12/22/24
May 04, 2005
Fire 'em in there, parents!: Alternatively: Why Johnny Can't Hit.
posted by mr_crash_davis to baseball at 05:52 PM - 6 comments
Makes sense to me. When I coach 12 and younger girls softball, they always seemed to hit better when I cranked the pitching machine up to a faster speed.
posted by daddisamm at 11:45 PM on May 04, 2005
If anyone is ever bored go to your local batting cage and hit the highest speed, then head over to the softball machine. Hilarity ensues.
posted by justgary at 12:07 AM on May 05, 2005
This makes sense to me. Also, when a ball is lobbed there is so much arc on it. The ball is not only moving at the batter, but the vertical movement is difficult to time as well. Remove one of the variables by tossing the ball at a velocity fast enough to keep the ball path on more of a flat plane.
posted by mayerkyl at 06:57 AM on May 05, 2005
I dunno ... I couldn't hit a fastball to save my ass in high school, but if I could get the guy to throw breaking stuff, I ripped 'em up. The trick was to somehow make them think you were a fastball hitter, and sadly, given my batting average, I don't think I was very successful.
posted by wfrazerjr at 07:50 AM on May 05, 2005
My son has just started minor league and the coaches are amazed he hits faster balls 80% more frequently than slower ones, Ive always pitched fast at him and he just knows to react.
posted by Tigersfan at 10:12 AM on May 05, 2005
Very cool. Even in high school I felt much better hitting against someone throwing 90 than 75 (for different reasons than this article of course). Hitting becomes more automatic, less time for a mistake in my swing, less time to think, just react.