The best a hitter will ever be is during the time she's hitting off a tee. She will be able to hit the ball 100% of the time (hopefully). While this is a good ego booster, it's not how life actually works, and pretty lonely as well. So, when a player makes the progression from tee, to toss, to pitching, she essentially "sucks" more than she did during the previous step. Therefore, if sucking is inevitable, why do we get so hung up about it? Perhaps a good motto to play by is, "Suck Less!"
Baseball/softball is a game dominated by failure, where the best hitters only get a hit once every three at bats. Perfection, and hitting 1.000 is unattainable, and what players actually strive for is just an improvement on their own failure rate (sucking less). In fact, Major League Baseball hitters swing on average 13 times before they get a hit. Therefore, for a .300 batting average the hitter will swing approximately 39 times in 10 at bats to produce 3 hits. That's a lot of swings for only 3 hits. This unfortunate fact about baseball/softball life is often hard to accept because we're used to a much higher success rate in school, or at our workplace. A 30% grade in school is definitely not going to last very long!
Oftentimes, our goal as a hitter is mistaken as the achievement of the most efficient or "perfect" swing in practice. And in doing so, this search of perfection is brought into the game. Our goal in actuality is to simply suck less. Remember, the only thing keeping a .300 hitter from hitting .400 is 4 hits out of 39 swings. That's 35 times sucking instead of 36!
Now who wants a t-shirt??
Friday, May 18, 2012
Thursday, October 27, 2011
The Great Debate: Baseball vs Softball
Which is the more challenging task, hitting a baseball or softball? Quite a hot topic indeed. Although these two sports are essentially the same, there are some subtle differences. I'd like to outline some arguments for both sides, and let you make your own opinion.
To assess the two sports equally, we'll examine them at the college level. There is a consistent trend between baseball and softball batting averages with softball stats being slightly higher. Over the past 5 years, the top 3 batting averages for baseball hitters at the NCAA Division 1 level ranged from 0.438 to 0.493. The top 3 batting averages for softball hitters in the last 5 years at the NCAA Division 1 level ranged from 0.466 to 0.568. Maybe these numbers aren't completely convincing, but the trend is distinct, and undoubtedly intriguing. Read on.
Let's examine the differences in the pitching motion. Baseball pitchers release the ball over their head, while softball pitchers release the ball at their hip. In an earlier post I mentioned that it is imperative for softball hitters to focus on the pitcher's hip so they can pick up the ball at the earliest point. By focusing on the hip, it is similar to focusing on the feeder of the pitching machine. Baseball players don't have such a luxury in something to focus their eyes on. While the pitcher always releases the ball in the same general area over his head, the hitter doesn't have a focal point (on the pitcher) for ease of transition from point to ball. Instead, the baseball hitter is looking into space, then has to quickly pick up the ball as it is flying through the air.
Using the same pitching machine analogy, the baseball player would know when the ball is being fed into the machine and the general area of where the machine is set up, but wouldn't be able to see it. Therefore, he must react to the ball after it's fed into the machine. Our eyes are able to focus on things near and far away by means of our ciliary muscles. These muscles contract and relax to change the shape of the lens to focus light on the retina so we are able to focus on objects at varying distances. Hold your index finger 6" in front of your nose and focus on it, you'll notice that the background behind your finger is blurred. Now, shift your focus to the computer screen you're reading from, and now your finger is blurred (doubled). The moral of the story is that we cannot focus on near and far things at the same time. Furthermore, it takes time for our eyes to shift focus from objects near and far away.
Baseball hitters must look for the pitcher's release point at an upward angle, due to the fact the pitcher is releasing the ball over his head as well as he is standing on the mound. Since he doesn't have a distinct focal point to focus on, he must look into a space over the pitcher's shoulder. The next closest focal point for the hitter is the center field fence, 400 ft away. Therefore, there is a lapse of time between the time the pitcher releases the ball to when the hitter can actually focus on it.
In softball, there is a time when the pitcher's hip disappears from sight when she opens her hips to drive off the mound. The next nearest focal point when the pitcher's hip is out of sight is somewhere on the ground behind the mound. Thus, the amount of adjustment the ciliary muscles need to make to focus on the ball (hip) at the point of release is much less than that of a baseball player, and arguably would take less time. We can also consider the size and colour of the ball. Baseballs are just shy of 3 inches in diameter and white, while softballs are just under 4 inches and neon/optic yellow. One could therefore argue that softballs would be easier to focus on from a distance.
Baseball players also have to deal with a large amount of movement by the pitch. Since the baseball mound is 60ft away, compared to 43ft away for softball players, there is more time for the baseball to move. A curveball in baseball can move up to 2ft laterally, while a curveball in softball only moves about 6-10 inches laterally [1]. This also doesn't consider the movement vertically, but in baseball it is significant, while curveballs in softball are relatively flat (sideways riseballs). In softball, since the pitcher releases the ball at her hip, she must always throw the ball upwards or else the ball wouldn't make it to the plate. This phenomenon creates a different dynamic that is the riseball. While in baseball a 4 seam fastball is essentially a riseball in softball in terms of spin, there is a difference in the projection of the pitch. Baseball pitchers always throw the ball down because they're standing on a mound. Softball pitchers throw the ball up, which can then keep rising, or drop down towards the ground. While I mentioned in an earlier post that riseballs in the strike zone don't actually rise, it creates the illusion of rising because the ball's starting point (hip) is lower than the end point (contact), in addition to the spin that fights the force of gravity. One could argue that this "unnatural" ball flight of the softball riseball, along with the natural upwards swing path of the hitter would make hitting a softball harder than hitting a baseball.
