Anthony Santander is likely to be probably the most underrated hitter within the American League, no less than from a nationwide perspective. Overshadowed by the younger expertise on his personal staff, the 29-year-old Baltimore Orioles outfielder has 102 house runs and a 123 wRC+ over the previous three seasons. This 12 months’s numbers are particularly spectacular. A dependable cog in supervisor Brandon Hyde’s lineup — he’s performed in 145 of the staff’s 151 video games — the switch-hitter from Margarita, Venezuela, has hit 41 homers whereas placing up a 129 wRC+ and a club-best 95 RBI this season.
The diploma to which he stays beneath the radar is relative. Santander loved his first All-Star choice this summer season, and he’s presently getting elevated consideration because of his forthcoming free company. Accolades have nonetheless been in shorter-than-deserved provide, and that features our personal protection right here at FanGraphs. As evidenced by his participant web page, Santander’s identify isn’t within the title of any piece we’ve revealed previous to the one you’re studying. Pretty much as good as he’s been, that’s one thing that wanted to be corrected.
Santander sat down to speak hitting sooner or later after smacking his fortieth house run of the season final week at Fenway Park.
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David Laurila: How did you first study to hit, and what has been your improvement path from there?
Anthony Santander: “My dad launched me to baseball after I was 4 years previous, and after I was younger I used to be a pure right-handed hitter. I didn’t begin switch-hitting till I began working to grow to be a professional after I was 15 or 16. That took slightly bit, as a result of it was new for me.”
Laurila: Why did you begin switch-hitting?
Santander: “I used to be going through plenty of righties. It was righty-righty so, ‘OK, let’s seize a bat from the left aspect.’ That’s a unique angle, so it took a bit, however with plenty of reps within the cage, batting apply, and competing in video games, I began studying learn how to hit from the left aspect.
“I took a step ahead in Excessive-A. That’s after I began to grow to be a pupil of the sport, studying issues like what the pitcher is attempting to do. I’d say that’s actually after I discovered learn how to hit, after I was in Excessive-A ball.”
Laurila: All these years later, selecting up a baseball bat and swinging it should really feel as pure to you as selecting up a fork and consuming. You’ve achieved it so many instances…
Santander: “It’s not that straightforward. It appears easy, however it’s not. It takes plenty of preparation. Thank God we’ve acquired the analytic stuff right here. The coaches assist you numerous. There’s plenty of cage work, plenty of psychological work.”
Laurila: I used to be planning to ask you about analytics. Do you pay a lot consideration to your exit velocities and launch angles?
Santander: “No. I don’t take note of that in any respect. I simply take note of the analytical stuff concerning the pitchers, like what they’re attempting to do towards you. I do know [my] mechanics as a hitter, and I have to go to the cage and work on them, however exit velocity… not that. I prepare with my routine after which go on the market and compete. I don’t take note of these numbers.”
Laurila: Have your mechanics modified a lot through the years?
Santander: “There have been completely different swings. It’s at all times completely different. You may see within the final three years the distinction from the left aspect. It’s not my pure aspect, so I’m going extra for a way the swing is feeling that day. The mechanics for me are robust, as a result of I used to be 16 years previous, 15 years previous after I began hitting from the left aspect. Mechanically, all the things is completely different [based] on how I really feel.”
Laurila: What adjustments? Is it the place you begin your arms? Is it extra your setup?
Santander: “Sure. It’s like, if my arms are larger or decrease… I have to get to the hitting place. You can begin no matter you need, however while you stride to a hitting place, you must be in the proper spot. Typically when your arms are too excessive you don’t get to the spot shortly. That’s one thing I’m persistently determining. Identical with the leg kick. Typically you’re feeling good with the leg kick excessive, and generally you must shut it down as a result of the pitcher is throwing 200 mph.”
Laurila: Is that solely from the left aspect, or is it the proper aspect as nicely?
Santander: “Proper-handed is at all times the identical. I can have three, 4, 5 days with out seeing a pitcher from that aspect and be able to go. For me, hitting from the proper aspect is extra easy. It’s my dominant arm, so I can go straight and faster to the ball; from the left aspect I’m pulling [the left arm] faster, so it’s getting me out of rhythm. This isn’t my dominant arm. [The right arm] desires to manage at all times. That’s why from the proper aspect I could make changes simpler. It’s my throwing arm, so I can dominate the again significantly better. We actually hit from the again; we don’t hit going ahead with the arms. It’s extra keep again, then see the ball.”
Laurila: What about how your physique strikes — the way it rotates — by means of your swing? Does that differ?
Santander: “Sure. That’s completely different as nicely. I’ve acquired extra rotation from the left aspect. From the proper aspect, I’m slightly extra extra caught.”
Laurila: Are you a greater hitter from the proper aspect or from the left?
