Not softball. Golfer Jim Furyk made quite a career with a wonky swing.
Perfect example.
Not softball. Golfer Jim Furyk made quite a career with a wonky swing.
This is why a player should/must pad their stats against softer pitching because everybody is going to struggle against pitchers with velo with movement that can hit spots. At what point does a player decided she has a better chance of success by guessing pitch location vs trying to hit every pitch will vary from player to player. The better the hitters eye hand, pitch recognition and timing the less often they will need to guess.This is fine if the hitter can hit high level pitching consistently. Everyone knows a players that can kill it vs average pitching but never touches elite pitching. Depends on your goals with instructing hitters.
This is why a player should/must pad their stats against softer pitching because everybody is going to struggle against pitchers with velo with movement that can hit spots. At what point does a player decided she has a better chance of success by guessing pitch location vs trying to hit every pitch will vary from player to player. The better the hitters eye hand, pitch recognition and timing the less often they will need to guess.
Quite a few HS/TB big hitters get recruited to P5 schools only to find out they are outmatched and can't hit elite pitching. They are thankful for the portal.
Oh, and BTW, HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all.
Agree with this. Someone has to hit the average pitchers also.
I hate when people say that they can't hit well off of average pitchers, or their daughter can't hit off of slower pitchers. That is a very poor excuse for why a player does not succeed. In general, even the best hitters struggle against the elite pitchers at their age level, that is what makes an elite pitcher, elite!
In travel softball if you want to be a good a hitter you have to hit .500 or better off the average pitchers, and still be able to hit .300 off the very good pitchers. Those might not be the exact numbers to but hopefully you get the point I am trying to make.
Every now and then you get to see a hitter like Jocelyn Alo, it really seemed like she could hit off of whoever was pitching.
This is why a player should/must pad their stats against softer pitching because everybody is going to struggle against pitchers with velo with movement that can hit spots. At what point does a player decided she has a better chance of success by guessing pitch location vs trying to hit every pitch will vary from player to player. The better the hitters eye hand, pitch recognition and timing the less often they will need to guess.
Quite a few HS/TB big hitters get recruited to P5 schools only to find out they are outmatched and can't hit elite pitching. They are thankful for the portal.
Oh, and BTW, HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all.