Hmm...interesting question. From the player perspective, being someone who did increase strength quite a bit in college...this did NOT cause me to concentrate less on mechanics. In fact, my swing also improved a ton in college. Being in Hawaii, playing in Hawaii, and being recruited by just about every college coach in Hawaii, they ALL knew my hitting weakness. Despite the fact that all the training increase my power a LOT - my hitting weaknesses also diminished quite a deal. It was actually kind of funny in the first pre-season tourney were I got lots of playing time...they all "knew" where to throw me, where my "weakness" WAS - big mistake! I was no longer strictly a pull hitter by then. I did still have things to fix for certain, but there was a LOT I was able to improve upon swing mechanics wise even with a big increase in strength as well. I'm not a huge person and was told all my life that I was not a power hitter. I was a basehitter. Then after my first year in college I read an interview done with our coach in the college paper and I was shocked to see the coach list me as one of the hitters on the team that could hit with power. What? I was also used to being either at the top or the bottom of the lineup...it was really strange hitting in the 5 slot for the first time in my life - I do not believe this was solely due to increase in strength, but to increase in strength, speed, and better hitting mechanics. When we were working mechanics, my increased power never crossed my mind. Most of the drills done didn't really show us where the hit went or if it would've been a hit or not because you're not hitting out to a field.
So the "end result" is not something that you see or think about.
On the other hand, I think the bats in general these days contribute to a players mentality of "I don't need to fix anything because I still got a hit." You can hit a ball so wrong with these bats and it will still look and feel great. Not so much with bats of the past. That's part of why I like that TCB ball that's out now. If you don't hit that thing right it won't go. Instant feedback for a mis-hit - something you don't always get with a hi-tech bat.
So the "end result" is not something that you see or think about.
On the other hand, I think the bats in general these days contribute to a players mentality of "I don't need to fix anything because I still got a hit." You can hit a ball so wrong with these bats and it will still look and feel great. Not so much with bats of the past. That's part of why I like that TCB ball that's out now. If you don't hit that thing right it won't go. Instant feedback for a mis-hit - something you don't always get with a hi-tech bat.
