Posted by: rql () on Sun Nov 9 18:19:14 2003

I hope it can be answered in a straight forward, understandable
> > > > > way. Let's say a hitter times his stride for a fastball (yes, I know
> > > > > some say to time for an inbetween-speed pitch, like a slider, and
> > > > > then adjust).But let's say I time for a fastball.What is the
> > > > > SPECIFIC technique for adjusting when, for example the pitch is
> > > > > a change up? Do you somehow delay the front toe plant? Do you
> > > > > have front toe touch down but delay front heel plant? Do you have
> > > > > front toe and heel plant, and then just "wait" a split second?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Please, I welcome the advice but what I really do not want or
> > > > > need is theory about anticipating the pitch, etc.I do not consider
> > > > > this to be unimportant, I just wish to focus on the SPECIFIC
> > > > > technique (and involving which specific body parts)to adjust to a
> > > > > slower-than-anticipated pitch. Thank you.
> > > > >
> > > > > Try to be short and concise ? No fair !
> > > > >
> > > > > #1 Don't ask your body to perform miracles.If you are geared up
> > > > > for fastball,don't swing at the change.This is a bad plan.
> > > > >
> > > > > But ,ingeneral,how do you go about adjusting to off speed/give
> > > > > yourself more time if the pitch is slower than you are geared up
> > > > > for/already underway for ?
> > > > >
> > > > > There are at least 2 limiting factors mechanically that have to be
> > > > > dealt with.If you think that good predictable consistent swing
> > > > > timing comes from launch interrupting load,then at some point
> > > > > the loading gets too long/overstretched and adequate timing is
> > > > > impossible without reloading which shouldn't work for a good
> > > > > change of speed (I am reminded of Arod reloading for a homer
> > > > > after el duque gave him the ephus pitch twice in the same at
> > > > > bat,bad strategy as Arod was capable of reloading).
> > > > >
> > > > > The second factor is that the center of gravity of the body is
> > > > > coming forward.Once you get too far out front(center of gravity at/
> > > > > beyond weight bearing portion of front foot) a reliable launch/
> > > > > good timing is no longer possible.
> > > > >
> > > > > Remember that the upper body and lower body will also want to
> > > > > stay coordinated.scap load will want to happen as the stride leg
> > > > > goes out,then the front foot will want to start opening as the back
> > > > > elbow drops to assist coiling of the spine going into toe touch.
> > > > >
> > > > > I think Epstein has the best adjustment ideas.
> > > > >
> > > > > 1- shorten up the swing by rotating the body open in the stance
> > > > > but maintaining relationship of body center to plate/strike
> > > > > zone,striding along heel line-see his stuff(Big breakthrough on
> > > > > his part,significantly different from most of ted Williams
> > > > > recommended adjustments).In this case the idea is you get
> > > > > more time for recognition so you pick up/recognize the off speed
> > > > > earlier.(But you should probably be geared up for the inbetween
> > > > > speed).
> > > > >
> > > > > 2-you are way ahead and have to buy time- "sit on back leg"
> > > > >
> > > > > The main thing this does is slow the weight transfer forward so
> > > > > you don't get caught out front.But a lot of other total body
> > > > > adjustments are needed to make this work.This will tilt your axis
> > > > > back more and create a longer uppercutting swing which is a
> > > > > good way to slow down without interrupting overall
> > > > > mechanics.You could also lengthen your stride and emphasize
> > > > > scap load/relatively delay the back elbow coming down/front foot
> > > > > opening.You can also try to accentuate the "pause"(have to still
> > > > > be coiling) at toe touch before heel drop.This will lengthen the
> > > > > swing radius/back elbow further from side/lead arm longer/
> > > > > higher load after launch,less turn to contact.Then if you are still
> > > > > early you can disconnect/cast/get off the merrygoround/inside-
> > > > > out things by pushing the hands on the approach to contact.
> > > >
> > > > Let's try this again. With all due respect to Doug, I do not accept the notion that "experience" is the total answer. Let's please not make this more complicated than it has to be. yes, I know that experience is good, I know that if the count is 3-0, you are expecting a fastball & if you get a change up you take the pitch. But I also know that even for a 95 mph fastball vs. a 92 mph fastball the body is doing SOMETHING to adjust. Can we be specific as to what is happening?
> > > >
> > > > I know that to hit a pitch that is arriving just a little bit later (maybe 3/100 of a second later) SOMETHING must be done. For those of you who played the game, what is that something? Are you slightly delaying toe touch? Are you making hell plant & then waiting?
> > > >
> > > > I'm not looking for science here, I'm just wanting to know specifically what a hitter is doing to wait that extra 3/100 or 2/100 of a second before swinging. Thank you.
> > >
> > > Phil, If you have played the game at a high level, and you are ready to pull the trigger on a good fastball and you get a real good change instead, you will pull the trigger and get nothing but air. You also won't get 3-0 changes at a high level of baseball. A real good change looks just like a fastball and your brain tells you "fastball", but it is not. If you don't have the experience (a couple thousand AB's) you are not going to get a magic cure. A real good experienced hitter will hit changes, curves and sliders that hang (stay up in the strike zone). If they are quality pitches, Barry Bonds won't hit them. That is why he and all the other great hitters fail 70% of the time. Hitting a hanging change, curve or slider comes from experience, not something that has been taught out of a book or on a discussion board. If you want a good hitting tip, it is this: If you get 4 AB's during a game, you will get about 4-6 fastballs in the strike zone.Sit on the fastball and hit 2 of them hard and and you will be a successful hitter.
> > >
> > > Regards, Doug
> > >
> > >
> >
> > Maybe "Pro Hitter" can address my question. I would like the perspective of someone who has played the game.