Pitches in baseball are thrown harder than pitches in softball. Although the baseball pitcher is farther away from the plate, and the pitch flight times are approximately the same, one has to consider the time through the hitting zone. The hitting zone is the area which the hitter is able to make contact. On average, the hitting zone for a good baseball or softball hitter is 3ft. So, for a baseball thrown at 95 mph spends 0.022 sec in the hitting zone, while a softball thrown at 65 mph will spend 0.032 sec in the hitting zone, giving the softball player a small advantage.
Now, let's consider the types of bats baseball and softball players use. There has been recent action regarding the bats players are using at the amateur level due to the ball's high exit speed. Most recently, Little League baseball has put a moratorium on composite bats, and NCAA baseball has implemented strict testing protocols on their bats, almost eliminating composite bats as well. Softball is also on its way to implement strict regulations on their bats. We know that the higher the exit speed of the ball off the bat, the more likely the player is going to get a hit. Miss-hits that would normally result in outs, will more likely be hit through the infield or even carry over the fence, resulting in higher batting averages. The goal in NCAA Baseball "is that non-wood bats that meet this new standard will perform similarly to wood bats," according to BBCOR as of January 1, 2011. Wooden bats, and the aluminum bats used in baseball today are far less forgiving than composite softball bats, which would also attribute the lower batting averages achieved by baseball players compared to softball players.
Next, we'll consider the dynamics of the different sports. Baseball rosters at the NCAA level consist of upwards of 20 pitchers. That's more than a complete softball team at the NCAA level. The difference is that baseball pitchers need ample rest in between starts to protect their arm, while softball pitchers can pitch every day. There are also different types of pitchers in baseball, starters, closers, middle relievers, etc. Therefore, as a baseball player, you're more likely to see several different pitchers throughout the game. And if the opposing team has done their homework, it's likely you'll face a pitcher that will throw to your weakness later in the game. Unlike softball at the college level, teams will likely have one main pitcher who pitches in all the important games during the regular season, as well as through the post season. Therefore, the hitters gain more of an advantage as the season progresses because they get to face the same pitchers more than once, and the pitchers get worn down.
While hitting in baseball and softball are very similar, there are some distinct differences. Hopefully these arguments have given you a different outlook on the two, instead of believing all that we hear on tv.
References
[1] R.G. Watts and A.T. Bahill. Keep Your Eye on the Ball: The Science and Folklore of Baseball. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company, 1990, pp. 151-175
To assess the two sports equally, we'll examine them at the college level. There is a consistent trend between baseball and softball batting averages with softball stats being slightly higher. Over the past 5 years, the top 3 batting averages for baseball hitters at the NCAA Division 1 level ranged from 0.438 to 0.493. The top 3 batting averages for softball hitters in the last 5 years at the NCAA Division 1 level ranged from 0.466 to 0.568. Maybe these numbers aren't completely convincing, but the trend is distinct, and undoubtedly intriguing. Read on.
Let's examine the differences in the pitching motion. Baseball pitchers release the ball over their head, while softball pitchers release the ball at their hip. In an earlier post I mentioned that it is imperative for softball hitters to focus on the pitcher's hip so they can pick up the ball at the earliest point. By focusing on the hip, it is similar to focusing on the feeder of the pitching machine. Baseball players don't have such a luxury in something to focus their eyes on. While the pitcher always releases the ball in the same general area over his head, the hitter doesn't have a focal point (on the pitcher) for ease of transition from point to ball. Instead, the baseball hitter is looking into space, then has to quickly pick up the ball as it is flying through the air.
Using the same pitching machine analogy, the baseball player would know when the ball is being fed into the machine and the general area of where the machine is set up, but wouldn't be able to see it. Therefore, he must react to the ball after it's fed into the machine. Our eyes are able to focus on things near and far away by means of our ciliary muscles. These muscles contract and relax to change the shape of the lens to focus light on the retina so we are able to focus on objects at varying distances. Hold your index finger 6" in front of your nose and focus on it, you'll notice that the background behind your finger is blurred. Now, shift your focus to the computer screen you're reading from, and now your finger is blurred (doubled). The moral of the story is that we cannot focus on near and far things at the same time. Furthermore, it takes time for our eyes to shift focus from objects near and far away.
Baseball hitters must look for the pitcher's release point at an upward angle, due to the fact the pitcher is releasing the ball over his head as well as he is standing on the mound. Since he doesn't have a distinct focal point to focus on, he must look into a space over the pitcher's shoulder. The next closest focal point for the hitter is the center field fence, 400 ft away. Therefore, there is a lapse of time between the time the pitcher releases the ball to when the hitter can actually focus on it.
In softball, there is a time when the pitcher's hip disappears from sight when she opens her hips to drive off the mound. The next nearest focal point when the pitcher's hip is out of sight is somewhere on the ground behind the mound. Thus, the amount of adjustment the ciliary muscles need to make to focus on the ball (hip) at the point of release is much less than that of a baseball player, and arguably would take less time. We can also consider the size and colour of the ball. Baseballs are just shy of 3 inches in diameter and white, while softballs are just under 4 inches and neon/optic yellow. One could therefore argue that softballs would be easier to focus on from a distance.
