Updated Jul 24, 2012 - 7:11 pm
Trayvon Robinson and the benefits of switch-hitting
Trayvon Robinson robbed a home run in his MLB debut then hit one himself the following night.
The rest of his first season in the big leagues wasn't as memorable.
Robinson is back with the Mariners after being recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday. He told "Bob and Groz" shortly after the move was announced that he's a different player than the one who hit .210 and struck out 61 times in 44 games last season.
Robinson repeatedly said he's tried to eliminate the mental mistakes that plagued him last season. The adjustments he's made at the plate are more to his thought process -- "where I want to hit this ball and how I want to hit this pitch," he said -- than to his swing. He also said he's utilizing his speed better, and his 19 stolen bases in 83 games for the Rainiers suggests he has.
Robinson, who was hitting .265 with nine home runs, 41 RBIs and 85 strikeouts for Tacoma, also talked about the benefit of being a switch hitter. That got Bob Stelton and Dave Grosby thinking about Justin Smoak and the notion that he might be better off hitting from just one side of the plate. They share their thoughts on Robinson and Smoak in the video below.
You can download Tuesday's podcast here.
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soo purletiv wrote...PleaseJuly 24, 2012 10:45 pm{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }- Reply
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clevesside wrote...Is "710sports.com staff"July 25, 2012 8:04 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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norah wrote...Wrong blogJuly 25, 2012 11:21 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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Bob Stelton is the co-host of "Bob and Groz". He came to 710 ESPN Seattle from 101 ESPN in St. Louis and had previously worked for Sporting News Radio in Chicago and Santa Monica, Calif. Bob began his radio career in Seattle in 1997 after a failed attempt to become a rock star. 
Dave Grosby is the co-host of "Bob and Groz." The Groz has spent the last 21 years of his 39-year broadcast career as a Seattle sports talk show host. Dave is also the play-by-play announcer for Seattle U basketball on KTTH 770. Before coming to Seattle, Dave worked at KFI in Los Angeles and KFBK in Sacramento. He's been married to his wife Bonnie for 23 years.
After two years as the producer for "Brock and Salk," Colin Paisley now produces "Bob and Groz." Colin also hosts "Seattle Sports at Night" with Tom Wassell and Matt Pitman. Colin came to 710 ESPN Seattle after five years at various FM music stations in Bellingham and Seattle. In addition to his time as producer and host, Colin likes to spend his time embracing his "Slacker Gen-Y" persona by napping and not caring about stuff. Plus he likes tons of bands you've never heard of, and once you hear of them he'll stop liking them.
