Posted by: THG () on Fri Aug 29 09:32:23 2008

> It really leaves me scratching my head some times, when I see posts that refer to "hitting styles of 50 years ago." And, how because of the technology of today and, the endless number of 'new age hitting instructors", that the players and hitting instruction,from the past, couldn't possibly compete with todays teaching's and theories.
> I'm probably stating the obvious here, at least to those who want to recognize the point but, the BEST hitters that we have EVER seen, as a whole, are not from the past ten years.They are from at LEAST , 50 years ago, with NO STEROIDS! So, I ask all of you that subscribe to all the new age jargin and, buzz words; who was teaching and instructing these hall of famers and, by what method?
> I mean ,how were they able to excell at such a high level,without all of todays plethora of scientific experimentation?
> My answer to that, is that to hit a baseball efficiently, is the same today, as it was many years ago. Unfortunately, some coaches and, hitting instructors of today, have convinced the masses that hitting a baseball in 2008 , should be taught much differently than it was in the days of hitters that we see in Cooperstown.



John. Here is my spin. A truly great hitter will find a way to overcome and be great regardless of the era or the competition.

I think overall today's hitters are better only because of the advent of weights, conditioning, and that they are bigger and stronger.

But I also believe that the best hitters in the past would beat the best hitters of today's era in any decade of the past.

Today's hitters do not make as good adjustments at the plate as in the past. They strike out way to much, are not as gritty and determined, and do not demonstrate the same level of toughness. Many of these hitters pile up most of their stats on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th starters (below average pitchers).

Take Jim Thome as an example. He is a HOF player no doubt and has had a good season. But if it is the late innings, he has no chance against the closer or specialist out of the pen. He is an almost automatic strikeout candidate. And he is not alone.