Posted by: BHL (Knight1285@aol.com) on Sun Mar 28 21:55:57 2004

Hi Rich,

Here is the �personal success� that I acquired by using my �pull every pitch� philosophy.

To be honest with you, I did not participate in sports during my scholastic career, even though I recognized my athletic ability, for the fact that I wanted to focus on school. My mother, a teacher, loves sports, but always asked me: �What good is money if you don�t know how to use it wisely?� This is why I always put academics ahead of athletics.

However, during my last year of college in 1998, I began to take interest in slow pitch softball; as a result, I tried out for a spot on the Gurgling Path on the Independent League, and impressed the coach so much that he requested that I bat �clean-up� in the lineup. At that point in time, I bought into the Ferroli principle of �pulling my inside pitch,� and, for good measure, it just so happened that the coach was enamored by the wisdom that his book contained as well. In 100 at bats that season, I had 30 hits (10 doubles, 1 triple, and 10 homers), ascertained 72 total bases, slugged .720, homered once every 10.00 at bats, and maintained a .300 average. The dimensions of the field were 320 to left field, 340 to left center, 360 to center, 340 to right center, and 320 to right. Now, the furthest I can hit a softball consistently is 340+ feet to the pull field, but I used strategy to inflate my statistics. Although the batter in the three spot received most of the laud for his superb season, I received an honorable mention from my coach.

However, one year later, I wound up on a new team, and things took a turn for the worse, since the coach deified Hriniak, and believed in �hitting to all fields.� I developed major flaws in my swing mechanics, and, by the end of the season, accumulated 79 at bats, hitting safely only 20 times (11 doubles 1 triple 3 home runs), amassed 44total bases, slugged .557, hit a home run once every 26.33 times at bat, and batted .259. In this case scenario, I did not take advantage of the pull field, and only my slugging percentage kept me on as a reserve on the team. Frustrated, the coach and I got into a profanity match, and I quit the Secret Creek.

I made my return four years hence, and told myself: �I was going to pull every pitch to my liking.� Although the Midnight Fog coach was skeptical at my suggestion, he allowed me to implement my own philosophy at the plate. This time, I pulled every pitch that I timed right for a home run, and the mis-hits resulted in extra base hits. To be specific numerically, in 79 at bats, I hit safely 72 times (25 doubles, 4 triples, and 40 home runs), picked up 225 total bases, slugged 2.320, hit a home run once every 2.43 at bats, and had a .742 batting average. Since I go by the nickname Black Hole Lexicographer, my team awarded me with a Silver Funnel Award, an obvious pun for the Silver Slugger Award.

That�s when I understood what batting strategy is all about.

Sincerely,
BHL
Knight1285@aol.com

P.S. In 2002, a pitcher with a 95+ heater takes me to the field, and challenges me to hit his fastball. Well, I pulled it over the left field fence. Moreover, I took the Mo Vaughn Approach, and (as one commentator noticed) wore football padding so that if he hit my by accident I could laugh it off! As of now, I am a player-manager on an independent team.