One man’s obsession: hitting a ball with a bat.

David Popkins uses that word frequently — obsession — to explain what he does, how he does it and why it’s a savvy best invested in others.

“I was obsessed with figuring out hitting,’’ the Blue Jays’ head hitting coach discloses. “I wanted to maximize myself as a hitter. I travelled all over to try and get better and got completely obsessed with it.’’

Serendipitously for the Jays, as it’s turned out. Transfiguring from batting average cellar mice in the American League East in 2024, bottoming out with their fewest runs scored since 1997, to loftiest in all of Major League Baseball right now under the tutelage of Popkins and assistants Lou Iannotti and Hunter Mense. With a penthouse view atop the AL. Eight players who were here last year

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