Baseball players also have to deal with a large amount of movement by the pitch. Since the baseball mound is 60ft away, compared to 43ft away for softball players, there is more time for the baseball to move. A curveball in baseball can move up to 2ft laterally, while a curveball in softball only moves about 6-10 inches laterally [1]. This also doesn't consider the movement vertically, but in baseball it is significant, while curveballs in softball are relatively flat (sideways riseballs). In softball, since the pitcher releases the ball at her hip, she must always throw the ball upwards or else the ball wouldn't make it to the plate. This phenomenon creates a different dynamic that is the riseball. While in baseball a 4 seam fastball is essentially a riseball in softball in terms of spin, there is a difference in the projection of the pitch. Baseball pitchers always throw the ball down because they're standing on a mound. Softball pitchers throw the ball up, which can then keep rising, or drop down towards the ground. While I mentioned in an earlier post that riseballs in the strike zone don't actually rise, it creates the illusion of rising because the ball's starting point (hip) is lower than the end point (contact), in addition to the spin that fights the force of gravity. One could argue that this "unnatural" ball flight of the softball riseball, along with the natural upwards swing path of the hitter would make hitting a softball harder than hitting a baseball.
Pitches in baseball are thrown harder than pitches in softball. Although the baseball pitcher is farther away from the plate, and the pitch flight times are approximately the same, one has to consider the time through the hitting zone. The hitting zone is the area which the hitter is able to make contact. On average, the hitting zone for a good baseball or softball hitter is 3ft. So, for a baseball thrown at 95 mph spends 0.022 sec in the hitting zone, while a softball thrown at 65 mph will spend 0.032 sec in the hitting zone, giving the softball player a small advantage.
Now, let's consider the types of bats baseball and softball players use. There has been recent action regarding the bats players are using at the amateur level due to the ball's high exit speed. Most recently, Little League baseball has put a moratorium on composite bats, and NCAA baseball has implemented strict testing protocols on their bats, almost eliminating composite bats as well. Softball is also on its way to implement strict regulations on their bats. We know that the higher the exit speed of the ball off the bat, the more likely the player is going to get a hit. Miss-hits that would normally result in outs, will more likely be hit through the infield or even carry over the fence, resulting in higher batting averages. The goal in NCAA Baseball "is that non-wood bats that meet this new standard will perform similarly to wood bats," according to BBCOR as of January 1, 2011. Wooden bats, and the aluminum bats used in baseball today are far less forgiving than composite softball bats, which would also attribute the lower batting averages achieved by baseball players compared to softball players.
Next, we'll consider the dynamics of the different sports. Baseball rosters at the NCAA level consist of upwards of 20 pitchers. That's more than a complete softball team at the NCAA level. The difference is that baseball pitchers need ample rest in between starts to protect their arm, while softball pitchers can pitch every day. There are also different types of pitchers in baseball, starters, closers, middle relievers, etc. Therefore, as a baseball player, you're more likely to see several different pitchers throughout the game. And if the opposing team has done their homework, it's likely you'll face a pitcher that will throw to your weakness later in the game. Unlike softball at the college level, teams will likely have one main pitcher who pitches in all the important games during the regular season, as well as through the post season. Therefore, the hitters gain more of an advantage as the season progresses because they get to face the same pitchers more than once, and the pitchers get worn down.
While hitting in baseball and softball are very similar, there are some distinct differences. Hopefully these arguments have given you a different outlook on the two, instead of believing all that we hear on tv.
References
[1] R.G. Watts and A.T. Bahill. Keep Your Eye on the Ball: The Science and Folklore of Baseball. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company, 1990, pp. 151-175
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Keep Your Eye On The Ball... If You Can
It is impossible for even the best professional baseball hitters to keep their eye on the ball from the time it is released from the pitcher's hand until the point of contact. The best hitters are able to track the ball, that is keep the ball centered on his or her fovea (responsible for visual detail and acuity), up until the last 6 ft of flight [1]. This phenomenon is due to the fact that humans are only capable of tracking objects moving at angular velocities of up to 90 degrees per second [1]. If a baseball is thrown at 100 mph, one would require head and eye movements exceeding 1000 degrees per second as it crosses the plate. Although the ball travels at a constant linear velocity (100 mph) from the pitcher to home plate, the angular velocity with respect to the batter increases drastically. The angular velocity is the rate of change of the angle θ as shown in Figure 1 [1]. To illustrate this point, one finds it easy to track an airplane flying at 5000 ft, but would find it nearly impossible to track if it were flying at 100 ft overhead. Both planes travel at the same linear velocity, but different angular velocities with respect to the observer.
Figure 1. The horizontal angle of the ball defined as θ, is the angle between the line of sight pointing at the ball and the line perpendicular to the batter's body. This angle is about 0 degrees when the pitcher releases the ball, and increases to 90 degrees when the ball crosses the plate.
Figure 1. The horizontal angle of the ball defined as θ, is the angle between the line of sight pointing at the ball and the line perpendicular to the batter's body. This angle is about 0 degrees when the pitcher releases the ball, and increases to 90 degrees when the ball crosses the plate.
Remarkably, even though hitters essentially cannot see the ball in its last 6 ft before contact, they are still able to make contact most of the time. A major contributing factor to the likelihood of hitting the ball has to do with how well the hitter can predict where the ball will end up when she wants to hit it. This "prediction" is in direct relation to the 5 questions a hitter must answer. If a softball pitcher were to be pitching from 43 ft, and releases the ball at 65 mph 6 ft in front of the mound, the hitter would only have 31 ft or 0.33 sec to get her bat to the right point of contact. Also, taking into account the time for the hitter to swing, she will start her swing approximately when the ball is 9.25 ft in front of the plate. So, the hitter actually has 27.75 ft or 0.29 sec to decide whether to swing or not. This is not a lot of time to answer 5 questions, therefore it is imperative that a hitter must focus on the pitcher's release point (hip) to give herself the most time to see the ball.
Hitting a baseball is one of the hardest things to do in sport. Not just anyone can pick up a bat and hit live pitching. As hitters, we are trained to swing at strikes and let go balls without thinking. Also, hitters subconsciously create mental pictures in their mind of where the ball will end up, and then gets her bat to that spot to hit it. Hitters create the mental pictures by answering the 5 questions.
