Posted by: Chris O'Leary (chris@chrisoleary.com) on Thu Feb 22 12:09:43 2007

"We are not talking about plate coverage, we are talking about the barrel staying on the linear path that the ball is pitched on in order to give better odds of solid contact, and stronger contact."

You're talking about two mutually exclusive desires when you talk about bat speed and maximizing time in the sweet spot.

The only way for the bat to stay in the sweet spot longer is for the head of the bat to move slower. The bunt is the ultimate example of this.

It's impossible to hit a ball harder by swinging slower.

You might have a better chance of making contact with the ball, but you are unlikely to hit it very hard. As a result, it will be an easier play for a infielder.

I will grant you that this tactic works up to maybe 4th grade, but once you start playing against good infielders, you have to hit the ball hard in order to have a chance of getting it through the infield.