Before going 4-for-4 against the Red Sox on Aug. 21, Rodriguez started working with Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long to widen his stance and generate more power to help him center the ball and make better contact. The changed stance bears a resemblance to the hitting mechanics of Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, whose stance involves a small leg kick.
Rodriguez’s new stance, a departure from his traditional, more closed stance, had mixed results this past weekend against the White Sox, as he went 4-for-11. However, he did belt his 23rd home run of the season on Saturday, driving in two runs.
One of the chief on-field criticisms against Rodriguez has been his inability to hit in the clutch, and he clearly hopes that his new, wider stance, will give him a more solid foundation for pressure situations. Hitting coach Long chalks Rodriguez's recent struggles up to frustration and claims that the third baseman's confidence is still very high.
Rodriguez is batting .270 with a .403 on-base percentage and .509 slugging percentage in 90 games. He also has 70 RBIs.