This mental picture comes from the experience of hitting soft toss, full pitching and pitching machines. When it comes to the game, most hitters can make contact and be successful by swinging just like they do in practice. However, the best hitters are able to read spin, and therefore adjust their mental picture of where the ball will end up. Those who are unable to recognize spin are more likely to be fooled by pitches that have more movement than what they've seen in practice.
Let's examine what makes different pitchers successful. First, pitchers who throw fast are more likely to strike out hitters than those who throw slow. The simple fact that the ball takes less time to get to the plate, gives the hitter less time to react. And according to golden rule number 2, the faster the ball is traveling the less it drops, which also makes it more difficult to hit. This explains why most fast pitchers are also riseball pitchers, as they use their speed and spin to minimize the time the hitter has to react.
Let's examine what makes different pitchers successful. First, pitchers who throw fast are more likely to strike out hitters than those who throw slow. The simple fact that the ball takes less time to get to the plate, gives the hitter less time to react. And according to golden rule number 2, the faster the ball is traveling the less it drops, which also makes it more difficult to hit. This explains why most fast pitchers are also riseball pitchers, as they use their speed and spin to minimize the time the hitter has to react.
Note: When facing a fast riseball pitcher, hitters must swing higher than they think. That is, swing to a spot where the ball will be, instead of where the ball actually is (NOT EASY!). Hitting a riseball is sometimes a difficult concept to grasp, as the hitter's brain must make an adjustment that goes against the instinctual hand-eye coordination. Going back to spin recognition, the earlier the hitter can recognize the spin, the earlier she can make the adjustment and overcome gravity to get her hands above the ball to make contact. Practice, practice, practice!
On the opposite end of the pitching spectrum, a pitcher who throws a slow change up that drops more than a faster pitch will have hitters swinging over the ball. While change up and dropball pitchers might not strike as many hitters out as fast riseball pitchers, they can be equally as effective. Although hitters are more likely to make contact, they may not be able to get the bat head low enough to hit drop balls for line drives, or wait long enough to hit the change up.
Generally it is harder for hitters to hit higher pitches than lower pitches because a hitter has to hit the ball further out front of her stance. From a low outside pitch to a high inside pitch a player has to hit the ball about 2.5-3 feet closer to the pitcher (more in the front of their stance) which would mean the high inside pitch would appear to be about 8-11 mph faster (reaction time) even if they were the same speed on the radar gun.
References
[1] R.G. Watts and A.T. Bahill. Keep Your Eye on the Ball: The Science and Folklore of Baseball. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company, 1990, pp. 151-175
The 3 Elements to Hitting
The three basic elements to hitting are (in the order of increasing importance): Mechanics, hand-eye coordination, and mental makeup, where the mental makeup of a hitter is divided into mental preparation, and focus. No matter what the hitter, the latter element will always override the previous, and will determine how hitters perform in different situations. There is a large spectrum of hitters out there, and each one is strong or weak for different reasons, and in different situations. Situations range from hitting off a tee, to a pitching machine, in an exhibition game, and in a tight championship game, with each being effected by the 3 elements of hitting.
Mechanics are what a player works on the most, taking many hours in the batting cage to work on creating the most efficient swing. Unfortunately, when it comes to game time and live pitching, mechanics is the least contributing factor when it comes to making contact. We try to train ourselves to take the same swing from practice into the game, but it's not very often we can replicate it perfectly since it is our natural reaction in a stressful situation is to simply make contact. Stress is any situation where the chance of success is reduced and therefore giving the player the opportunity to perform less than perfect. Perfect is a relative term that is in the eyes of the player, and effects the element of mental makeup which will be discussed later.
We rely more on hand-eye coordination when presented with higher stressed situations (aka games). This is why someone who has poor mechanics can still be a good hitter if she has great hand-eye coordination. This is especially true if she is big and strong, because whenever she makes contact she is still able to hit it hard enough to hit it through the infield to produce scored hits. However, this does not make her the most efficient hitter. Therefore, when faced against pitchers who cannot exploit her weaknesses, she is very effective, but as pitchers get better her ability to hit for average drops more rapidly than the hitter with a more efficient swing, or better mental makeup.
As mentioned earlier, the mental makeup of a hitter is broken up into two parts, mental preparation and focus. The mental preparation is related to how a hitter approaches her at bats. Being prepared includes scouting the pitcher, and knowing what her tendencies are. A hitter should always be prepared, and have a plan before each at bat. Again, this preparation will ALWAYS override both the hitter's hand-eye coordination and swing mechanics. The art of hitting is not how well one swings, it is knowing WHEN to swing. Refer back to the "Hitting vs Pitching" post. The mental focus of a hitter is the ability to block out extraneous things that would distract her from the game. Examples of distractions include fans, school, weather delays, or conflicts with friends or teammates. The better one can block out distractions, the more focused the player is on the game and on his or her performance. Many books and professions are devoted to teaching athletes better mental focus, but it should be noted that if one puts too much effort into blocking out extra emotions or thoughts, this effort can be a distraction in itself. Those who perform well at the highest level are able to manage their emotions, and maintain a high level of focus.
As mentioned earlier, the mental makeup of a hitter is broken up into two parts, mental preparation and focus. The mental preparation is related to how a hitter approaches her at bats. Being prepared includes scouting the pitcher, and knowing what her tendencies are. A hitter should always be prepared, and have a plan before each at bat. Again, this preparation will ALWAYS override both the hitter's hand-eye coordination and swing mechanics. The art of hitting is not how well one swings, it is knowing WHEN to swing. Refer back to the "Hitting vs Pitching" post. The mental focus of a hitter is the ability to block out extraneous things that would distract her from the game. Examples of distractions include fans, school, weather delays, or conflicts with friends or teammates. The better one can block out distractions, the more focused the player is on the game and on his or her performance. Many books and professions are devoted to teaching athletes better mental focus, but it should be noted that if one puts too much effort into blocking out extra emotions or thoughts, this effort can be a distraction in itself. Those who perform well at the highest level are able to manage their emotions, and maintain a high level of focus.
