Posted by: THG () on Tue Nov 6 15:42:04 2007

> > > > Jack. Why is it that almost without fail, hitters miss hitting a good fastball by swinging under the ball. Not that I am trying to take anything away Josh Beckett, but why do not the hitters 1) start their swings earlier (looking for the fastball only), 2) swing above the level of the ball or 3) tomohawk the high waist to shoulder level pitch?
> > > >
> > > > Granted the players might not get a hit, but atleast one would think they would have a better chance of making contact. How many times does a hitter have to swing and miss to understand he has to change something?
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> > > Hi THG,
> > >
> > > I have a question for you (not to make light of your question). Have you ever been at the plate with a guy who has incredible control and is throwing a fast ball 90 plus with wicked movement? It's on you quick with not much room for error. I know the hitters are pros but don't forget the pitcher is also a pro and he has the advantage. It is definitley not easy or everyone would be doing it.
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> >
> > Actually, I have back in the day. And I kept swinging under the ball and or fouling the pitch back. Thus is the reason why I proposed the question. My only way of making solid and or any contact at all was to start everything early and discount anything other than the fastball.
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> THG,
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> Since you have faced a good fast ball before I know you know how hard it is to hit.
>
> I agree with you about dicounting everything but the fast ball. I believe that without any strikes against you or even one strike you should be looking for and guessing at only one pitch. You should be looking for only the pitch that you can destroy. With two strikes you have to protect a bit but I still think that you should be looking for the pitch that you struggle with and adjust to anything else.


Graylon. When facing a pitcher who is at the top of his game like a Josh Beckett, you really can't look for anything other than the fastball even with 2 strikes. Reason being is that unless he really hangs it you have no chance of hitting it. And if you do hit it, odds are you won't hit it with any authority. That is why Clay Buckholtz was able to pitch the no hitter. The hitters could not come close to hitting his curve and tried to hit both pitches and wound up in between.

Of course some hitters are exceptional like a Manny Ramirez or Vlad Gurerrero who can hit the pitcher's best pitch. But there are only a handful of those hitters. Will Clark was one of the best guess hitters of his time. But for the most part nobody can make a living off hitting good pitching of the pitcher stays ahead in the count.

The Red Sox are an exceptionally patient and good hitting team. But if the strike zone were actually called as it is in the rule book, the series would have been much more competitive.