MLB Off-Topic

[Jr.]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

He was just talking about not focusing on his hands. His hands will do what they do because they're following his shoulders and front arm angle. Too many young hitters think "hands hands hands" and lose everything else in the swing, or get too handsy and roll over.

You're absolutely right that coaches don't understand what those words mean, which causes players to not understand it either. The hands should always be above the barrel/ball, but the bat path needs to be moving upward through the hitting zone to match the ball path.

[CMH]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Whenever I found myself slumping at the plate, I always reminded myself to swing down.

You guys are right. It wasn't down like chop down at the ball. It just reminded me to keep my hands above the barrel, so I wasn't looping my swing which was ultimately my greatest deficiency as a hitter.

[Speedy]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

He seriously contorts his body, shoulders, elbows, and arms to hit an inside pitch. I think, like Blzr said, this is good for him but not necessarily something I'd teach my son.

I'm more interested in his load and high leg kick to produce power and timing. Looking at old footage of Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, etc...their stride is literally moving their energy forward versus simply putting a foot up then down. A leg kick does something similar in producing a lot of energy and pushing it forward/thru the ball. I think a lot of hitters should employ this (looking at you, J-Hey) as it not only helps with power but I think is a good tool for timing...I see tons of hitters late a lot or produce weak contact because of a long load time with their upper body or not getting their foot down in time. It's one thing to hit with your hands but he's right that MLB pays hitters for XBH.

Good video...DeRosa did a good job of walking thru his swing and getting the details of it.

[Jr.]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

He seriously contorts his body, shoulders, elbows, and arms to hit an inside pitch. I think, like Blzr said, this is good for him but not necessarily something I'd teach my son.

It's a high level move and would likely be tough for a kid to learn initially, but his movements are what you need to to do hit an inside pitch with velocity consistently. I love his explanation for why he focuses on that, rather than trying to just get his hands to the ball which will cause the barrel to drop for many people.

What I like most about the video is just how much he knows about his swing. There are a ton of great hitters who are great naturally and don't really know what they do within their swing... it's just a great swing path due to their natural athleticism and movements.

I remember watching a video with Tony Gwynn. He basically said that he would look away and if he got a fastball 95 mph on the inner half, he'd just drop his hands and pull it. Well, that's great if you're able to do that, but there might be 50-100 people in the world that can just drop their hands and turn on 95. He didn't explain at all what his lower half was doing, or how to clear his front side so he could actually get his hands there.

[Sportsforever]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

It's a high level move and would likely be tough for a kid to learn initially, but his movements are what you need to to do hit an inside pitch with velocity consistently. I love his explanation for why he focuses on that, rather than trying to just get his hands to the ball which will cause the barrel to drop for many people.

What I like most about the video is just how much he knows about his swing. There are a ton of great hitters who are great naturally and don't really know what they do within their swing... it's just a great swing path due to their natural athleticism and movements.

I remember watching a video with Tony Gwynn. He basically said that he would look away and if he got a fastball 95 mph on the inner half, he'd just drop his hands and pull it. Well, that's great if you're able to do that, but there might be 50-100 people in the world that can just drop their hands and turn on 95. He didn't explain at all what his lower half was doing, or how to clear his front side so he could actually get his hands there.

The majority of MLB hitters can talk about their swing like this. There are the few athletes who "see the ball, hit the ball", but for the most part by the time you are a professional who's been hitting you're whole life, you know you're swing pretty well.

[SPTO]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I saw that video a couple days ago. I got to say that it was one of the most engrossing and interesting swing breakdowns i've ever seen. Yes, almost everything he does I would NOT teach a kid but it works for him so that's good. The thing that struck me about the way he broke everything down is that this illustrates why it's so hard for top level hitters to transition to a hitting coach role because they're so into the mechanics of what they do that it's probably a lot harder to be as precise when looking at and helping develop other hitters. Yeah, they can lend some advice on the fundamentals but other than that I think there's probably a big communication gap when it comes to the finer points.

