Ohtani ... the struggle is real

[Rolling Hard]

How does a MLB player get this out of whack? I know his swing is a little different. But Saturday he was 2 for 3 with a home run after riding the pine for 8 days. Ohtani said he worked on his stance and his overall approach during his week off, improving his ability to see pitches.
How important is it to see the ball? You hear it all the time... He really seeing the ball well. How important is vision training? Who does it and what do you do? Seeing the ball and having a quiet mind and a calm and relaxed focus seem to go hand and hand. Any tips, drills, breathing, visualizing, yoga, ect to improve vision and mental approach?

 

[Wildfire]

I don't know but I like watching him play. I hope his arm gets better soon so he can pitch again.

 

[Quasimodo]

View attachment 19358
How does a MLB player get this out of whack? I know his swing is a little different. But Saturday he was 2 for 3 with a home run after riding the pine for 8 days. Ohtani said he worked on his stance and his overall approach during his week off, improving his ability to see pitches.
How important is it to see the ball? You hear it all the time... He really seeing the ball well. How important is vision training? Who does it and what do you do? Seeing the ball and having a quiet mind and a calm and relaxed focus seem to go hand and hand. Any tips, drills, breathing, visualizing, yoga, ect to improve vision and mental approach?

Howard Carrier and I found out that the two of us were simultaneously teaching the same technics for vision. I did not know him, or had ever heard of him. I know he didn't know of me. It was a little bizarre perhaps.

I teach my hitters to turn their face toward the 2nd baseman, look at them, then drop their chin/nose down into the hitting zone. This means their head never has to move until contact.
HOWEVER: The sight of the pitchers hip and release of the pitch is paramount, superceded by nothing! So some adjustment may need to be necessary. Usually it isn't. So the eyes are simply turned toward the pitcher and the release point and focus on the pitch. The head never moves toward the catcher, but she can see it well past the hitting zone.

I usually put a small orange cone in the space halfway between the pitching rubber and the foul line about 25 feet from home plate.

It is said that 82% of major league ball players do not see contact.

 

[julray]

It is said that 82% of major league ball players do not see contact.

Are the other 18% elite hitters?

 

[Quasimodo]

Are the other 18% elite hitters?

No idea. That was a MLB research lab that posted that a couple of years ago. The bad eyes above are Alou, and he was a pretty good hitter. I guess the point is he could have been a better hitter, especially on breaking balls if he saw the pitch in the hitting zone all the way to contact.

 

[Towny9]

I thought sport science proved out eyes just can’t track that fast so our brain uses the data we do have to “predict” where the ball will be at contact. We fill in the missing info so to speak.

This is why everyone wants “late break” on breaking pitches.

 

[julray]

Yeah, I've never seen the ball off the bat in my life TBH. Then again I didn't make it to the majors, or anywhere close for that matter. But I read that as well.. our brain uses extrapolation to determine where the ball will be. That's why I don't understand Q's post on 82% of MLB hitters cannot see contact.. I'm curious how a hitter makes into the 18%

 

[_MIA_]

I'm curious how a hitter makes into the 18%

They lie?? In all seriousness, they probably think they do because somebody told them when they were kids that they were supposed to...

 

[efastball]

MLB research lab

It's amazing what 20 year old interns can come up with.

 

[TDS]

I know its probably perception but the more out front contact is made the eyes have a better chance of seeing the ball hit the bat since the head and eyes don't need to adjust as much.