The Toronto Blue Jays’ Davis Schneider takes batting stance experimentation to a whole new level.
According to Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith, the outfielder cycles through 20 to 25 different batting stances over the course of a season. We’re talking about a guy who’s basically doing batting stance cosplay at the highest level of baseball.
“Bobby Witt Jr., Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton — he’s tried every one of their stances,” Nicholson-Smith writes. “Even left-handed hitters like Bryce Harper get the Schneider treatment if he’s feeling inspired.”
The thinking makes sense. If a setup works for one of the game’s elite hitters, maybe it’ll help him too.
What makes this even better? Schneider’s currently mimicking Will Smith’s stance while facing the Dodgers catcher in the World Series. Talk about bringing your homework to the test.
Smith, for his part, gets it completely. He’s drawn inspiration from Mike Trout and Albert Pujols for his own approach at the plate.
“Everyone’s got their own style,” Smith said. “But you always take an idea or concept that you see from somebody else, so it’s not surprising that guys are feeding off each other to find success.”
Schneider went hitless in Game 1, and his playing time might be limited to matchups against left-handed pitching. But every time he steps into the box, Smith’s got to be doing a double-take. There’s something oddly familiar about the guy staring back at him from 60 feet away.
It’s the kind of thing that shows how much players are always looking for an edge. Sometimes that edge comes from copying the best in the business, even if it means your opponent recognizes his own stance being used against him.