MLB-N needs to do more of these demos with some of the top hitters in the game IMO. It really shows how much they care about their craft and explains in a very nuanced way, the mechanics of their swing and approach at the plate.

[slickdtc]

MLB Off-Topic

Whoa completely wrong thread. Ignore.

[Jr.]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

The majority of MLB hitters can talk about their swing like this. There are the few athletes who "see the ball, hit the ball", but for the most part by the time you are a professional who's been hitting you're whole life, you know you're swing pretty well.

I don't know man. I've met quite a few professional hitters that can't analyze their own swing very well and have a really hard time getting it back in-tune when they're in a funk.

[Sportsforever]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I don't know man. I've met quite a few professional hitters that can't analyze their own swing very well and have a really hard time getting it back in-tune when they're in a funk.

Not disagreeing that they aren't out there. I do think that it's always easier for someone else to critique/get you back out of a funk. Chipper Jones is one of the greatest hitters I've ever watched...he knew his swing inside and out, and yet when he was in a funk he called his dad.

There is no doubt that the truly great ones (Gwynn, Carew, Chipper, Donaldson, Bonds, etc) all can break their swing down like this and it's a different level than your average pro (which is what separates them IMO).

[Jr.]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Not disagreeing that they aren't out there. I do think that it's always easier for someone else to critique/get you back out of a funk. Chipper Jones is one of the greatest hitters I've ever watched...he knew his swing inside and out, and yet when he was in a funk he called his dad.

There is no doubt that the truly great ones (Gwynn, Carew, Chipper, Donaldson, Bonds, etc) all can break their swing down like this and it's a different level than your average pro (which is what separates them IMO).

Yeah good point. I guess my idea was similar to what SPTO was saying about great hitters translating to hitting coaches. Just because you're a great hitter, doesn't mean you can teach others to be.

[Speedy]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

MLB-N needs to do more of these demos with some of the top hitters in the game IMO. It really shows how much they care about their craft and explains in a very nuanced way, the mechanics of their swing and approach at the plate.

I wholeheartedly agree; I want to see more breakdowns altogether. Some may not like him but I always enjoy Billy Ripken talk baseball, specifically fielding. I still wish MLBers did infield before games.

I watched a Ripken (Cal & Billy) breakdown their LL teams a few years back and it was really entertaining and showed me some things I could teach. I'd love to see breakdowns of fielding, DPs, pitching mechanics, pitch types (I would love to figure out how to throw a split effectively), hitting, baserunning, etc.

There's a lot to baseball that professionals can provide insight on from what they've mastered and/or know of what is necessary to get to that level that is fascinating, even to a lifer like myself.

More so, I think it could be MLBN's way of impacting youth by show/implement fundamentals to young hitters. I think it'd be cool to do a thing every Saturday morning of Baseball Fundamentals or something like that...kind of like TWIB back in the day which was something I could always look forward to watching as a kid. Granted, times have changed with technology and so many other things kids can do but still...I'd watch it.

[Jr.]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I watched a Ripken (Cal & Billy) breakdown their LL teams a few years back and it was really entertaining and showed me some things I could teach. I'd love to see breakdowns of fielding, DPs, pitching mechanics, pitch types (I would love to figure out how to throw a split effectively), hitting, baserunning, etc.

Take a softball, and jam it between your index and middle finger. Do that until you can get the ball all the way to the webbing between your fingers. Once you get that, you can throw a splitter. It's all about finger dexterity and strength in order for it to look like a fastball and not knuckle/tumble.

[Jeffx]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Sad news about Doc Gooden...hopefully this is wake-up call for him.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/darryl-strawberry-leading-fight-doc-gooden-save-life-article-1.2760189

[ShowTyme15]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Apparently the Diamondbacks and Marlins had an agreement on a Shelby Miller trade, but the Snakes ownership nixed the deal sighting it "would look bad" they also nixed the firing of Chip Hale earlier this year as well.

[slickdtc]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Oh it would look bad, huh? Kinda like telling the state/county to throw down $$$ on upgrades to a relatively modern stadium.

But they wouldn't do that. No way.