Hitting is more than a perfect looking swing

[MSandman]

I know that thread title might sound a bit odd coming from someone as analytical as me, but... as I watched the video of the first 4 games of my 11YO son's All-Stars at-bats, I realized that he's having a lot of success on less-than-perfect swings. However, each swing seems to have at least some of the necessary elements, if not all on each one.

It makes me appreciate just how hard it is to do this (hitting) and some of the other important elements beyond mechanics:

Calm, relaxed state
Hitting the ball wherever it's pitched
Intent (to hit the danged ball hard)
Last-second adjustments

These are things I've seen guys like DMac and HiddenGem and others emphasize over the years and I do believe are essential to being a good hitter, not just a good swinger.

Anyway, I made this little highlight video to send to some out-of-state relatives, but thought I'd put it out here too, as a sort of testament to "Even for someone as obsessive about studying hitting as Sandman, it's understood that there's way more to hitting than swinging well - but a sound swing sure helps." :p

Enjoy,
Sandman

9mb Windows Media Video (http://members.cox.net/warwickcontinentalll/Kevin%20-%202006%2011YO%20All-Stars%20-%20first%204%20games.wmv)

[Jake Patterson]

Great clip. Mini-Sandy looks like he has the potential to be a great player.

To your point about hitting- I have often wondered if in our quest to seek the perfect swing we loose sight of the fact that there were many successfull hitters who weren't all that pretty, but they got the job done.

[tom.guerry]

Sweet !

I guess you'll have to work on tracking those home run trajectories better.

[MSandman]

You're so right Tom. :)

I can track the ball better from around the plate because I'm not zoomed in from 200'. :)

[Ursa Major]

However, each swing seems to have at least some of the necessary elements, if not all on each one.
I think this is the key point. It's amazing how many good results come from swings that seem bad but have at least one good element.... which tells you how many unsuccessful results come from swings that have nothing going for them. The point is to try for the best swing you can, and hope something good comes out of it. And, it the stars are aligned and you time the pitch well and get good contact, you'll be making a lot of left turns while the outfielders are chasing the ball down.

[virg]

time the pitch well and get good contact
... and if you can do that often your body puts the rest together naturally and hits with the best around in spite of not looking quite like anybody's swing clip.

[goMO]

you know what I find interesting? regarding my 15 yr old, his best swings seem to come on ball he misses. Makes no sense, I know... his best hits come on balls where he has to make some kind of adjustment, and the swing is not 'perfect'. go figure....

[deaconspoint]

I love it Sandman. Thanks for the great clips.

Tim

[THE COACH]

A hitter is no better than the pitch at which he chooses to swing. Ted Williams hit something like .135 on sliders down and away at the knees. We wouldn't be talking about Teddy (perfect swing) Williams if he had swung at many sliders down and away. People get WAY to wrapped up in swing mechanics. The key to being a successful hitter is mental.

[BatSpinner]

...and visual

[Jake Patterson]

The key to being a successful hitter is mental.

Is "THE COACH" the same person as "the coach?"

[THE COACH]

yes the same