Bellinger’s Situational Hitting Reveals Baseball’s 'Seventh Tool'

Cubs hitters should take their cues from Cody Bellinger, whose situational hitting reveals baseball’s “seventh tool.” Most fans know the first five tools: catching, throwing, running, hitting, and hitting with power. Baseball IQ is the sixth tool employed by a rare few who intuit the game at an elite level.

Situational hitting is an oft-overlooked attribute by both players and fans and one that is sorely lacking in the Cubs lineup . It is in this area where Bellinger rises above the pack. Bellinger’s Situational Hitting Reveals Baseball’s “Seventh Tool” There is no doubt that the home run is one of the most explosive plays in all of sports.

But to the more experienced eye, a slugger willing to hit the situation is just sweet. Cody Bellinger’s approach embodies this trait to a tee. When faced with a two-strike count, Bellinger will almost always alter his mindset from big to small.

Quieting his lower body, his hands lead the barrel through the zone, sometimes extending over the plate. The result of this approach is very often a line drive into the left or center field. It’s a thing of beauty to behold! But best of all, it drives in runs and extends innings, two areas in which the Cubs are lacking.

This year, the Cubs rank 21 in MLB in RISP. While that’s not the bottom, this team should be hitting better. Some of this can be chalked up to bad luck.

Especially lately, Cubs hitters have been hitting the ball hard but at them, as the saying goes. Christopher Mo.