- Aug 21, 2008
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Ok, fair enough. But, there is no such thing as a swing that is vertical. A horizontal swing, even if it's not 100% straight is still much more level than if someone held the bat up and down. Generally speaking a hitter is swinging a bat at where they see the ball (on flat pitches) or where they think the ball will be on movement pitches. This is how hitters mishit the ball for pop ups, groundouts.Horizontally breaking pitches get a bad rap because a lot of times people assume that when the bat moves through the contact zone it is level (horizontal), the old 'level swing', which really doesn't exist.
I think what gets lost on people is the fact that almost all things are playing the percentages. Nothing is absolute. Having your corners move in, looking for a bunt, with 0 outs in the 7th and a runner on 2 is playing the percentages that the hitter is going to bunt trying to move the runner. Having your infielders play in with a R3 and less than 2 outs is the percentages of trying to cut the runner down at home on an infield groundball.
Pitching is all about playing the %'s too.
Also, it's a misnomer to say "horizontal breaking pitcheS". There is only 1 pitch that breaks horizontal, a curve. There is no such thing as a screwball that actually breaks inward. This is why you see pitchers needing entirely different mechanics for the pitch, stepping way out, and their arm goes way out, etc. If anyone wants to discuss the advantages of a RHP throwing INSIDE to a RHB, I'll do that all day. But lets at least be honest about how the pitch gets inside. It's not curving inward.
No doubt I'll get a reply or PM about how someone's kid has a great screwball and I don't know what I'm saying.