Ahh, but it is the swing. The bigger the swing, the more time you need to recognize a pitch. That's precisely why so many big swingers strike out a lot.
I'd have to agree it's more timing than the swing. Technically, Javi has great bat speed, and when you have good bat speed, a hitter should be able to hold off the swing until the last minute. Good hitters will plant the left foot and hold off the swing on the last moment. That's how you lay off bad pitches.
To me, he just has a difficult time recognizing strikes and balls. When he can do this better, the bat speed will really help him. What I would try with him, is just have him almost half swing to try to make contact.
Before you laugh, as a ball player, when I first started to play golf, I swung really hard. I could hit it 350 yards, but I couldn't control the ball at all. A pro friend of mine made me swing at half speed and not worry about distance at all.
This helped me feel the ball much better and consequently learn how to hit the ball properly. Once that happened, I could start hitting the ball harder and harder with touch. For you golfers, the other my buddy helped me with was closing my wrist, but so much for golf....
I'd like to see Javi plain just not swing hard. Quit trying to hit the ball hard at all. Go back to hitting off a tee if he has to, or just hit balls into the net, if you know what I mean. I'd like to see him try to hit singles through the infield.
Work on going to right and slapping the ball more. Imo, this will help the eye contact and timing. Get to where he is hitting ropes through the infield. Then gradually bring back the bat speed as his timing and pitch recognition improve.
For the life of me, I don't know why they keep letting him swing so hard. He's off balance and commits to early or late. He has no feel fo a good at bat, imo. He's way to hurky jerky. When you watch Bryant, it's almost like a machine. It's a smooth leg plant, hip swivel, and swing. Baez looks like he's having a spasm to me.
If it were me, I'd break down his swing and build it back up. I have a hard time believing the Cubs haven't tried this stuff, so I'm starting to think it'a all mental with Javi.