Centering the Bat

Its not so much where they start with the bat and hands. Look at where the hands and barrel of the bat are a foot plant.

There all pretty much in the same place at that point.

Rod Carew use to almost lay the bat parallel with the ground at the begiining of his stance.

Edgar has his hands well over his head, but at foot plant or stride there hands were almost identical.


Seadog

The choices we make dictate the lives we lead.

Seadog,

This point of this comment is not about hand position. It is about the position of the bat head at launch. Because they do not c-ock the bat, the sweet spot of the bat head is not over their back as it is for players with more bat c-ock. Contrast the position of the sweet spot with this swing of Palmeiro:

http://webpages.charter.net/nickkio/Palmiero01.mpg

Nick,

Great shots. I understand what you mean. Ted looks like he is very casual with that cut. The sequences in the Science of Hitting seem to show the bat more centered.

I define centering is having the sweet spot of the bat nearly in line with the spine around and behind the axis.

It really helps me get kids hitting the ball hard. It also helps generate bat speed at contact points inside the front foot ....the biggest advantage possibly.

Dead pull hitters can have less c-ock in the bat than oppo guys IMO. To cover the plate with power I think you have to have your shoulder s/hands/bat back.

Thanks for sharing these pictures

Hi Nick, Wonderful clips of Williams, Banks and Musial. I have some of Kaline and Rose that are very similar. My feeling on the difference of many of the old timers and the players today at footplant are: The old timers were not as strong and most of them used bats that were 35" long and in the 34-36 oz range in weight. They were trying to keep a shorter distance to the ball with the bathead. Most of todays players are weight lifters and are very strong, and they are using 34" bats that are for the most part in the 31 oz range. They can be a little longer to the ball due to their strength and the light bats.

The other thing is that if you can hit 25 home runs today, you will get very rich. The guys today strike out a lot more, but don't care as long as 25 or more balls go out of the park. 100 strikeouts is nothing today and they don't get penalized for it, so they just let it rip. Years ago, very few of the top home run hitters struck out 100 times. They were very good hitters who happened to hit home runs too. Today, it is a grip and rip mentality, and I don't blame them, because that is where the money is.

A good example is the three players that you have clips of. Banks only struck out 100 times once in his career, and that was at the end when he was 38 years old. The most K's Musial had in one year was 46, and he was 42 years old when that happened. Williams highest K total was 64 and that was in his rookie year.

Today, some guys have almost 100 K's by the all star break.

Great clips! I find it kinda amazing the amount of head movement that Musial and Banks had. Even though its on a straight plain it seems excessive compared to todays hitter. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

*di**d

Doug,

In your opinion - and in addition to the increased strength of todays players - does the fact that the ball is much more tightly wound also influence todays hitters' approach to the ball?

After all - the pitchers - on average - throw harder - and are better rested - and the players use lighter bats.

Yet the balls just fly out of the stadium. Even on really crummy swings.

Paul, juiced balls, bats and bodies, and a bunch of pitchers who want to throw to the fat part of the bat instead of the skinny part of the bat. Throwing harder is no big deal unless it is 98-100. Good hitters smoke good fastballs.

Doug,

Is MLB really allowing pitchers to throw at the skinny part of the bat anymore?

Seems like when they do - guys charge the mound and the ump doesnt get the job done IMO.

Paul, A lot of pitchers don't know how to throw in. You throw in the same way your throw to the outside part of the plate...... Inside corner, 2-6" inside. The trouble that pitchers get into is that they nibble outside for 3 innings and then throw a pitch at the hitters ribs, and that is when trouble starts. Maddux has been killing LHH's for years inside and never has anyone charge the mound, because he locates so well.

hi

nikkio, awsome clips man. i really enjoyed them since i dont "center " the bat much anymore. i dont find it usefull. in fact, i used to turn all the way to third base the bat head, not anymore. i just found that by scapula loading the job gets down nicely and better and the bat goes to the right position effortlessly.

toti.

bbscout,

Totally agree. Pitching inside is poison to hitters. Bad hitters pull them foul and good hitters get jammed trying to get the bat inside the ball. Under taught and under used in HS.

Doug,

My question was - in your opinion - Is MLB (and its umpires) allowing pitchers to throw inside in the same way they did in the past?

Swingbuster
My question was not whether inside pitching is effective - nor was it whether it is being taught and/or used in high school.

Paul, Yes, I feel that they allow the pitchers to throw inside. The problem is that most pitchers don't know how. They nibble outside and then throw a ball at the ribs and then the hitters get hot. The guys who know how to use both sides of the plate are the guys who are winners and they don't have any problem with the umpires or hitters.

Doug,

Thanks.

Game...

BBScout spoke to your comment. My comment was somewhat tangent but related. I agree with his comments and I expect that you do as well. I don't see people charging the mound on good pitches. I guess they throw at people to make them wait until pitch recognition to begin their move to hit. It would make me hesitate!

Swing,

Actually - I do not agree with the answer regarding MLB/umpires - although I do appreciate Doug answering the question.

What I see is body armor, guys hanging all over the plate - and mound charging/fist pumping tirades when a pitch comes in 2 inches off the plate. Then a warning from the ump and an ejection.

I dont recall seeing that stuff very much 20-30 years ago.

Game..

I guess it was a kinder and gentler time. I don't like all this acting tough stuff....Zimmer..come on?

They say that it has always been a part of the game but I don't buy that either.

Ali, John McEnroe, Neon Deon, Rodman. Showmen would be a nice term. Call me old fashion...I'm not impressed by the mouth and the antics.

Swing,

I feel the same way.
But in many cases - the showmen are entertaining. As long as the rules of the specific game dont change because of it - I guess its something we have all become used to and maybe even like if it stays under reasonable control.

My concern in MLB - and only my opinion - is that the "acts" we see at the plate - and the reactions by the umpires - have actually changed the game for pitchers. I dont see - in many cases - how you can actually pitch inside effectively anymore without risking an ejection or a fight.

Paul, Maddux has pitched inside for 17 years and no one has charged the mound on him.

Most pitchers stopped throwing inside when the metal bat started in high school and college. Pitching coaches started teching away, away, away and young pitchers stopped learning how to pitch inside.

I won't blame the umpires or the body armour....I blame pitching coaches who want the pitchers to throw to the fat part of the bat instead of the skinny part of the bat. If you walk into the big leagues and establish the inside corner, two things will happen. 1. The umpires will not give you a problem and 2. You will be a winner.

If you show up and nibble the outside corner for five innings and then buzz one in on the ribs, the umps and hitters will get after you.

Doug,

I am not disputing what you are saying about pitchers and what they are being taught. You would know better than I would.

But nowadays - Is it possible to get the Barry Bonds of the world "off" the plate without getting ejected or attacked?

If you throw at Barry, you will get attacked. If you pitch 2-4" inside to Barry, you won't get yelled at by the umps or attacked.

The young pitchers don't know how to pitch inside.The pitchers today can pound fastballs 2-4" outside all day long, but when they try to do the same work on the inside corner, they either leave the ball over the plate to get drilled or the hit the batter.

Young pitchers who want to succeed at the highest level need to be taught properly at the lower levels.

quote:

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...and mound charging/fist pumping tirades when a pitch comes in 2 inches off the plate. Then a warning from the ump and an ejection.

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Pure fiction. Exaggerating may fool some readers but not me.