain his decline?
Whatever the exact cause, Votto's detailed take adds a genuinely technical layer to the ongoing conversation about Guerrero's difficult season at the plate.
Do you agree with Joey Votto's breakdown of what's wrong with Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s swing?
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