HR swing with 2 strikes

[SoCalASABlue]

Anecdotal, I know, but since it just happened last night (and I started this thread ) I thought I'd share.

DD's HS team playing rival. DD pitched CG and got to bottom of the 7th behind 2-1. Rival team pitcher throwing strikes but slow (don't know about your teams but DD's team is simply not disciplined enough to wait on a slow pitcher). First 2 ABs, DD (lefty batter) grounds to 1B and 2B respectively (but knocks in 1 run) because she couldn't wait on the ball and was way out in front. 3rd AB, DD goes into "power slap" mode and walks but is stranded at 3B. Bottom of 7, DD gets up with 2 outs and bases loaded with the score tied 2-2. Back into "power slap" mode. Fouls off 2 outside pitches and then line drives next one into CF for GW RBI.

Begrudgingly DD acknowledges that if she had not changed her approach (and perhaps that's what the thread really should have been about), chances are she would have grounded out again and had to go into extra innings. Changing into power slap mode forced an extra level of concentration that allowed her to see the slow pitch longer and stay back on it.

 

[RetiredCoach]

My mind has totally changed. Thank you Domingo for clearing it up!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P6EhCJXOug

Now that we have heard from Domingo, let's hear from another great, Ted Williams from his book, "The Science of Hitting":

"Up to two strikes, you have been selective. With two strikes, the advantage turns; you now have to concede to
the pitcher. You have to make adjustments. You have to think in terms of making everything quicker."

"How do you do that? You choke up a little bit. You quit trying to pull. You think more about that push swing, that
90 degree impact from the direction of the pitch..."

Back to fastpitch, I coach all of the above except for choking up. Not pulling allows he hitter to wait longer and see the pitch better. I recommend just getting the sweet spot of the bat on the ball because with current bat technology there is a reasonable chance of getting a hit.

 

[Rocketech1]

With all due respect to Ted Williams, he played 50 years ago and the game has evolved with technology and instruction with advanced video analysis. As it relates to fastpitch, the pinched strike zones, hot bats, and better conditioned athletes make it a hitters game and some of the old hitting wisdom may not be as applicable in 2015 as it was in the 1950's. For example, the split grip, power slapping, laying the bat across the plate to start swing, open stance, etc that Ted never thought of.

 

[coach james]

I HATE the expression "foul off what you don't like"... I think it's a complete BS statement. If she's got good enough bat control to "foul off" less than perfect pitches, then why in the hell wouldn't she just square up on them and put it in a gap. If the bat crosses the plate for any reason, it needs to be in an attempt to hit the pitch cleanly. Period.

 

[quincy]

DD acknowledges that if she had not changed her approach (and perhaps that's what the thread really should have been about),

I do think batters might need to change their approach based on the P, just not sure how much they should change on 0-2.

A slow pitcher is a good example. In the past DD has had trouble with slower pitchers. This year she is going to drive the ball into RF, 0-0 or 0-2.

 

[sluggers]

My thought on this:

IMHO, you have a bunch of parents and coaches who watch too much ESPN and MLB.

If you are Victor Martinez, get paid 12 million a year, and have spent four hours a day for 30 years working on bat control...yeah, you should be able to change your swing dependent upon the count.

If you are 12YOA Suzy with a $10 a week allowance, trying to change up the swing is abeyond her ability.

 

[coach james]

My thought on this:

IMHO, you have a bunch of parents and coaches who watch too much ESPN and MLB.

If you are Victor Martinez, get paid 12 million a year, and have spent four hours a day for 30 years working on bat control...yeah, you should be able to change your swing dependent upon the count.

If you are 12YOA Suzy with a $10 a week allowance, trying to change up the swing is abeyond her ability.

Agreed 200%
Why work on fouling off? That's teaching a muscle memory to mishit a ball, purposefully no less! Isn't that time better served finding the good barrel?
I believe in being selective on the first two strikes, and finding a pitch that is closer to your wheelhouse. But when you've got 2 on you, it's time to expand your zone and be a little less picky, and find the barrel on anything remotely close to blues zone.

 

[Strike2]

I HATE the expression "foul off what you don't like"... I think it's a complete BS statement. If she's got good enough bat control to "foul off" less than perfect pitches, then why in the hell wouldn't she just square up on them and put it in a gap. If the bat crosses the plate for any reason, it needs to be in an attempt to hit the pitch cleanly. Period.

It's not about intentionally fouling off anything, it's about the expansion of the batter's acceptable hitting zone with two strikes. With two strikes, there are pitches close enough to require a swing that cannot be hit cleanly. Learning to get at least a piece of the bat on pitches that can't hit well extends the AB.

 

[Strike2]

With all due respect to Ted Williams, he played 50 years ago and the game has evolved with technology and instruction with advanced video analysis. As it relates to fastpitch, the pinched strike zones, hot bats, and better conditioned athletes make it a hitters game and some of the old hitting wisdom may not be as applicable in 2015 as it was in the 1950's. For example, the split grip, power slapping, laying the bat across the plate to start swing, open stance, etc that Ted never thought of.

While I'm sure Ted didn't think about the the split grip and the power slap specifically, if you reread the above quote, there's plenty of relevant advice.