Hitting is a balance of physical and mental skill, but without the mental skill a great swing is just a swing without a purpose. A less efficient swing can become more effective if the hitter understands how and when to use it. In other words, using her swing to her own strengths. For example, if a hitter has a swing that is good at hitting low pitches, but bad at hitting high pitches, she would be most successful if she only swung at low pitches. She would be very unsuccessful if she was unaware of her strength and only swung at high pitches, or if she were to face a pitcher who only throws high. This is a simple concept that often eludes a hitter during a bout of a dreaded slump. Therefore, hitters should assess an unsuccessful at-bat with the question, "Did I swing at the right pitch?" before, "What went wrong with my swing?" Most likely she will come out with a more definitive answer, and a plan for next time to improve.
One could argue that baseball/softball is the hardest sport out there due to the high level of skill and mental ability that is required. After all, the best hitters only get a hit in 3 out of 10 at bats, and on average a player will swing 39 times in 10 at bats therefore a swinging success rate of 1 out of 13 swings. This is quite a significant rate of failure, which can go as far as deter a player from the sport. Those who choose to play this sport know that one can never be perfect, so learning how to deal with failure is very important in learning how to improve and be successful.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Stepping It Up
A hitter's step is simply something that a hitter does before her swing. It is something that starts the hitter's momentum, like a running start to a sprint instead of a static start from the blocks. While some hitters prefer a no step swing, it is not recommended for smaller hitters with less strength since they need to have the extra momentum to keep their hands from dropping. Referring back to the "Throwing Bows" post, a hitter's hands will drop if they need to help get her hips around faster to hit the ball hard. A hitter who is bigger and has more upper body strength does not need to use their hips as much to hit the ball hard, and therefore will be less likely to drop their hands. While using your hips is the most efficient way to hit, it is an unfortunate fact that stronger hitters don't use their hips as much because they are successful by simply using their arms. It's not saying that bigger hitters can't benefit from a good step however, details will be described in the following.
A good step can be separated into 2 phases: Striding forward towards the pitcher, and the heel drop. Striding forward is automated, it happens as a reaction to the pitcher releasing the ball. The heel drop is the trigger for the swing, when the front heel drops the back heel comes up which is the start to "elvis" (refer back to the "Squishing Bugs" post) and in turn the start of the swing. Remember, a swing is a flow chart, and it is very important to have a good step in order to stay on the most efficient path. Therefore, a good step should have 3 characteristics: 1) The stride must be closed 2) The front foot should land on the inside of the big toe, with heel up 3) When striding forward the front foot should be lifted a few inches off the ground, avoiding kicking front knee up too high.
Although not completely necessary, it is a good idea for a hitter to start with an open stance. With an open stance, she is able to open her shoulders and turn her head so that both eyes are able to look at the pitcher. Compared to a closed stance, an open stance is far more comfortable, as the hitter does not have to strain her neck and eyes to see the pitcher. Figure 1 shows the start of a good open stance and closed stride towards the plate. Striding closed about 6 inches past the toes of the hitter's back foot towards the plate provides a wall, or base for her back leg to drive against and decelerate rotation. Without this wall, the hitter is more likely to fall off balance over the plate.
The second characteristic of a good step is landing on the inside of your big toe creating an approximate 45 degree angle with your foot, also shown in Figure 1. It is also very important the hitter's hands load back while stepping forward as shown in Figures 2 and 3, as well as in the video in Figure 4. We'll call this the stretch. Refer back to the “Making Adjustments” post to learn more about loading hands. By having the upper and lower body going in opposite directions, the hitter is in control and is able to freeze in this position. Conversely, if a hitter did not load her hands, and upper and lower body moved in the same direction at the same time, she would create a net momentum towards the pitcher, making it harder to stop. It is very important to be able to stop/pause during our swings because all pitches are not the same speed, and not all pitches are worth swinging at.
Note: The key to hitting a change-up well is the ability to pause and stay on your front toe so the ball can travel far enough into your stance before swinging. Remember golden rule number 1 states that if the ball is low and outside (where most good change-ups should be), the hitter must hit it farther back in her stance aka stay on her toe for the longest time.
Figure 4: The stretch: Loading hands and closed step forward. Note that the hitter lands on the inside of her big toe.
Lastly, it is important that the hitter's front foot not get too high when striding forward. An over-zealous knee kick results in excess downward force from the weight of the hitter's front foot, making it harder to leave his heel up, and making it very difficult to wait for a change up.
A good step can be separated into 2 phases: Striding forward towards the pitcher, and the heel drop. Striding forward is automated, it happens as a reaction to the pitcher releasing the ball. The heel drop is the trigger for the swing, when the front heel drops the back heel comes up which is the start to "elvis" (refer back to the "Squishing Bugs" post) and in turn the start of the swing. Remember, a swing is a flow chart, and it is very important to have a good step in order to stay on the most efficient path. Therefore, a good step should have 3 characteristics: 1) The stride must be closed 2) The front foot should land on the inside of the big toe, with heel up 3) When striding forward the front foot should be lifted a few inches off the ground, avoiding kicking front knee up too high.
