Deeper Dive — Posture & Approach
So much of hitting at higher levels is understanding YOUR swing and how that effects your approach and game-planning.
Even the best hitters in the world have holes, noone is “matchup proof”. The key separator between elite and average is how a hitter is able to leverage their strengths to create an advantage and mitigate their weaknesses.
I wanted to expand on a few factors that allow elite hitters to cover more of the zone and make better decisions at a higher rate of consistency.
Posture — Hip flexion or hinging at the hips
VBA — Vertical Bat Angle
Early Connection — Relationship of the bat to the spine at the start of the swing.
Connection at Impact — Relationship of the bat to the spine at contact.
When we start to look at the data for the best hitters, things begin to become more clear. Mike Trout is known to have a vertical path and utilize side bend to make adjustments down in the zone. Juan Soto is known for a flatter path that swings with less side bend. Obviously, both have been very successful, what does this tell us? Mike Trout understands that his swing is more vertical, his swing decisions indicate this, he swings down in the zone. Juan soto understands his strengths, he swings more up in the zone.
Game-planning and approach CANNOT be blanketed across a lineup. What should you consider? For me, its path and posture. Here is a good visual via Tyler Jeske.
What are we looking at? A major league hitter’s plan. It includes, where we set our gaze intially, pitch shape, and an external visual or thought that influences path based on VBA and posture.
Here is a real world rudimentary example.
Hitter 1 (RHH) has a very “flat path” (lower VBA). We are game planning for a RHP that throws screw & curve and has a release from the right side of the rubber. Hitter 1 should set her sights on the middle of the plate/away, external cue should be RCF. This eliminates the screw in & curve that starts on the black and runs through the river. The external cue of RCF ensures that the hitter sets her direction properly to hit “through” the spin.
Hitter 2 (RHH) has a very “vertical path” (steeper VBA). We are game planning for a RHP that throws screw & curve and has a release from the right side of the rubber. Hitter 2 should look middle/in, external cue should be CF. This eliminates the curve away, the external cue will keep the hitter “inside” the ball.
Real quick: Some don’t believe in “hunting” pitches. There is AMPLE scientific evidence that supports this (see Rob Gray).
So, how should approach effect posture.
Well we know this: The best hitters are holding their angles in the arms, they adjust dynamically with posture, adjustments come from larger muscles/joint segments. The less you have to use your arms to adjust the more consistent you will be (early connection/connection at impact/side bend). Therefore, the best hitters understand they need to adjust their posture based on what pitch they are hunting. Example, if you are looking for a low rise ball that will enter the hitting zone at the top of the zone, if you land in too much posture you will be working back up to the ball, not ideal. If you land “too tall” when looking for a drop ball, you will be adjusting your posture too much during the swing and everything will suffer, most notably vision. Set your posture based on your approach!
There are hitters who dynamically adjust posture during the pitch recognition phase, here is an example. (Jessie Warren)
The photos above are at the top of Jessie Warren’s leg lift, the photo on the left is on a drop ball, the photo on the right is a rise ball. What you will see is at the top of her move the amount of “hinge” is relatively the same.
At foot plant you will see she has dynamically adjusted her posture or amount of hip flexion to match the plane of the pitch. This allows her to maintain the angles of the arms for adjustability purposes if needed. THIS IS ELITE.
Good visual —
Notice on the bottom how she uses the arms to adjust or compensate due to being “off time”. On top, the arms never lose their angles.
So what should hitters be taught? Well, if a hitter has a move that allows them to dynamically adjust posture during the pitch recognition phase, that is ideal. This requires strength, athleticism, etc. If a hitter lacks the ability to control the pelvis and COM during the stride, they would be a candidate for a smaller move, this hitter should adjust posture pre pitch recognition and be very understanding of her gameplan.
An efficient hitters bat path or swing plane is created by the shoulders , simply telling a hitter to “keep their hands above the ball” or “swing under it” doesn’t work and could have an adverse impact on your hitter.
#HappyHitting
BN
