Swisher, benched in Game 2, completely overhauled his stance for Game 3, spreading his legs far apart in the batter's box.
So much for his 4-for-35 slump in the postseason.
Swisher went 2-for-4 in the Yankees' 8-5 victory, hitting a double to start a three-run rally in the fifth inning and a solo home run in the sixth.
Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long said that Swisher's new stance is the first step of a major overhaul that will continue in the offseason.
Swisher, a switch-hitter, had tried the stance in the batting cage and in batting practice in recent days, taking approximately 300 swings from each side.
When asked about the new stance, Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long said "Everyone knows he is a great fastball hitter. They've been trying to off-speed him to death. When you have a lot of motion — he has a toe tap and also a long stride — pitches are tough to see, tough to react to."
I've gotten on Kevin Long's case a lot over the last two years, but as this year has gone on he's showing his value more and more. To alter someone's stance in the middle of a World Series is pretty damn bold, or as Rosenthal put it "stunning". Considering it worked, pretty damn smart too.
