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Batting Stance Guy reacts to Kevin Youkilis changing his iconic batting stance

Big League Stew

When you have an awesome ability that is nonetheless "the least marketable skill in America" (using his own words), news that the most unusual batting stance in Major League baseball is changing has to feel like a punch to the belly. Some have tried to comfort Gar Ryness, better known as Batting Stance Guy:

No matter how Batting Stance Guy adjusts going forward, it's probably a good move on the part of Youkilis, whose numbers have dipped the past couple of seasons as he heads into his mid-30s. Yankees batting coach Kevin Long, reputed to be one of the best in the business if not A-No.1, has accepted the challenge of tinkering with Youkilis' approach.

With Alex Rodriguez slated to have hip surgery Wednesday, getting his replacement at third base ready to go by opening day is paramount. Here's what Long said in the New York Post about what lies ahead:

Long already has begun working with Rodriguez’s temporary replacement at third, visiting Kevin Youkilis in San Jose, Calif., last week.

“We looked at old film and compared it to 2012,” Long said. “We saw some considerable differences, mainly in his stance and it looked like the adjustments had an impact. ... I think we can get him back to being an all-star caliber player.”

At the same time, Batting Stance Guy knows what lies ahead for him, too. Looking at a lot of film of "New Youk" so that he might maintain an All-Star caliber impersonation of him.

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