Although not completely necessary, it is a good idea for a hitter to start with an open stance. With an open stance, she is able to open her shoulders and turn her head so that both eyes are able to look at the pitcher. Compared to a closed stance, an open stance is far more comfortable, as the hitter does not have to strain her neck and eyes to see the pitcher. Figure 1 shows the start of a good open stance and closed stride towards the plate. Striding closed about 6 inches past the toes of the hitter's back foot towards the plate provides a wall, or base for her back leg to drive against and decelerate rotation. Without this wall, the hitter is more likely to fall off balance over the plate.
Figure 1: Open stance and closed step for left handed hitter. Click to enlarge image.
The second characteristic of a good step is landing on the inside of your big toe creating an approximate 45 degree angle with your foot, also shown in Figure 1. It is also very important the hitter's hands load back while stepping forward as shown in Figures 2 and 3, as well as in the video in Figure 4. We'll call this the stretch. Refer back to the “Making Adjustments” post to learn more about loading hands. By having the upper and lower body going in opposite directions, the hitter is in control and is able to freeze in this position. Conversely, if a hitter did not load her hands, and upper and lower body moved in the same direction at the same time, she would create a net momentum towards the pitcher, making it harder to stop. It is very important to be able to stop/pause during our swings because all pitches are not the same speed, and not all pitches are worth swinging at.
Note: The key to hitting a change-up well is the ability to pause and stay on your front toe so the ball can travel far enough into your stance before swinging. Remember golden rule number 1 states that if the ball is low and outside (where most good change-ups should be), the hitter must hit it farther back in her stance aka stay on her toe for the longest time.
Figure 2: Green and blue dots show initial position front foot and hands. Click to enlarge image.
Figure 3: Hitter steps forward landing on the inside of her big toe, hands load back at the same time. Click to enlarge image
Figure 4: The stretch: Loading hands and closed step forward. Note that the hitter lands on the inside of her big toe.
Lastly, it is important that the hitter's front foot not get too high when striding forward. An over-zealous knee kick results in excess downward force from the weight of the hitter's front foot, making it harder to leave his heel up, and making it very difficult to wait for a change up.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Pitching vs Hitting
Pitching and hitting are complete opposites of one other in that their objectives are adverse to each other. Basically, whatever the hitter is trying to do, the pitcher is trying to not let them do that. Consider these examples.
1. Pitchers throw riseballs to get hitters to pop up, and dropballs to get hitters to ground out. Therefore, it is the goal of a hitter to swing higher than normal to hit a riseball, and lower than normal to hit a dropball well. In fact, if a hitter were to over-compensate and hit a riseball on the ground for example, it is likely the pitcher won't throw that pitch for a strike again. If a hitter is able to get her bat over top of a riseball, she will be fully capable of hitting it square, and over the fence.
2. Both pitchers and hitters have bad games. A bad day to a hitter is one that he cannot hit pitches that he normally hits well. Whereas a bad day for a pitcher is one where he has no control over his pitches. He throws pitches that normally paint the corners of the plate either miss the plate completely, or worse, go down the middle. The best pitchers don't have very many bad games, and don't miss over the plate very often. They are able to throw "marginal" strikes which are thrown a ball off the plate, or ones which curve on then off the plate. Their mistakes are usually pitches thrown off the plate, where the hitter can't hit them. Conversely, the best hitters are consistently able to hit these marginal strikes hard, and don't often mishit pitches thrown over the plate.
Note: Most of the hits we see are a result of a poorly thrown pitch, one that is left too far over the plate, and a mistake by the pitcher. Average hitters are able to hit a pitcher's mistake, great hitters are able to hit pitches that are thrown well.
3. Pitchers and hitters both have strengths and weaknesses. A pitcher's best pitch is one that she gets ahead with, it is one she is able to throw for a strike. A pitcher will win the game if her best pitches are thrown well throughout the game and the other team is unable to hit it. The distinct advantage that the pitcher has over the hitter is that she is able to decide which pitch she wants to throw and when. The hitter is therefore in a reactionary role, and must react to whatever the pitcher throws. The way she chooses to react is the art of hitting.
1. Pitchers throw riseballs to get hitters to pop up, and dropballs to get hitters to ground out. Therefore, it is the goal of a hitter to swing higher than normal to hit a riseball, and lower than normal to hit a dropball well. In fact, if a hitter were to over-compensate and hit a riseball on the ground for example, it is likely the pitcher won't throw that pitch for a strike again. If a hitter is able to get her bat over top of a riseball, she will be fully capable of hitting it square, and over the fence.
2. Both pitchers and hitters have bad games. A bad day to a hitter is one that he cannot hit pitches that he normally hits well. Whereas a bad day for a pitcher is one where he has no control over his pitches. He throws pitches that normally paint the corners of the plate either miss the plate completely, or worse, go down the middle. The best pitchers don't have very many bad games, and don't miss over the plate very often. They are able to throw "marginal" strikes which are thrown a ball off the plate, or ones which curve on then off the plate. Their mistakes are usually pitches thrown off the plate, where the hitter can't hit them. Conversely, the best hitters are consistently able to hit these marginal strikes hard, and don't often mishit pitches thrown over the plate.
Note: Most of the hits we see are a result of a poorly thrown pitch, one that is left too far over the plate, and a mistake by the pitcher. Average hitters are able to hit a pitcher's mistake, great hitters are able to hit pitches that are thrown well.
3. Pitchers and hitters both have strengths and weaknesses. A pitcher's best pitch is one that she gets ahead with, it is one she is able to throw for a strike. A pitcher will win the game if her best pitches are thrown well throughout the game and the other team is unable to hit it. The distinct advantage that the pitcher has over the hitter is that she is able to decide which pitch she wants to throw and when. The hitter is therefore in a reactionary role, and must react to whatever the pitcher throws. The way she chooses to react is the art of hitting.
