Introduction to Five Tools Analysis: Hitting

[kyleb]

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1. Do hitters change their swings to compensate for a weakness? Let's say a AA player can't hit a low inside curveball. How does that player adjust so that the pitchers don't constantly throw that pitch? Or is he basically never going to move up to AAA or the majors?

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I suppose the best way I can answer this question is with an anecdote from Moneyball. Jason Giambi can't hit a fastball waist-high on the inside corner of the plate. However, if you miss by 2 inches, you get the favorite part of his hitting zone.

Giambi also steps out and smashes those pitches foul, scaring the pitcher into believing he can hit that pitch.

No hitter can hit all types of pitches in all zones of the plate. Fortunately enough, most pitchers aren't good enough to throw the weakness pitch every single time.

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2. Mickey Mantle always used to say to hit for distance, you almost have to start swinging before the pitcher throws the ball. What does he mean by that?

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He is right. He's basically saying you need to load the bat and follow the four steps of hitting that I outlined. The best power hitters exercise a negative bat load by bringing their hands back and loading their back shoulder as they perform the back leg push step, creating greater "separation."

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3. If you compare Derek Jeter and A-Rod, both are the same height although A-Rod is about 20 lbs. heavier. So how come A-Rod has 500+ HR's and Jeter is nowhere near that amount? Does the difference in weight make that much of a factor when hitting?

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A-Rod has a lot of things going for him over Jeter:

1) He has way more LBM.
2) His swing is a classic power stroke that is nearly identical to Hank Aaron's. He generates insane backspin on his fly balls, giving them 20-30 feet more distance easily.
3) His swing has more loft in it.
4) And lastly, A-Rod is just a better hitter.