Is there such a thing as to early?

Don't anyone read TW's chapter on, "Guess? Yes!". Some make it sound like these HL hitters don't go up there with a plan in mind, aren't "guessing" the pitch, and then try to make adjustments when they end up getting something else. To some they just stand there, wait for the pitch, and then try to read, react, and change on the fly to it.

Not the HL hitters I've talked to (which admittedly hasn't been a huge data base), they all said they were most of the time "sitting on" a particular pitch, and why a lot of the times they look silly in their swings, or even sometimes look at strike three right down the middle, simply tip their hat to the pitcher, and walk away....because they were looking for off speed, and got FB middle/middle instead or vice versa. That's just the game.

Mudders Brudder said:

Don't anyone read TW's chapter on, "Guess? Yes!". Some make it sound like these HL hitters don't go up there with a plan in mind, aren't "guessing" the pitch, and then try to make adjustments when they end up getting something else. To some they just stand there, wait for the pitch, and then try to read, react, and change on the fly to it.

Not the HL hitters I've talked to (which admittedly hasn't been a huge data base), they all said they were most of the time "sitting on" a particular pitch, and why a lot of the times they look silly in their swings, or even sometimes look at strike three right down the middle, simply tip their hat to the pitcher, and walk away....because they were looking for off speed, and got FB middle/middle instead or vice versa. That's just the game.

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or location.

Mudders Brudder said:

Don't anyone read TW's chapter on, "Guess? Yes!". Some make it sound like these HL hitters don't go up there with a plan in mind, aren't "guessing" the pitch, and then try to make adjustments when they end up getting something else. To some they just stand there, wait for the pitch, and then try to read, react, and change on the fly to it.

Not the HL hitters I've talked to (which admittedly hasn't been a huge data base), they all said they were most of the time "sitting on" a particular pitch, and why a lot of the times they look silly in their swings, or even sometimes look at strike three right down the middle, simply tip their hat to the pitcher, and walk away....because they were looking for off speed, and got FB middle/middle instead or vice versa. That's just the game.

Click to expand...

I'm actually in the process of reading this book now. Very good read... I don't necessarily disagree with TW concerning the concept of guessing, but I never cared for the terminology. In my opinion, a hitter never really wants to 'guess'. However, going to the plate with a plan and maybe using some 'educated guessing', can be advantageous. I realize this may be a little wordsmithing on my part, but to me, 'guessing' infers that the hitter has no idea what to expect. From what I have read so far in the TW book, that is not what he is referring to....

"Obviously, you don't just "guess" curve or "guess" fastball. You work from a frame of reference, you learn what you might expect in certain instances, and you guess from there. Certainly you won't guess a pitch the pitcher can't get over; he might have a terrific curve, but if he can't get it over, forget it. Certainly the pitch you anticipate when the count is 0 and 2 is not the pitch you anticipate when the count is 2 and 0...." Ted Williams.

The better the pitcher, the more difficult this process becomes.