May 26, 2022 6:40 AM : Smith recently incorporated a small stride in his swing mechanics, which helped the outfielder emerge from a slump, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.
Analysis: The mechanical tweak -- picking up his right foot and striding forward -- was something Smith worked on with the help of Arizona's strength coach Vaughn Robinson and assistant hitting coach Rick Short. It was a blending of philosophies, marrying traditional hitting instruction with ways to optimize movement patterns. "It's a collaborative effort. We bounce ideas off each other and we all kind of come up with a program. It was a collaborative effort and it helped sync Pavin back up. I think he's feeling better," Short said. The collaboration worked for Smith, who said he felt lost at the plate a week ago, like he was falling away from the plate while swinging. Since incorporating the small stride step, he's hit three home runs over the last four games.