A hitter's weaknesses can be classified into 2 types, physical and mental. Physical weaknesses are often considered to be "holes" in a hitter's swing. Dividing the strike zone into 4 quadrants, inside, outside, high and low, depending on the efficiency of the hitter's swing will cause them to hit pitches thrown in certain quadrants harder than others. Every hitter has strong and weak quadrants, and no hitter hits every pitch well. What separates a great hitter from a good one is the ability to adjust to the pitcher when she is trying to throw to the their weakness.
A hitter's mental weaknesses are related to her physical weakness. A mental weakness is when a hitter doesn't recognize her physical weakness. Again, no hitter can hit every pitch well, therefore it is a poor approach to an at bat to try and hit every strike. Smart hitters only choose to swing at pitches which they know they can hit well, and swing at their weak pitches when they have to. What separates the great hitters is the recognition of their own weaknesses, and the ability to formulate, and execute their plan of only hitting their own good pitches in an at bat. A hitter will be successful if she is able to recognize and/or anticipate when a pitcher is throwing to her strength/weakness, and even more successful when she is able to force the opposing pitcher to throw to her strength. By doing so, the hitter shifts the roles between her and the pitcher, and is now in a less reactionary position. She then only has to react to 1 or 2 pitches, essentially shrinking the strike zone, and the pitcher has lost the advantage of being able to throw whatever she wants.
Note: If you have any ideas on how to force a pitcher to throw a certain way, post a comment!
A hitter's mental weaknesses are related to her physical weakness. A mental weakness is when a hitter doesn't recognize her physical weakness. Again, no hitter can hit every pitch well, therefore it is a poor approach to an at bat to try and hit every strike. Smart hitters only choose to swing at pitches which they know they can hit well, and swing at their weak pitches when they have to. What separates the great hitters is the recognition of their own weaknesses, and the ability to formulate, and execute their plan of only hitting their own good pitches in an at bat. A hitter will be successful if she is able to recognize and/or anticipate when a pitcher is throwing to her strength/weakness, and even more successful when she is able to force the opposing pitcher to throw to her strength. By doing so, the hitter shifts the roles between her and the pitcher, and is now in a less reactionary position. She then only has to react to 1 or 2 pitches, essentially shrinking the strike zone, and the pitcher has lost the advantage of being able to throw whatever she wants.
Note: If you have any ideas on how to force a pitcher to throw a certain way, post a comment!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Throwing "Bows"
Did you ever think that someone's hitting problems could be due to their body shape? Try this test on yourself, straighten your arms out in front of you with your palms facing up as shown in Figures 1 a) and b). Notice how in Figure 1 a) the subject's arms form a straight V shape, while in b) the subject's elbows are more inverted, coming closer together when their arms are straight.
a)
b)
Figure 1: Example of straight elbows a), example of inverted elbows b). Click to enlarge images.
But what does this have to do with hitting? Well, someone having inverted elbows will be more likely to slot their back elbow incorrectly. As your hips start to rotate and your elbow starts to slot, your back elbow should come in close to your body with a small gap between your elbow and torso. From a side view, you should see your hands lead your elbow as shown in Figure 2 a) through f), or the blue dots (hands) are always leading the red dots (elbow).
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
Figure 2 a) - f): Hitter 1. Frame by frame beginning of swing. Representation of properly slotted elbow, with hands leading elbow. The blue dots mark the hitter's hands and the red dots mark the hitter's elbow. The green dot marks the bat head, and the yellow line marks the height of the bat head. Click to enlarge images.
If you have inverted elbows your elbow is more likely to lead your hands as you slot them, because this position feels more natural. As shown in Figure 3 a) through f), the red dot starts to lead the blue dot as the hitter starts to bring her hands forward.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
Figure 3 a) -f): Hitter 2. Frame by frame beginning of swing. Representation of an incorrectly slotted elbow. As the hitter starts her swing, her elbow (red dot) drops in to her side, and leads her hands (blue dot). Green dots mark the bat head and yellow line marks the height of the bat head. Click to enlarge images
There are several ill effects of letting your elbow lead your hands. First and most importantly, it causes your top hand to go away from you over the plate creating a circular swing, also known as casting (refer to older post). Notice in Figure 2 f) how straight Hitter 2's front arm is, resulting from her top hand going away from her body. Also, from what we know about casting, it doesn't allow the hitter to reach forward to the pitcher with their top hand, also known as extension. Instead, the hitter's swing is "cut off," and her top hand rolls over early as shown in Figure 4 a) and b). Notice the yellow line marking the height of the bat head, and how high it comes up upon rolling over. In fact, from one frame to the other, the bat head raised almost 14 inches! Now imagine if a hitter rolled their wrists earlier in their swing, closer to contact, how hard it would be to hit the ball!
a)
b)
Figure 4: Subsequent frames of Hitter 2's swing after contact. Lack of extension due to casting. The red circle in b) shows the top hand rolling over causing the bat head to raise up, marked by the yellow line. Click to enlarge images
Figure 5 a) through c) below show Hitter 1's extension. Due to properly slotting her elbow, her top hand is able to face up and reach toward the pitcher.
a)
b)
c)
Figure 5 a) - c): Hitter 1 frame by frame after contact extension. Notice how the hitter's top hand is facing up in all 3 frames. Click to enlarge images
Also, dropping your elbow into your side, as seen in Figures 3 c) and d), causes to bat head to drop considerably. In fact, comparing Figure 3 c) and d) (Hitter 2) to Figure 2 c) and d) (Hitter 1), the bat head drops approximately 5 inches more in Hitter 2's swing than Hitter 1's. This downward momentum thus makes it harder to hit higher pitches. Since momentum is a vector quantity (mass x velocity), Hitter 2's hands must overcome a greater downward momentum than Hitter 1 in order to adjust to the higher pitch, as shown in the schematic in Figure 6.
