Posted by: Sandman () on Mon May 10 07:02:05 2004

A hitter who is consistently ahead of the ball doesn't do so necessarily because he already possesses a "quick" bat (which is not the same as bat "speed"). He may just start too early.

The benefit of a short swing, and a quick bat is that the hitter can wait longer to decide, then still get around on a fast pitch.

Of course, there's a chance of less bat "speed", by simply not having as long to accelerate the bat. But in many cases at young ages, it's a worthwhile tradeoff. IOW, what good is it to have bat speed that doesn't manage to make contact w/ the ball?

My son (10YO in late July) has gotten some of his best hits w/ 2 strikes because he's known for a couple years now how to "shorten up" and protect in that situation. It also gives him great confidence, knowing that "all is not lost" once he gets 2 strikes on him. Being more selective up there until 2 strikes might just get him a pitch he can drive, etc..

Hope this helps,
Sandman