Posted by: rql () on Thu Sep 25 19:59:14 2008

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> > > > > > Five,
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> > > > > > I just wanted to say that I feel a slight change in timing. If I read the pitch well and pick up the angle and looking to hit anything thrown, say I have two strikes. It is a very minute change, and kids have a hard time making this minute change. It's something that comes with experience. This slight change allows the ball to get deeper on the outside pitch. And the only way to learn it is through practice, alternating between inside and outside pitches.
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> > > > > > Now if you are looking inside or outside only, the timing for each is much easier. And working on both, just inside and just outside, that helps to develop this slight change. The hitter should feel the difference. And in time they can learn the difference, but they have to learn how to read the angle of the pitch quickly.
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> > > > > > The problem I see is very few work on it.
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> > > > > > I'm not discussing the mechanical changes your asking about. Just asking how many times do you force the hitter to hit nothing but inside pitches and then nothing but outside pitches. Say their facing a pitching machine, do you make them move toward and away from the plate simulating inside and outside pitches. That just one example.
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> > > > > Thank you Shawn.
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> > > > > Your description of a "slight change in timing" was helpful.
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> > > > > From the sound of it I'll need to get my students performing plenty of practice alternating between hitting 'inside' and 'outside' pitches.
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> > > > > The link below (bottom diagram) shows two plates being used. The idea is to set the pitching machine so that it mainly pitches to a certain location, but to position two plates for the student to practice their 'inside' and 'outside' pitches.
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> > > > > http://groundup.hittingillustrated.com/hitting/Plate_setup_for_practicing_inside_outside_locations.pdf
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> > > > > Let me know if you have an alternative setup.
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> > > > > Slaught & Candrea preach looking 'inside' and adjusting 'outside'. See the video clip below.
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> > > > > http://groundup.hittingillustrated.com/hitting/RVP_IP300_SB/64_Adjusting__Inside_to_Outside__Mike.wmv
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> > > > > On the other hand, Rql speaks of looking 'outside' and adjusting 'inside'. The logic, if I understand it correctly, is to look 'outside' while anticipating moving to a launch position with the hands moving back the furthest, but to interrupt this and not move the hands back as far when you detect an 'inside' pitch.
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> > > > > What is your opinion on "looking in & adjust away" versus "look away & adjust in"?
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> > > > > -- FFS
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> > > > I know you didn't ask me but I have always taught look for a pitch you can crush and adjust to the other ones. My thinking on this is if I am looking away and the pitch I hit best is middle in, then when I get it I'll be adjusting to it instead of crushing it. Also, learning the pitcher and what he throws and when will help you to look for a certain pitch in the given count. Against someone who is filthy, guessing is all you can do.
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> > > > Graylon
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> > > ...Let me ask a question if you had to cover the strike zone top to bottom,would you look for a high pitch and adjust for the low one or would you look low and adjust up.Next Really good hitters hit the ball that is 3-4 inches inside the o.s. corner to 3-4 inches from the inside corner,the pitchers best pitches are those that cover the outer 3-4 inches of the plate on either side.My position is that really good hitters often look for balls on that outer 3rd not corner and look to hit it hard up the middle if they are slightly behind it will slice to the gap,depending on their style they may even drive balls down the middle to near dead center or slightly pull and pull the ball hard on inner 3rd.Bonds did this very well so does ortiz and pena of the Rays does it as well nightly,Looking down the middle only should be left for 3-1,2-0,3-0.The load is shorter for the inside pitch so if you set for this,, then you are disconnecting with extension for the away pitch [inside out swing]Picture the inside out swing and how it has been used does that sound like the power stroke.Lets take jeter for example great hitter imo just not alot of power,but he hits the other way alot but his bread and butter to not get beat often with 2 strikes is to look away but when he gets beat inside he at the last minute adjusts and draws his hands in and drags the barrel and texas leagues so often,this is not a swing that is looking inside then going to adjust away,with 2 strikes he looks fb away so he can more easily adjust to curveball speed by pulling it if possible,this is a good point that i can agree with slaught on,but jeter would be vulnerable to the heater inside as I was with 2 strikes and trying to cover the whole plate,this is jeters answer to the weakness and he has been very successful.
> > > Tino Martinez just moved into my neighborhood I saw him on a scooter yesterday,I am going to try to flag him down and discuss his opinion on this as well,and then I will post it if I meet him
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> > Thank you for responding.
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> > If I understand your logic correctly, then in addition to "looking outside and adjusting inside", you would also favor "looking low and adjusting high".
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> > I believe the logic of looking low and adjusting high would be the same … that being that the load for the low pitch would be longer than for the high pitch.
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> > Your recommendations are opposite to Slaught/Candrea, but you make perfect sense.
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> > Slaught/Candrea also recommend "looking fast and adjusting slow". That's likely a different topic entirely, but I'd appreciate your input on it.
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> > Thank you again.
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> > --FFS
> ...YOur answer is correct your logic is off a little ,see for high and low the body tilt for the low pitch is back and over the plate and you can prepare for that pitch then you adjust for the high pitch because your tilting adjustment is coming forward and more upright the direction the body is going into the swing.Now if you prepare for a letter high fb then you should not be tilted over toward the plate much and you should prepare not to drop and tilt that rear shoulder,now as the ball comes and you read loow then you must adjust by going the other way down and back opposite of the way of the swing[forward] then get on plane and then swing forward[way to slow and long].Think of ground balls do we teach kids to play for the high bouncer and adjust down real quick when it looks like it will stay down[no] we play under the ball and come up with the hop,the body is quicker that way.
> Words can be hard to understand at times but the concepts of the body are consistent,we look low and adjust high because the body flows that way as the swing progresses from back to front and the adjustment is from back to front ,not front to back tilt then swing front again,this adjustment with the tilt often finishes high after the swing has started.Same with the away to inside idea the body prepares a longer load/radius swing with extension then as it gets underway it can shorten and draw in the hands as the swing is underway and create a smaller radius of bat to hit inside ball.Same for fast vs slow,the body has plenty of time to prepare in the load for timing of fastball then slow down the load for offspeed,it is very hard to try to be loading for a slow pitch then have to rush backwards faster to get your load then rush faster forward to catch up to ball these are jerky moves that you dont see in great hitters,so slowly adjust back preparing to come forward for fb timing then when you read offspeed you still weight shift forward not back, but you slow it down youfind ways to wait while staying loaded for offspeed,but the key is things are back early in all these adjustments and they adjust forward on the fly not adjusting backwards late to higher loads.
...FFS as I think about it more you could look at the low pitch as you said as a longer load and that would be consistent with the look away react in.good perception