Posted by: THG () on Wed Nov 28 11:41:32 2007

> He is a topic that has a big controversy. Is contact made deep or out in front of your body? This is the question I have for all you so called baseball experts. And are hitters short and quick to the ball or long and on time with the ball?


Mike. The answer varies because everyone does not hit the same. But if I were to choose one or the other I would choose short and quick to the ball. The approach may vary slightly when one is hitting to the opposite field.

I did observe Chris Chambliss hitting his game winning homerun during the 1976 playoff clincher. On that homerun, Chambliss' bat made contact deep slightly behind to even with the plate.

The interesting thing is that the bat angle at contact would appear not to be conducive for a right field homerun, but more of a centerfield hit. I noted that as the swing was finished the circular hand path moved the head of the bat along with the ball in the ultimate right field direction for the eventual homerun. This means the bat directs the hit even at contact (as the wrists begins the snap).

My observation showed that though the collision at impact only lasts a fraction of a second the CHP already predermines where the ball will be hit based upon what time the bat is started and how much batspeed the hitter uses.

Thus is why hitters like Ortiz and Bonds can stand relatively close to the plate yet still keep the ball in the playing field while allowing the ball to get deep.