He's red hot and rolling right now, the shorter heavier Boomstick bat seemingly having something to do with it.
But not long ago he was just the opposite, Arctic cold. He will regress some....but he's a real threat all the same*.
A long while back, I suggested that Ackley go with a shorter bat. All kinds of studies done on golfers establish that not everyone benefits from a longer driver. You don't even always get increased swingspeed, and when you do it is often negated because you don't get as good of contact.
If the key in swinging the bat is to "barrel-up" the ball, then it seems pretty clear that can be done more readily when the barrel is closer to you.
It wouldn't surprise me if the "swing weight" of the shorter/heavier bat is actually no more (it may be less) than the lighter longer bat. Swing weight essentially measures the perceived weight of the club by measuring where the balance point of the club (bat) is. The closer to the head (tip) then the higher the swing weight.
While the Boomstick bat may actually be heavier, it may swing "lighter" or feel that way to our guy.
Especially on the inside stuff, he's going to be able to get the barrel to the ball more easily.
Or so I would summise.
Something's up: Edgar, bat, alignment of Aquarius and Mars........Something. I don't know what it is but I like it.
A walk-off tater like that, following Cano's missile, has a tremendous impact on the way a team goes about it's business when behind. This team is beginning to believe it is fated to win a bunch of come-from-behind games.
Beware the team with the Moirai sisters on its side.
* Although his versus lefties ability still worries me much!