old_school posted:Cabbage, I would go a step farther. I don't even argue the number for maybe the top 50 or so % of college hitters and the top 20% or so of HS.
It is when the twitter world becomes 100% absolute truth and anyone who doesn't agree fully and forever with trackman numbers from the MBL for all players at all ages no matter what the circumstances are...or you are a dimwit who knows nothing and hurting the kids he is working with I separate! BTW how is that for a run on sentence!
Honestly if my son hits a ground ball it is almost never a good swing, he doesn't run well, he is lefty so he isn't going to many of the bobbles ball not fielded clean error bases...he is a power kid who hits it in the gaps and over peoples heads. That is what he does, he also has 96 exit velo and it works for him. his roommate runs about 6.90 or maybe a tick better BUT hasn't ever hit a ball over the fence. Not in LL, HS, travel....he is not a strong hitter. Bunts well, has a great hit and run swing, can inside out a ball with the best of them, he has a role - launch angle isn't it!
Those 2 couldn't be more night and day, why teach them the same? They both can help the team in their own way. If my son wasn't damn so slow and a bit to short he would playing D1, if his roommate could hit like my son does he would be playing it as well...IMO a high quality coach will work with what the player has to offer.
Completely agree on both points. There are those here (and "out there") that swear by the notion of copying MLB players. I get the concept but this topic is the perfect example of where that doesn't always work.
There was a popular interview/video of Josh Donaldson talking thru his hitting philosophy a year or two ago. A lot of HS kids gravitated to it. Heavy on pull, lift, big kick, etc. (as best as i can recall). On top of that, he was pretty blatant about telling kids to ignore "traditional instruction". Works well for an elite, strong MLB player with tremendous timing who is paid to go deep but really works against, in so many ways, a HS player trying to have success at his current level. Causes balance issues, timing issues, contact issues, hinders ability to drive pitches away, etc. That's always fun trying to explain to a group of HS players that the hottest player on the planet (at the time) is telling them to hit in a way that will hurt their chances of success.
And, yes, there are rare HS players like your son with 96 mph exit velo who should be swinging with some intent to lift. And, yes, each player is different and his particular skill set and physical attributes should be factored in to the type of hitter he strives to be.