Figure 6: Schematic of vector addition of momentum. Properly slotting your elbow causes the bat head to have less momentum in the downward direction, therefore less momentum to overcome to hit the high pitch.
There is also another reason why one would slot their elbow incorrectly, with or without inverted elbows. If a hitter rotates their hips too slow, their upper body naturally wants to help them out in order to be in the right position to hit the ball square. The most efficient way that your arms can move your hips is by dropping down lower, aka dropping your hands and tucking your elbow into your side. The most efficient way to move an object is to apply force closest to the center of mass. By lowering your hands and bringing them closer to your waist, the centripetal force applied during swinging is therefore acting on your center of mass more efficiently. The result is that that hitter has opened her hips, but an incorrectly slotted elbow, back to square one.
So how does one fix this problem? Try taping a football on the inside of your bicep as shown in Figure 7, and swing as normal. The football prevents your elbow from getting too close to your body, and making it harder for your elbow to lead your hands. View the 3 swings in slow motion here, you should be able to see the hitter's hands leading her elbow.
Figure 7: A football taped to a hitter's inner bicep prevents her elbow leading her hands. Click to enlarge image
a)
b)
Figure 1: Example of straight elbows a), example of inverted elbows b). Click to enlarge images.
But what does this have to do with hitting? Well, someone having inverted elbows will be more likely to slot their back elbow incorrectly. As your hips start to rotate and your elbow starts to slot, your back elbow should come in close to your body with a small gap between your elbow and torso. From a side view, you should see your hands lead your elbow as shown in Figure 2 a) through f), or the blue dots (hands) are always leading the red dots (elbow).
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
Figure 2 a) - f): Hitter 1. Frame by frame beginning of swing. Representation of properly slotted elbow, with hands leading elbow. The blue dots mark the hitter's hands and the red dots mark the hitter's elbow. The green dot marks the bat head, and the yellow line marks the height of the bat head. Click to enlarge images.
If you have inverted elbows your elbow is more likely to lead your hands as you slot them, because this position feels more natural. As shown in Figure 3 a) through f), the red dot starts to lead the blue dot as the hitter starts to bring her hands forward.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
Figure 3 a) -f): Hitter 2. Frame by frame beginning of swing. Representation of an incorrectly slotted elbow. As the hitter starts her swing, her elbow (red dot) drops in to her side, and leads her hands (blue dot). Green dots mark the bat head and yellow line marks the height of the bat head. Click to enlarge images
There are several ill effects of letting your elbow lead your hands. First and most importantly, it causes your top hand to go away from you over the plate creating a circular swing, also known as casting (refer to older post). Notice in Figure 2 f) how straight Hitter 2's front arm is, resulting from her top hand going away from her body. Also, from what we know about casting, it doesn't allow the hitter to reach forward to the pitcher with their top hand, also known as extension. Instead, the hitter's swing is "cut off," and her top hand rolls over early as shown in Figure 4 a) and b). Notice the yellow line marking the height of the bat head, and how high it comes up upon rolling over. In fact, from one frame to the other, the bat head raised almost 14 inches! Now imagine if a hitter rolled their wrists earlier in their swing, closer to contact, how hard it would be to hit the ball!
a)
b)
Figure 4: Subsequent frames of Hitter 2's swing after contact. Lack of extension due to casting. The red circle in b) shows the top hand rolling over causing the bat head to raise up, marked by the yellow line. Click to enlarge images
Figure 5 a) through c) below show Hitter 1's extension. Due to properly slotting her elbow, her top hand is able to face up and reach toward the pitcher.
a)
b)
c)
Figure 5 a) - c): Hitter 1 frame by frame after contact extension. Notice how the hitter's top hand is facing up in all 3 frames. Click to enlarge images
Also, dropping your elbow into your side, as seen in Figures 3 c) and d), causes to bat head to drop considerably. In fact, comparing Figure 3 c) and d) (Hitter 2) to Figure 2 c) and d) (Hitter 1), the bat head drops approximately 5 inches more in Hitter 2's swing than Hitter 1's. This downward momentum thus makes it harder to hit higher pitches. Since momentum is a vector quantity (mass x velocity), Hitter 2's hands must overcome a greater downward momentum than Hitter 1 in order to adjust to the higher pitch, as shown in the schematic in Figure 6.
Figure 6: Schematic of vector addition of momentum. Properly slotting your elbow causes the bat head to have less momentum in the downward direction, therefore less momentum to overcome to hit the high pitch.
There is also another reason why one would slot their elbow incorrectly, with or without inverted elbows. If a hitter rotates their hips too slow, their upper body naturally wants to help them out in order to be in the right position to hit the ball square. The most efficient way that your arms can move your hips is by dropping down lower, aka dropping your hands and tucking your elbow into your side. The most efficient way to move an object is to apply force closest to the center of mass. By lowering your hands and bringing them closer to your waist, the centripetal force applied during swinging is therefore acting on your center of mass more efficiently. The result is that that hitter has opened her hips, but an incorrectly slotted elbow, back to square one.
So how does one fix this problem? Try taping a football on the inside of your bicep as shown in Figure 7, and swing as normal. The football prevents your elbow from getting too close to your body, and making it harder for your elbow to lead your hands. View the 3 swings in slow motion here, you should be able to see the hitter's hands leading her elbow.
Figure 7: A football taped to a hitter's inner bicep prevents her elbow leading her hands. Click to enlarge image
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
