The Wrong Coach at the Wrong Time

The second I saw Michael Jordan swinging a bat in last night’s installment of the “The Last Dance,” I knew it.  And then I saw the coach in question.  Bulls’ fans, you can thank former White Sox hitting coach Walt Hriniak for making Jordan’s return to basketball possible.

 

Of course, it’s possible that Jordan always hit like that, with his top hand coming off the bat in the follow-through of his swing after making contact.  In that case, he was a twelve-year old Hriniak disciple without even knowing it.  But I doubt it.

 

It’s a lot more likely Jordan went with the then-current program on the South Side, and that was pure Hriniak.  (This is where I could note that Hriniak anticipated the current, tech-fueled search for the “perfect” swing, but let’s save that for another day.)  I can’t help but wonder if Jordan didn’t possess hitting talent that was being forced to fit into the Hriniak mold.

 

A former star basketball player shows up on my doorstep looking for batting tips, the first thing I’d do is encourage Michael to be Michael.  The man stands 6’6” and at the time probably didn’t weigh much over 200 pounds, and all of it muscle.  I’d encourage him to bunt all day and then swing for the fences all night.  Out of that would’ve come the “natural” Michael Jordan.  (This is also where I could note that no one in the documentary or commenting on the episode in question picked up on Hriniak’s imprint on Jordan’s mechanics.  I guess that’s why they pay me the big bucks.) 

 

Only the player can know what his/her strengths are.  That will never happen by becoming a disciple first.  Michael Jordan needed to succeed and fail more on his own, after which he could’ve sought out the necessary coaching help.  You must find your own path, young grasshopper.  Seriously.

 

The odds are there was no way for Jordan to make the transition at the advanced age of 31.  Two-sport athletes are rare to nonexistent for the simple fact they’re inevitably better at one or the other.  Whether or not he knew it, Michael Jordan probably picked the right sport to spend most of his career playing.  If he didn’t, that’s too bad.  Ditto for having Walt Hriniak as his hitting coach.