Santander: “That’s a tricky query. I at all times say I’m equal. The numbers say it’s fairly equal, however once more, it’s how you’re feeling generally. I at all times say that as a switch-hitter we’ve got two brains, as a result of it’s two angles that we’ve got to face. And generally you’re struggling from one aspect as a result of your physique doesn’t rotate the identical. Like I stated, from the proper aspect, rotation is hard. Like I get caught slightly bit proper right here with my vary of movement, [whereas] with the left aspect it’s extra open.
“From the proper aspect, I can see the ball higher to [hit it to] the other subject, and I can hit homers to [that] aspect. From the left aspect, as a result of I’ve acquired more room, I’m extra from middle to the proper subject pull aspect. It’s uncommon after I hit the ball to the opposite aspect from the left aspect.”
Laurila: Opposing pitchers clearly know these issues. With that in thoughts, do you principally attempt to persist with your strengths, or do you modify accordingly with the way you’re being attacked?
Santander: “It is dependent upon the pitcher and the motion. If it’s a man like [Brayan] Bello yesterday, he’s acquired an enormous sinker and is aware of that I’m a pull hitter, so I’ll attempt to keep extra closed to the massive a part of the sector and check out to not open up too fast. If I open too fast, I’m going to floor out to second base. So, I attempted to see if I might hit successful a double to the opposite aspect. I forgot about [trying to hit a] homer.
“Say it’s is an everyday pitcher and the ball doesn’t transfer an excessive amount of away from me. Then possibly I’ll stick with extra aggressiveness to hit the ball to the massive half [of the field]. With my rotation, I can take the ball out of the yard, like yesterday [against right-handed reliever Josh Winckowski]. It was a cutter, center, and I acknowledged it on time and simply rotated to it. Then, from the proper aspect, it’s simple for me to hit the ball to the other subject as a result of it’s my dominant hand. I’ve acquired far more management with the bat.”
Laurila: The house run you hit yesterday was your fortieth on the season. Are you an influence hitter?
Santander: “Everyone will say sure, however personally, I really feel like I’m a game-power hitter. Actually, I can’t hit the ball actually far. You see guys like Yordan Alvarez, Juan Soto, Aaron Decide. They hit the ball far. Gunnar Henderson. Adley Rutschman. These guys have pop. They will hit it farther than me. Colton Cowser. I joke round with him. ‘Bro, you’re a thin dude. You crush the ball. Wow. How do you do it?’ I don’t have that form of pop. However I can hit within the recreation.”
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Earlier “Talks Hitting” interviews can discovered by means of these hyperlinks: Jo Adell, Jeff Albert, Greg Allen, Nolan Arenado, Aaron Bates, Jacob Berry, Alex Bregman, Bo Bichette, Justice Bigbie, Cavan Biggio, Charlie Blackmon, JJ Bleday, Bobby Bradley, Will Brennan, Jay Bruce, Triston Casas, Matt Chapman, Michael Chavis, Garrett Cooper, Gavin Cross, Jacob Cruz, Nelson Cruz, Paul DeJong, Josh Donaldson, Brendan Donovan, Donnie Ecker, Rick Eckstein, Drew Ferguson, Justin Foscue, Michael Fransoso, Ryan Fuller, Joey Gallo, Paul Goldschmidt, Devlin Granberg, Matt Hague, Andy Haines, Mitch Haniger, Robert Hassell III, Austin Hays, Nico Hoerner, Jackson Holliday, Spencer Horwitz, Rhys Hoskins, Eric Hosmer, Jacob Hurtubise, Tim Hyers, Connor Joe, Jace Jung, Josh Jung, Jimmy Kerr, Heston Kjerstad, Steven Kwan, Trevor Larnach, Doug Latta, Royce Lewis, Evan Longoria, Joey Loperfido, Michael Lorenzen, Gavin Lux, Dave Magadan, Trey Mancini, Edgar Martinez, Don Mattingly, Marcelo Mayer, Hunter Mense, Owen Miller, Ryan Mountcastle, Cedric Mullins, Daniel Murphy, Lars Nootbaar, Logan O’Hoppe, Vinnie Pasquantino, Graham Pauley, David Peralta, Luke Raley, Julio Rodríguez, Brent Rooker, Drew Saylor, Nolan Schanuel, Marcus Semien, Giancarlo Stanton, Spencer Steer, Trevor Story, Fernando Tatis Jr., Spencer Torkelson, Mark Trumbo, Brice Turang, Justin Turner, Trea Turner, Josh VanMeter, Robert Van Scoyoc, Chris Valaika, Zac Veen, Alex Verdugo, Mark Vientos, Matt Vierling, Luke Voit, Anthony Volpe, Joey Votto, Christian Walker, Jared Walsh, Jordan Westburg, Jesse Winker, Bobby Witt Jr. Mike Yastrzemski, Nick Yorke, Kevin Youkilis