May 07--ST. LOUIS -- The two-strike hitting approach fell by the wayside during the 1990s and the early part of the 21st century because of the popularity of the home run.
That was the opinion of Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon, who believes that more players can learn from watching first baseman Anthony Rizzo.
"Watch our boy Rizzo," Maddon said Thursday morning. "He really applies himself with two strikes. It's a mental application, not physical. And he does a great job with that."
Entering play Thursday, Rizzo is batting .400 (2-for-5) on an 0-2 count and .300 (3-for-10) after an 0-2 count. Overall, Rizzo is batting .220 with two strikes, but his ability to battle from two strikes has been impressive and a rarity, according to Maddon.
Maddon said teaching a two-strike hitting approach became a crusade for him in the late 1980s while serving as a roving minor league hitting instructor with the Angels and sitting next to the late Bob Kennedy, former Cubs general manager and the father of Cubs scout and former major league catcher Terry Kennedy.
Kennedy, according to Maddon, was bemoaning the high strikeout totals in the minor leagues while working for the San Francisco Giants.
That prompted Maddon to emphasize a two-strike, or "B hack" approach, to his pupils.
"Keep your fastball hack loaded, look away first and choke up with two strikes," Maddon revealed. "That was the basic, simple premise behind it."
Maddon marveled at the success of Joe DiMaggio, who hit 361 home runs and struck out only 369 times during a storied 13-year career.
"It's absolutely absurd to think about it, but I don't think that guys apply enough mental energy to that," Maddon said.
