The Dbacks and every team knows where Sandoval's weakness is. They are, and have been well aware of it.

Heck, even the Dbacks announcers were talking during his ab that the way to get Sandoval out is hgih hard stuff..

But every hitter has his "out" zones. Except the Bonds-Pujols types. And if you're going to have a spot where other teams have to attack you, fastballs upstairs isn't a bad one to have.

Leave one too low, it's a belt high meat pitch, just like in the 9th inn and Sandoval will crush it.

Yeah now everyone knows how to get Sandoval out, right? Haha. Yet back in 2010 and 2011 maybe a handful of teams had a clue. The majority still tried to get him out by chasing off speed stuff down, and out of the zone. Even after constantly showing he could beat that pitch he still saw tons of it. The change in how teams now approach Sandoval has been amazingly slow, really.

I honestly think it has to do with where his weakness is..

Not alot of pitchers are comfortable attacking with fastballs up in the zone. It goes against everything they are taught about "keeping the ball down"...

How many times do you see a catcher on an 0-2 pitch raise up and put his glove up asking for the high fastball and the pitcher ethier leaves it low or throws one the catcher has to jump for..

It seems rare that a pitcher can consistently throw that good hard fastball at the shoulders to a hitter..

If I was building a hitter, and I had to give him one big flaw in his hitting, I'd pick that flaw. There's just not alot of guys that can pound you upstairs all day.

Now inside, outside, backfoot sliders etc.etc. Those ones get exploited. Holes like Sandoval's still allow you to hit .300 +...

Great post.

-chef