Posted by: dougdinger () on Wed Jul 14 14:07:27 2004

Hello Again,
> > > >
> > > > It seems that my desire / need to see anecdotal, collated proof of the benefits of pull-hitting has been actualized. Last night, the derby featured eight contestants: Bonds, Blalock, Berkman, Tejada, Thome, Ortiz, Sosa, and Palmiero. Although only Bonds, Berkman, Tejada, and Palmiero advanced to the second ground, all hitters displayed a common pattern: well-hit balls that were pulled often cleared the fences, while all well-hit balls that were not pulled were outs.
> > > >
> > > > The fact that Berkman lost to Tejada by one home run is relevant; what is relevant is both players hit the ball "in the air" to "the natural field," as recommended by Ted Williams / John Underwood in their "Science of Hitting."
> > > >
> > > > This is why I still believe that individuals should pull every pitch.
> > > >
> > > > Sincerely,
> > > > BHL
> > > > Knight1285@aol.com
> > > >
> > > > P.S. Berkman and Tejada pulled some outside pitches for home runs, thereby taking advantage of the shorter field field, and allowing the latter contestant to accumulate a total of 15 home runs in a 10 out round, a new record.
> > >
> > > BHL,
> > >
> > > It's no secret why batters hit balls harder to the opposite field of how they bat. In the most powerful swings the bat should be accelerating from launch to the contact point. The point of maximum bat speed, therefore power, comes just before the wrists roll over. When the wrist roll the bat slows down. If you look at where the bat is pointing at this point, you will see that it is toward left for righties and right for lefties.
> > >
> > > I didn't think there was any question about this fact.
> > >
> > > L. L.
> > >
> >
> > to Black Hole Lexciographer, you said " Berkman and Tejada pulled some outside pitches for home runs, thereby taking advantage of the shorter field field"....are you suggesting that if the OPPOSITE FIELD would have been the shorter field they should have taken advantage of the shorter field by going the OPPOSITE way?...
> >
> > to bozo (sorry, you didn't sign your name)...you said no one respects BHL's opinion, but you noy only do not state YOUR opinion, but you also don't sign your name?
> >
> > to louy...you said "It's no secret why batters hit balls harder to the opposite field of how they bat"....studies have shown that a ball hit to the opposite field GENERALLY travel 85 to 90 percent has far as balls hit to the pull field...
> >
> > to BHL (again)...i don't know if this was what louy had in mind, but trying to pull an outside pitch results in premature wrist roll...
> >
> >Hi GRC,
>
> Hitting to the opposite field is fine, provided one has the power to clear the opposite field fence.
>
> However, individuals who cannot accomplish this task must rely upon pull hitting to "inflate" their statistics.
>
> Although I do not wish to be confrontational, I am just curious what "studies" said opposite field hits travel as far as pulled hits.
>
> Yet, we all have to disagree on some points.
>
> Thanks for backing me up against an unwarranted character attack.
>
> Your friend,
> BHL
> Knight1285@aol.com
>
> P.S. I would like to compliment Louy Louy on stating his case lucidly, even if I dissent with his findings.
>
> As for the anonymous character assassin, I challenge you to tell me why my opinion is stupid.
What if you're a guy like Catalonotto or Damon who don't hit homers. Would you recommend they pull every pitch?
I still encourage myself to hit the ball back up the middle, there's more green there, and if you pull every pitch the fielders will shift over and you'll be hitting them right at their gloves. BHL, you say to pull every pitch because you get more power, and like in the HR derby, all homers were pulled. Well during a game, it isn't batting practice, the power hitters only hit 1/4 to 1/3 of their hits as homers. And all well-hit balls to the opposite field-so you can hit balls well to the opposite field! They might not clear the fence, but you'll probably get doubles or triples to the gap or down the opposite line, which will "inflate their stats".
So I say to go with the pitch, pull the inside, spray the outside. However if you do see a fat one hanging outside in a good place, then by all means lay for and try to pull it. But I wouldn't recommend you do that on a slider that's breaking off the outside corner, that you should try to poke it in the opposite field.
But I also think it's difficult to pull the outside pitch. It just is. Most of the time you'll end up hitting it to center, the deepest part of the park when you could go to the opposite field, where the fences are the same or almost the same as the pull field.
Just my thoughts.