I'm really wondering about pro ball but players have to learn somewhere. Whats going on with hitting at the MLB level? Kids are playing more baseball than ever in the US at an earlier age but the hitting at the highest level seems to be getting worse. I know that philosophy and execution of relief pitching plays a major part in it but still. Runs are way down and strikeouts are way up. I picked a random year of 86 and there were like 4 teams that had north of 1000 k's. Look at 14 and just 1 team (Kansas City) under 1000 k's.
My question is what's being taught at the younger levels. I know that advance metrics has placed more emphasis on power but to hit the ball hard you have to first hit the ball. Just about every guy in pro ball has a power hitting approach at the plate. Is this the same on the lower levels? Is everyone being taught nowadays to load up and rake? Like you got a kid in high school 5'8 155 is he being taught to drive the ball as hard as possible or to hit it where the defense isnt? I know on the pro level you hardly see any slap hitters. The only one I can think of is Ichiro. Today there are a handful of true contact hitters when in the 80's I could name allot of guys who were just trying to put the ball in play, find a hole, and move the line. Now, everybody wants to go deep when they may only have warning track power.
My question is are there things being taught at the younger levels that effecting hitting at the pro level?
One thing I will say is that allot of hitters have become too mechanical in their swing and never come out of it. Bonds is a example of a player who had an approach and swing and refused to come out of it. You could shift the whole team down the right field line and lob the ball underhand on the outside part of the plate and Bonds would still pull it. It wasn't until the the Giants made a run at the title around the last few weeks of the season that Bonds decided to basically stick the bat out there and lob the ball into left. Now with Bonds he hit so well for power you could live with it. With the new generation I'm not so sure you can live with that approach. Like a guy nowadays may have a swing built for middle in but the ball is on the outside edge and he still take the middle in swing. Back in the day you tried to do that to a guy like Gwynn he would go to the other side of the plate however and get the ball where he needed to.
My question is are hitters over coached? Are they losing the instincts needed to hit at the highest level and becoming robots?
This post was edited on 4/4 4:40 PM by slick58
This post was edited on 4/5 6:14 AM by slick58
My question is what's being taught at the younger levels. I know that advance metrics has placed more emphasis on power but to hit the ball hard you have to first hit the ball. Just about every guy in pro ball has a power hitting approach at the plate. Is this the same on the lower levels? Is everyone being taught nowadays to load up and rake? Like you got a kid in high school 5'8 155 is he being taught to drive the ball as hard as possible or to hit it where the defense isnt? I know on the pro level you hardly see any slap hitters. The only one I can think of is Ichiro. Today there are a handful of true contact hitters when in the 80's I could name allot of guys who were just trying to put the ball in play, find a hole, and move the line. Now, everybody wants to go deep when they may only have warning track power.
My question is are there things being taught at the younger levels that effecting hitting at the pro level?
One thing I will say is that allot of hitters have become too mechanical in their swing and never come out of it. Bonds is a example of a player who had an approach and swing and refused to come out of it. You could shift the whole team down the right field line and lob the ball underhand on the outside part of the plate and Bonds would still pull it. It wasn't until the the Giants made a run at the title around the last few weeks of the season that Bonds decided to basically stick the bat out there and lob the ball into left. Now with Bonds he hit so well for power you could live with it. With the new generation I'm not so sure you can live with that approach. Like a guy nowadays may have a swing built for middle in but the ball is on the outside edge and he still take the middle in swing. Back in the day you tried to do that to a guy like Gwynn he would go to the other side of the plate however and get the ball where he needed to.
My question is are hitters over coached? Are they losing the instincts needed to hit at the highest level and becoming robots?
This post was edited on 4/4 4:40 PM by slick58
This post was edited on 4/5 6:14 AM by slick58