Remember waaaay back to the 2020 World Series when Dodgers outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger kept “tinkering with his swing,” which resulted in the 25-year-old Scottsdale, AZ native, two-time All-Star, Gold Glove winner, Silver Slugger winner, and defending National League MVP going 3-for-22 (.136), with one home run and three RBI over the six-game series?

As you would expect, the extremely popular Dodgers star took a lot of criticism on social media for trying to fix something that wasn’t broken.

Late Tuesday afternoon, we learned otherwise – Cody Bellinger was indeed broken.

This from ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Twitter:

After stepping on home plate following his dramatic NLCS Game-7 game-winning blast, Bellinger exchanged a very excited forearm bash with on-deck batter AJ Pollock.

This wasn’t the problem.

The problem was with the even more excited forearm bash he exchanged with in-the-hole batter Kiké Hernandez, during which Bellinger was visibly in pain.

To his credit, Bellinger sucked it up and tried to play through the pain. Unfortunately, numbers don’t lie and his were atrocious throughout the six-game World Series; leading to Tuesday’s surgery.

But what Passan (and nearly all of the other Dodger-hating national media types) neglected to mention is that Bellinger actually – and initially – injured his right shoulder back on May 3, 2019, during a game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.

During that game and while playing first base, Belli made a diving attempt at a ground ball hit to his right, during which he landed hard on his fully extended right (gloved) arm. It was immediately evident that Bellinger was in tremendous pain. However, just as he did with the NLCS celebration injury, Bellinger convinced Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and trainers that he was okay to remain in the May 3, 2019 game. He did, however, miss the next two games before returning to action on May 6, 2019.

Throughout the Dodgers COVID-19-shortened (43-17) 60-game regular season and their eventual (13-5) 18-game postseason, Bellinger continually attempted to adjust his batting stance and swing, obviously trying to find one that caused him the least amount of discomfort; hence the “tinkering” thing. In fact, former Dodgers and current SportsNet LA broadcasters Orel Hershiser and Nomar Garciaparra commented on it late in the regular season. They said that Bellinger appeared “…a bit pigeon-toed,” which, according to the pair, “…usually is meant to keep the front hip and shoulder closed.” They added that Bellinger began with his bat on his shoulder and would “…rock it on more of a horizontal than a vertical plane,” and concluded that “…such changes are usually done to improve rhythm, timing, and a correct launch position.”

Take from that what you will, but the bottom line is that it brings to mind the popular old vaudeville exchange:

“Doc, it hurts when I do this.”

“Well then, stop doing it.”

What followed was a Cody Bellinger who, as noted, went a dismal 3-for-22 (.136), with one home run and three RBI in the five (of six) World Series games in which he played, all while trying to find a swing that caused him the least amount of discomfort – i.e., the “tinkering.”

What also followed was a Cody Bellinger who made zero errors in 11 total chances on defense during those five World Series games for a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage that included several spectacular defensive plays.

In other words, back off Jeff Passan … et al.

The entire staff at ThinkBlueLA.com wishes Cody Bellinger a speedy and complete recovery.

Play Ball!

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