CLEARWATER, Fla. — Class started almost two weeks ago with a simple proposition. Matt Stairs wore sneakers. Nick Williams had cleats. The Phillies hitting coach and his pupil met in an indoor batting cage.
"Step on my foot," Stairs told Williams. "If you don't like me, step hard. If you want to learn, step soft."
Stairs, before he went from broadcaster to hitting coach, often employed this tactic during his private hitting lessons. It made Williams think. The 23-year-old outfielder had used the same swing since high school, a swing that made him a second-round pick and a hyped prospect before his uneven 2016 season.