Spring Training News

BC867

Long time Phoenician!
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Posts
17,827
Reaction score
1,709
Location
NE Phoenix
xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
It's true. Hitting a round ball with a round bat, where 1/8 of an inch difference at the contact point could be the difference between hitting a line drive and a popup.

Especially with the emphasis on "lift" as it has been. Swinging somewhat vertically at a ball coming in at 90+ mph mostly horizontally makes it even tougher. The contact point has to be perfect.

A few years ago, I swung in an indoor batting cage and thought, "Piece of cake!" It wasn't a piece of cake. I was reminded how I had to commit as the ball was leaving the machine. You can't just stand there and watch it floating up, even at, what, 60-70 mph.

Especially when you take into account hitters' different skill levels of eye/hand coordination. And playing in everything from humid 90° degree temperatures down to the 40's.

It is why 3-out-of-ten is considered successful.
 

BC867

Long time Phoenician!
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Posts
17,827
Reaction score
1,709
Location
NE Phoenix
And nowadays, even batters who get hits one of out every four times ... or even weak hitting Shortstops and Catchers trying to stay above one out of every five ... get paid millions of dollars.
 

devilalum

Heavily Redacted
Joined
Jul 30, 2002
Posts
16,776
Reaction score
3,187
And nowadays, even batters who get hits one of out every four times ... or even weak hitting Shortstops and Catchers trying to stay above one out of every five ... get paid millions of dollars.
Lower the mound!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

BC867

Long time Phoenician!
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Posts
17,827
Reaction score
1,709
Location
NE Phoenix
Lower the mound!!!
But then starting pitchers would average four innings per start. Fifty years ago, complete games were expected.

My responses were to the point that hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in sports.

Still, it has been that way right from the start and it worked fine for a long time.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
536,708
Posts
5,260,227
Members
6,275
Latest member
PicksFromDave
Top