Posted by: BHL (Knight1285@aol.com) on Mon May 15 20:31:05 2006

> > Kevin, you'll find that this thread won't be worth your time...I've seen the issue raised by BHL before...its interesting in a laughable way. Its clear that he never actually played the game seriously. jima
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> Not to demean anyone intelligence, but it is clear that both ways have merit. I agree that in a perfect world or with almost as perfect a hitter as possible like a Ted Williams pulling the ball could be done on most every pitch. But as we know Ted Williams was the only Ted Williams. And since most hitters do not have the ability to time most every pitch and hit it hard conventional wisdom would have us use the opposite field at minimum in the case of a right hand hitter. And as someone mentioned the ground ball would be most effective and should be the easiest way to advance the runner which is how to play winning baseball. Of course if we have a player who has not practiced enough to execute a ground hit to the off field, it would not make good sense to have him attempt it at such time. But BHL in using more of a station to station theory might be used in an Earl Weaver 3 run homer mindset if the team is structured on power and the hitters would more likely have to bunt in an emergency rather than hit the other way. The late Charlie Lau believed the most important part of winning baseball was moving the runners. As to which way is better depends a lot on what tools the team is working with. Even so, a major league hitter and or any professional hitter should be able to hit to the opposite field when necessary as even the great Ted Williams found out while hitting against the Boudreau shift.

Hi All,

I understand that the shift, when the ball is hit within the confines the ballpark, will count as an unsuccessful at bat. But what happens if the ball is hit over the shortest fence--how do defenses guard against this possibility. As far charley Lau's moving runners along theory, pulling the ball also accomplishing these ends, since a fly ball hit deep enough will score a runner from ground. Even a ground ball might advance the runner, as fielders seldom chance hitting the runner in the back with the throw because the runner obscures their throwing angle to the plate (unfortunately, this favors on right handed batters).

According to Arthur Mann's "How to Play Winning Baseball," the best throwing arms are rightfielders. This means that, since there are more right handed than left handed hitters in the "Show," the majority of balls will be pulled to the left fielder, who more than likely possesses a weaker throwing arm.

Since steroids are now banned from baseball, smaller guys have three choices: they can uses muscle enhancing drugs, and risk eventual banishment from the game, shortchange themselves, and become single / contact hitters, who do nothing more than set the table for others (who will inevitably take all the credit), or they can use a strategy more prone to creating the RBI. I would choose option number three.

Today, as sbl suggested, hitters can pull every pitch by crowding the plate. Seldom do pitchers throw inside anymore, as this June 2006 issue of "Baseball Digest" suggests (sometimes the month has not come yet, but the issues are still minted). Consider such an excerpt from this edition (Baseball Chat... [Goose] Gossage): Pitchers Need to Throw Inside), page 56:

"When (Mark) McGwire and (Sammy) Sosa were going through their home run chase, it was like guys were afraid to go inside. Those two were taking batting practice [...] My teammates wouldn't have allowed that."

Just my premonitions.

Best,
BHL