Jason Heyward rebuilt his swing this winter by erasing his muscle memory and building anew:
No longer would Heyward twist his top hand and wrap the bat around his shoulder. His bat angle would be more vertical, removing the tension from his shoulders. He would lower his hands to be in a more relaxed position and move his lower half first, allowing his hands to work.
Drill after drill, day after day, week after week, Heyward worked to undo all of his old habits and establish muscle memory with his new. He’s 0-for-8 thus far in Cactus League play, yet Mallee said that he couldn’t be happier with his pupil’s new approach.
“He may be better than (he ever) was,” Mallee said. “I’m very happy for him. His mind is in the right place. He has done a lot of mental stuff. It’s really special what he has put into this.”
I find this a rather radical approach. Most players have their habits in place at an early age, and it’s difficult to change them by the time they reach the majors. The Cubs, are in essence, loading new software into Heyward. If it works, we’ll see if it starts a trend.
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