beemax, I agree with your observations, especially the concept of having confidence that you can control the AB no matter what the count and situation.
I think it is supported by information I learned from our son. During his stint in the MWL, it became well known that one organization required their hitters to take the first pitch. As this scouting information spread, pitchers grooved first pitch fastballs to always get ahead 0-1. Many of the hitters would actually get visibly upset and it progressed during the course of a game and series.
TG, I do not equate making a two strike adjustment of the type described with choke and poke.
I think there are situations that do require that approach, and it isn't executed well by many hitters at the professional level, but that isn't the case with most 2 strike situations.
While a hitter will sacrifice some power if they choke up and get short, if they also have confidence in those situations and have controlled the AB, the hitter is still aggressive and will drive the ball.
Having a good approach with 2 strikes does not change your aggressiveness and still results in line drives.
I think those types of AB's are as demoralizing for the pitcher just as much as a confidence builder for a hitter.
TG,
I don't think of choking up with two being "choke and poke." Just because I am choking up with two doesn't mean I am trying to hit the ball any less hard. Barry Bonds chokes up at all time and I wouldn't say that he is a "choke and poke" type of a hitter.
To me, choking up with two is a means to remind yourself to be short to the ball and let it travel, giving yourself a chance to put the ball in play.
I know that my 0-2 swing is a little different from my 2-0 swing because each count takes a different approach. With 2-0 you can let it rip because the count is in your favor. With 0-2, I cannot do that IMO because I value putting the ball in play.
I understand what you are saying by having your focus to drive the ball. I feel the same way but with two you have to do what you can to put the ball in play, IMO. It does no good to strike out, IMO, even if you are trying to drive the ball with two.
IMO if you are a hitter that does not want to adjust with two strikes, you better hit a lot of home runs because many coaches won't stand for it. Adam Dunn is the first name that comes to mind, and he has never hit for much average.
Again, I see no harm being done in doing something to increase your chances of putting the ball in play with two strikes. Like I said before, there are a lot more possible hits when you put the ball in play then when you don't.
I don't think of choking up with two being "choke and poke." Just because I am choking up with two doesn't mean I am trying to hit the ball any less hard. Barry Bonds chokes up at all time and I wouldn't say that he is a "choke and poke" type of a hitter.
To me, choking up with two is a means to remind yourself to be short to the ball and let it travel, giving yourself a chance to put the ball in play.
I know that my 0-2 swing is a little different from my 2-0 swing because each count takes a different approach. With 2-0 you can let it rip because the count is in your favor. With 0-2, I cannot do that IMO because I value putting the ball in play.
I understand what you are saying by having your focus to drive the ball. I feel the same way but with two you have to do what you can to put the ball in play, IMO. It does no good to strike out, IMO, even if you are trying to drive the ball with two.
IMO if you are a hitter that does not want to adjust with two strikes, you better hit a lot of home runs because many coaches won't stand for it. Adam Dunn is the first name that comes to mind, and he has never hit for much average.
Again, I see no harm being done in doing something to increase your chances of putting the ball in play with two strikes. Like I said before, there are a lot more possible hits when you put the ball in play then when you don't.
I don't believe in changing your swing at all with two strikes. If widening out or choking up helps you be a better hitter, why not do it everytime and just be that hitter in every count? You have one best swing that most efficiently delivers the barell to the ball, and I try to take that swing every pitch, no matter what the count.
However, I do make some changes with 2 strikes. I make sure to swing at strikes. Its pretty obvious that you should swing at everything in the zone with two strikes, but I usually trust the umpire with balls off the corner. I don't "expand my zone" with 2 because its very hard to put balls off the plate in play for hits.
I do agree with beemax with looking fastball away. This gives me the most mental adjustability to any pitch in the zone. I visualize the ball on the outer third of the plate, not the corner. A lot of times when I used too look out at the corner I chased a lot of balls away out of the zone, I think because my "mental picture" of the zone was so far adjusted outside. I've found much better results with looking on the outer third. I can best lay off any ball outside while still protecting the strike zone that way by looking outer third.
I have never purposely fouled off a pitch and I doubt that any big leaguers do either. If you're that good to purposely hit a pitch foul, I think you're good enough to put it in play hard. Theres much more room for error if you aim to hit the ball hard in play than if you aim to hit the ball foul. Also, theres not enough time during the .45 sec pitch to conciously change your mindset from "hit the ball hard" to "just foul it off the other way."
However, I do make some changes with 2 strikes. I make sure to swing at strikes. Its pretty obvious that you should swing at everything in the zone with two strikes, but I usually trust the umpire with balls off the corner. I don't "expand my zone" with 2 because its very hard to put balls off the plate in play for hits.
I do agree with beemax with looking fastball away. This gives me the most mental adjustability to any pitch in the zone. I visualize the ball on the outer third of the plate, not the corner. A lot of times when I used too look out at the corner I chased a lot of balls away out of the zone, I think because my "mental picture" of the zone was so far adjusted outside. I've found much better results with looking on the outer third. I can best lay off any ball outside while still protecting the strike zone that way by looking outer third.
I have never purposely fouled off a pitch and I doubt that any big leaguers do either. If you're that good to purposely hit a pitch foul, I think you're good enough to put it in play hard. Theres much more room for error if you aim to hit the ball hard in play than if you aim to hit the ball foul. Also, theres not enough time during the .45 sec pitch to conciously change your mindset from "hit the ball hard" to "just foul it off the other way."
Agreed look fastball away, its time to ignore the pull side and just go with the pitch. I will say in certain situations it would be advantageous to widen your zone. Runner on 3rd, 1 out, 0-2, do whatever you have to at this point to put the ball in play and score the runner. Same thing with a guy on second and nobody out. A minor point but something worth mentioning
