Posted by: dougdinger () on Wed Jul 23 19:27:49 2003

When I get up to the plate I think about nothing really other than all the mechanics of my swing. I also use a really heavy 34oz bat. I own a 26, 28 and a 32 but can not hit well at all with either. I've been told bat speed is the key and I've tried to work my game around that with no luck. I use a 28, think "quick swing, quick swing" and really concentrate on wisking the bat at the ball. It might make it to the left fielder.
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> I can hit them out on occasion with a 34oz but every time I do it's about 1 ft within the foul pole. If I use the 34oz they go deep but really are less than warning track.
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> I've been starting to wonder what other people are thinking when they are up. Are they just trying to get the bat through the zone as fast as they can, no matter the cost? Do they think "swing it like a ???" (axe,golf club,sword etc etc)
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> I just want to make sure that there isn't some recipe out there I don't know about for making the swing. If there is a good mental approach that will allow a good balance of using weight in proportion to hand speed then I'm all ears.
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> It could be strength but I'm a fairly strong guy, 5'11 250. I've seen tiny guys hit the ball a mile, you can just see that they have the swing down pat because the ball travels way faster than everyone elses.
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> Just thought I'd ask...

I've been in a slump lately and I know why. I have the same mental approach as you.
No offence or anything, but you and I are thinking about mechanics and bat speed in our approach. BAM! There's our problem.

If hitting was about bat speed , then there'd be no pitcher throwing a ball, there would be radar guns clocking your batspeed. If it was all about mechanics, your picture would be on posters during midswing. But hitting is not all about batspeed and technique. It's about hitting the ball! That's why you carry a bat the the plate. It sounds to me like all you're trying to do is crush the ball and hit homers. ARod had, I don't know exactly, but around 50 HR last year and around say 200 hits(?) That means about 150 of his hits weren't homers. The reason why you've seen tiny guys hit the bal a mile is because the make solid contact with the ball, right on the sweet spot of the bat.
When I was hitting before, my mental approach was more like "...come on, gimme your stuff. Gotta go get that ball, just go after that ball."
Hitting is not about how many HR's you hit. It's about getting on base, advancing other runners, taking walks, getting beaned. Anything to get on base and to win a ballgame. And if you get under the ball a little a knock it over the fence, good for you! But homers aren't the only way to win ballgames.

madmarino, let's say you and I take that approach of "going after that ball." Thinking only about making contact at our next ballgame and see how we both do. Good luck to ya!