Hitting better with injury

jtur88 · 06-23-2007, 04:13 PM

Tim McCarver (6/23) stated that a hitter often hits better, when he has a nagging groin or rib-cage injury, because he doesn't lunge at the ball and overswing, for fear of aggravating the injury if he fans.

If this is true (not necessarily a given), would it be worthwhile to develop an "injury belt"--a kind of girdle that has rigid stays or linkages in it, so that if the batter overswings and misses, it will jab him painfully? Anybody ever heard of anyone trying it?

bedir than average · 06-23-2007, 04:16 PM

Some have argued that Adrian Beltre's explosive 2004 was due to an ankle injury that made it difficult/painful to swing at low and away pitches, particularly the breaking stuff out there.

Notable is that is still his hole, a place where he produces weak grounders and swinging strikes.

nanwynnfan · 06-23-2007, 11:32 PM

This may seem tangential; but I believe it is right in the thread context.

Ted Williams was often asked why he didn't take advantage of the "shift" put on him, most famously by Lou Boudreau and the Indians who started it all.

Williams' most steadfast response was that talent plus endless hours of practice had resulted in a combination of visual focus, timing and body rhythm and collective function that produced his phenomenal hitting results.

He feared that messing with any single element of his essential approach and philosophy would have a falling domino effect on the rest and produce more damaging results than the shift ever could.

Even his single game winning inside-the-park homer to left-center in a key game against the contending Tribe in the late '40s didn't convince him to try it.

To TSW, it would have been as bad as swinging at bad pitches on the chance of hitting more HR's, so he didn't adopt it.

I'd imagine that favoring an injury might yield a short-term hot streak; but long term, I'd bet the streak would fade, and fast - as new bad habits develop.

Nocahoma · 06-24-2007, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtur88

Tim McCarver (6/23) stated...

That's all I needed to hear to know that the idea is a stupid one. His, not yours.

McCarver is the single biggest idiot announcing today, at least in terms of thinking before he speaks.

jtur88 · 06-26-2007, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nocahoma

That's all I needed to hear to know that the idea is a stupid one. His, not yours.

McCarver is the single biggest idiot announcing today, at least in terms of thinking before he speaks.

I dislike McCarver because he often talks down to fans, and dumbs down too many things, which his boss probably tells him to do. Not to mention that he is too pro-Yankees, and maybe his boss tells him to do that, too.

However, the guy played in the Majors for 21 years, and has probably talked to a MLB player knowledgeably about baseball every day of his life since 1959. He must have SOME insight into the game that is more valid than my own idle conjectures.

Nocahoma · 06-26-2007, 02:19 PM

Yes, but some would say that's one of his problems. McCarver gushes about his playing days in much the same way that Joe Morgan does, although McCarver does tend to talk more about other players from his era (he humps Bob Gibson's leg incessantly), where Morgan seems to have every story relate to himself in some way.

It would be an advantage to have his experience as a resource for talking about strategy, etc., but McCarver seems to consistently gaffe these or have his guesses proven wrong. Steve Stone may be an ass, but at least he was usually right when he'd say "I'd expect the Pitcher to throw a backdoor slider in this situation."

06-23-2007, 04:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
jtur88 Hall of Famer Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 7,701	Hitting better with injury Tim McCarver (6/23) stated that a hitter often hits better, when he has a nagging groin or rib-cage injury, because he doesn't lunge at the ball and overswing, for fear of aggravating the injury if he fans. If this is true (not necessarily a given), would it be worthwhile to develop an "injury belt"--a kind of girdle that has rigid stays or linkages in it, so that if the batter overswings and misses, it will jab him painfully? Anybody ever heard of anyone trying it?

06-23-2007, 04:16 PM	#2 (permalink)
bedir than average Administrator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Starbucks Posts: 8,256	Some have argued that Adrian Beltre's explosive 2004 was due to an ankle injury that made it difficult/painful to swing at low and away pitches, particularly the breaking stuff out there. Notable is that is still his hole, a place where he produces weak grounders and swinging strikes. __________________ US Men's National Team World Cup Qualifying \| Democracy in Sports Meets My First Campaign "You're only so sure you're right because they're so sure you're wrong." Orson Scott Card in Xenocide

06-23-2007, 11:32 PM	#3 (permalink)
nanwynnfan Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,579	This may seem tangential; but I believe it is right in the thread context. Ted Williams was often asked why he didn't take advantage of the "shift" put on him, most famously by Lou Boudreau and the Indians who started it all. Williams' most steadfast response was that talent plus endless hours of practice had resulted in a combination of visual focus, timing and body rhythm and collective function that produced his phenomenal hitting results. He feared that messing with any single element of his essential approach and philosophy would have a falling domino effect on the rest and produce more damaging results than the shift ever could. Even his single game winning inside-the-park homer to left-center in a key game against the contending Tribe in the late '40s didn't convince him to try it. To TSW, it would have been as bad as swinging at bad pitches on the chance of hitting more HR's, so he didn't adopt it. I'd imagine that favoring an injury might yield a short-term hot streak; but long term, I'd bet the streak would fade, and fast - as new bad habits develop.

06-26-2007, 02:19 PM	#6 (permalink)
Nocahoma Moderator Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,238	Yes, but some would say that's one of his problems. McCarver gushes about his playing days in much the same way that Joe Morgan does, although McCarver does tend to talk more about other players from his era (he humps Bob Gibson's leg incessantly), where Morgan seems to have every story relate to himself in some way. It would be an advantage to have his experience as a resource for talking about strategy, etc., but McCarver seems to consistently gaffe these or have his guesses proven wrong. Steve Stone may be an ass, but at least he was usually right when he'd say "I'd expect the Pitcher to throw a backdoor slider in this situation."