Sands crushing the ball, should be up as...

Using Old Swing, Sands Sets New Records
08/20/2012 1:59 PM ET



Sometimes newer isn't necessarily better.

As is the case for 'Topes slugger Jerry Sands, who after a mediocre first-half of the season, has returned to his old swing at the plate and absolutely raked since the All-Star break. He set the franchise record on Sunday afternoon with hits in 20 consecutive games, a span in which Sands is batting a PCL-best .440 with two doubles, a triple, nine homers, 33 RBI and 20 runs scored. With his hit on Sunday, he surpassed the previous mark of 19 games set by Eric Reed in 2006, matched by Jamie Hoffmann in 2009 and again equaled by Elian Herrera earlier this year.

"It's pretty cool," said Sands of claiming the record. "A lot of good players have come through here, so having a record like this feels pretty nice."

The outfielder also said his success with his swing isn't a product of hours of tinkering and tweaking, rather just a few minor adjustments in what has always seemed to work for him in the past.

Call it re-inventing the wheel.

"A couple of weeks ago we had a bunch of roving instructors and coaches in town," Sands told Chris Jackson of the Albuquerque Baseball Examiner. "We kind of decided to go back to my old swing, but still use the things I've been working on pretty much the whole year."

After experimenting with "two or three" complete swing changes, the outfielder is now back to square one with his hands returning above his shoulders and his feet set wider apart at the bottom of his stance. These minor fixes have allowed Sands to pick up additional bat speed, and in-turn, be more selective in the box.

"I've gotten where I can pull the ball a little bit better, just looking for pitches on what I want to do and get my hands ready a little bit earlier," said Sands. "Just a little bit of everything we've (Sands and his coaches) been trying to work on."

Sands' adjustments also compliment his original power swing of 2010, a season that ended with the slugger ranked by Baseball America as the Best Power Hitter in the Los Angeles Dodgers' system.

"It was like tweaking something... so it was tough for me to have a base to work from," Sands told ESPN. "Now, I've gone back to my swing from a couple years ago and I was really comfortable."

Proving he's the rightful owner of Baseball America's accolade, Sands has regained his confidence at the plate to belt five homers and drive in 18 runs during August.

Just what the Dodgers ordered.

"What they (Dodgers) are looking at me to do is drive the ball, hit home runs and hopefully this is something strong to end the season on," said Sands. "I figure with a month left I can build on this, game after game."

Heading into the stretch run, Sands has begun to fulfill the high expectations that Los Angeles had initially set at the beginning of the 2012 campaign. When Spring Training opened back in March, the parent club had all but guaranteed Sands a spot on the Opening Day roster. However, with three different instructors each offering their own insight to perfect his swing, Sands' back-to-basics approach became lost amongst the stream of constant coaching advice.

"You like to get help, and a lot of different people were trying to help," said Sands after a frustrating Spring Training. "But everybody is different as a hitter. I appreciated the help, and I love to listen, because I know I don't know all of it. But I was up there thinking so many things at the plate."

Not so much anymore.

With his new, old swing at his disposal, Sands has far less on his mind when he heads to the plate. From the Isotopes, to two call-ups with the Dodgers and back again to the 'Topes, he's remained focused on only two things:

"Just being comfortable and having my old swing," said Sands.

It's as they say: Out with the new, in with the old.

Or something like that.

 

I'll admit, I've been anti-Sands -- but that was based primarily on his meltdown in ST. But the fact that the Loney/Rivera combo is becoming more and more pathetic, coupled with Sands tearing it up in AAA, I'm beginning to waiver. When exactly are the September call-ups?

Here's an idea... DFA Uribe and call Jerry up.

 

Uh, thanks Einstein
I guess the "exactly" part was far too cerebral for you to comprehend