Posted by: () on Sat May 15 20:18:36 2004

on another forum i frequent a thread has started about shortening up the swing or changing the swing on a two strike count...what kind of coach would suggest changing a swing because of pitch count? This "coach" suggesting shortening up striding less etc etc slapping or whatever it takes...and these shmooes teach our kids.Should a hitter EVER change his swing because of pitch count?
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> When nyou say shorten the swing and changing the swing, I think your saying two different things. I like to coach "short and quick" instead of saying two strike swing. With less than two strikes a hitter may look for a pitch in his comfort zone, the one he can drive. With two strikes he does not have that luxury and must be prepared to hit all areas of the strike zone even foul off some, as previously mentioned. Many hitters think short and quick with two strikes, some choke up, some shorten the swing or lessen the effort as Coach C indicated. I don't view these as really changing the swing but a different effort. I like the example Coach C gave chipping in golf.
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> So I would respond to your last question as sure many hitters change their swing with two strikes, not their mechanics just their approach to the situation.

>>>I think hitting at higher levels is a very mental ability,you have a good swing and hand eye or you would not be there.So the adjustment has to be what feels comfortable to you as an individual hitter and what you are trying to accomplish.Some H.R. hitters change nothing and strike out alot.Some singles hitters just expand their zone because they already have a short stroke,other more well rounded hitters may adjust their stroke in small amounts and their thinking in various amounts.I think the biggest mechanical adjustment comes in how much they load and maybe a little more linear for some to no difference for others.The load gets you in a position of power,but also has you vulnerable to getting a piece of the ball in a larger area that is doing many different things,you commit at a pitch and then can't hold up,or hold up then can't get it going.
Understanding the mind of a great hitter is hard to teach because it is not set in stone to any one way of thinking,so you must find what works for you.
I will give you my system when I played and my goals though they may be different today if I still played.I was a 400+ hitter in div.1 baseball with good power.Power was just coming to me and it had to be on my terms usually.Otherwise I was a singles hitter up the middle.Given this to be my strength when I got 2 strikes I thought up the middle.When you have a 90mph fb pitcher with a 80mph curve and change you are going to be thrown off usually [timing when you are set for 1 and get the other.That is what is suppose to happen.So I would set my tempo of speed for 85.This allowed me to look fb and be ready to catch up to it without being out front of a curveball.I could more easily slow down 5mph and speed up 5mph than be set for 90 and adjust to 80.Yes it did take away power it may have taken away batspeed that could have driven balls through the infield that otherwise did not make it,but my goal was to not strike out that is how I was made up as a hitter[do not strike out].I struck out 7 times in over 250 plate appearances.I had a knack for hitting the ball square though with my 2 strike [swing/thought process].This allowed me to drive in runs and move guys over with grounders to short and 2nd in given situation and keep my avg. above 400.I 1st backed off the plate 3 inches because I wanted more balls away from me,I kept my hands closer to my body in the swing allowing the barrel to get in on balls over the inner 3rd of plate and still hit it hard up the middle,much like Wade Boggs did for years.We both hit similar styles growing up together.Anyways if the ball was away it was easier to hit it further back and extend properly [wider arc] to hit it the other way .I would have clear in my mind where a curvball would start in order to be a strike [my thought was look fb read curve ]If the pitch was right down the middle I was delaying with my tempo to read spin,if I saw spin I held up,Iknew it would break low ,if it was 4 seam back spin I speeded up to get barrel on it.If I saw ball up and away out of hand I did'nt just give up on it if that was in the curveball zone to break in I tracked it hard looking for spin by 10 foot out of hand to be ready to attack it when it got there.I only had to delay 5mph from my 85mph tempo.All this tied together to allow me to handle most pitches in most locations ,but there is always a weakness in the give and take so mine I would say would be the fb on the inside corner with 2 strikes since most all other balls could be hit up the middle or oppo.
This is just 1 of many different concepts that higher level hitters have to adapt to so experiment with your own abilities to find the fit for you.RQL