> > I asked a simple question. You guys have endless discusions about top hand torque, bottom hand torque, scap loading. You talk about the most minute details of what you see or imagine you see in the swing. You talk about when and how to pinch your sholders, how to make the knob or the bat barrel go toward the catcher, how much bat speed is gained or lost by extending vs. not extending. Yet you can't, in a direct, straight-forward way explain what a hitter does to slightly adjust to the speed of a pitch? If you can't answer the question because you don't know, just say you don't know, but please don't pretend that there is some unknown, esoteric reason that only an experienced, pro hitter knows, or maybe just does. Afterall, you don't seem to have a problem microanalyzing a mlb player's mechanics to decide if he fits your ideal model or not.
> > So again, to Pro Hitter, since you play the game I hope I can hear from you. If you tell me that experience hitters simply adjust and do whatever they must do by instinct and experience , fine, I can accept that. But I would like to hear it from someone who plays the game . Thank you.
>
> Phil, Experience is the best teacher when it comes to making adjustments at the plate under game conditions. As far as Tom taking the time to explain some mechanics to you, I think that he happens to be a very intelligent man and if you are smart enough (which I am not) you can learn much from him. As far as experience goes, is 30 years in pro ball enough?
>
> Doug

I got to play the game a little bit and I would say that the mental side of hitting plays a big part of this question.Your asking how to do the hardest part of the hardest thing in sports to do.There is also more than 1 way to make the adjustment.mechanically lets say your looking fb and you get offspeed and your going to swing,1st try to delay the toe touch keep it hanging longer with weight back,Tom mentioned a sit on back leg which is a good delay style if you can do it.The key is that you are trying to keep that shift of weight from back to front delayed,next if you go past the delay in stride to toe touch then try to jamb your toe down stopping the weight from shifting from back to front you are still loaded, cocked,and able to take a no stride swing from the already loaded position.This is not as good as a load and unload position in rhythm because you stopped it all and now must overcome inertia again by swinging from stopped position but it is still a strong position to drive the ball from if you can time it right with the delay.Last when my body had gone [weight shift had occured and I was not ready to swing ]I often extended my arms,barred the lead arm ,released the top hand as I tried to keep the bat perpendicular longer in the path of the ball,if I lead with the hand on balls away from me or middle by contact it was often just getting perpendicular to the ball for up the middle but I was trying to delay the barrel from rolling over so if barrel was a little back I could go the other way which was my plan on this situation.Mentally if you get a 2-0 count you look fb if you get change up hopefully you take or miss it ,if it is a pitchers pitch.as you get even up in the count you think about his tendencies what he is getting over ect.if he was staying away from me all day I may just think fastball away up the middle which gives me a natural delay in my timing so I could look fb away and stay in there looking for spin on any location simply by delaying my stride and weight shift tempo.With 2 strikes I would get off the plate 3-4 inches more than normal[just me]I would try to hit all fb away or up middle and be ready for curve in a certain location.That location is for a lefty with a righty pitcher is up and away[knowing that pitchers break and where he threw his pitch on that day]I may say in the box look fb read curve up and away.Or up the middle ,don't give up up and away.this is where the curve for a strike would start. My weakness here is the inside fb but you can fight it off a little if you have to.The point you are asking about though IMO is not weight shifting before your ready through the delays I described.