Hitting

[Tring]

Just want everyone's thought on this. I've coached baseball for over 15 years and have always taught my kids how to look at the defense and hit what they give you. It really doesn't take that much to either wait on the pitch or react quickly. It drives me crazy watching the professional players look out in the field and see a defense that is shifted to one side or the other depending on your tendency. Tell me how a professional ball player has no idea how to use the entire field. I really don't care even if you have to bunt but there again your a professional player you should be able to at least make them question were the ball is going. I know MLB pitching is different at the top level but so are the batters. Just curious on everyone's opinion on why we continue to see this more and more. I'm not just pointing out the Twins I'm saying across the entire league. Tell me your thoughts.

[Doctor Gast]

My thoughts also, I like the old school, hit em where they aint,

[nicksaviking]

I think the leaguewide velocity increases have kind of hampered going the other way. Not that I have any experience hitting a 95+ MPH fastball, but players have to start their swings and commit to a pitch earlier than they did in the a couple decades ago. 

I think the lack of bunts is a different issue entirely though. I'd think some team will at some point start taking advantage of open infields and maybe it would start a trend, but at this time teams are all about getting multiple bases, not moving station to station like in the past.

[Mike Sixel]

Joey Votto has stated over and over that we have no idea how hard it is to even make contact, let alone direct the ball. I trust him. 

[Trov]

15 hours ago, Tring said:

Just want everyone's thought on this. I've coached baseball for over 15 years and have always taught my kids how to look at the defense and hit what they give you. It really doesn't take that much to either wait on the pitch or react quickly. It drives me crazy watching the professional players look out in the field and see a defense that is shifted to one side or the other depending on your tendency. Tell me how a professional ball player has no idea how to use the entire field. I really don't care even if you have to bunt but there again your a professional player you should be able to at least make them question were the ball is going. I know MLB pitching is different at the top level but so are the batters. Just curious on everyone's opinion on why we continue to see this more and more. I'm not just pointing out the Twins I'm saying across the entire league. Tell me your thoughts.

A couple of things.  First, I agree I wish more guys would work on hitting the holes in the defense.  However, for the last several years guys were taught to hit it over the infield defense and try to hit HR or doubles off wall.  They were looking at launch angle not direction of hit.  That led to guys not working really trying to pick a pitch and drive pitches the other way.  When you never do it, hard to ask someone to do it out of no where.  Also, MLB pitchers have increased velo over the years and increased movement, sure it is not too easy to just say I am going to hit that hole, some of the HOF could but they were very special guys. 

Now, as it has been discussed the team is starting to make adjustments to the lack of power in the league due to the ball, so they are working on doing exactly what you discuss.  Now that hitting it over the OF is not as likely they are adjusting. 

In terms of the bunting, it comes down to fact most guys never practice it or do.  If you never do it, hard to just step and do it.  I do wish they were coached it more, as I believe if you can catch the pitch you can bunt the pitch.  Part the issue when they do not practice it or they try to do it quickly to catch them off guard the hitter does it wrong.  Sometimes they try to make it still a perfect bunt.  It really comes down to teaching the hitters how to do it.  

You might see it more as the season goes on.  The old thought is hit a HR who cares about a single.  But now that HR are down, teams are going to be more willing to take the single. 

[ashbury]

8 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

I think the leaguewide velocity increases have kind of hampered going the other way. 

That just seems so counterintuitive.  I could do little but hit the opposite way in Little League when facing 40-mph pitches.  Speeding up the pitches wouldn't have helped me pull.

[bunsen82]

22 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Joey Votto has stated over and over that we have no idea how hard it is to even make contact, let alone direct the ball. I trust him. 

Mike there is that aspect,  but when you have players that are now always focused on pulling the ball, we have hitters now that are unable and unwilling to use the whole field.  Kepler is becoming more of a well rounded hitter by when the ball is on the outer half of the plate going with it and hit it opposite field.  Once teams stop shifting him as drastically when he does pull the ball it will open up that side of the field more as well.  The Twins seemed to switch early in their season their approach at the plate.  You look at a team like the Blue Jays and they haven't figured it out and are struggling.