ron883 Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 I keep hearing that some of our players would benefit by choking up on the bat, especially with 2 strikes. Do you agree with this notion? Lots of chatter that it would help some of the players with longer swings. Do you believe in choking up on the bat? Not really sure about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Sacamano Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 Absolutely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elrockinMT Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 You are hearing it from Hawk and his rationale is sound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitekrazy Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 I don't think anyone does that in baseball anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxAce Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 QUOTE (kitekrazy @ Jul 22, 2017 -> 12:21 AM) I don't think anyone does that in baseball anymore. Rizzo does it when he has 2 strikes. I'm shocked more players don't do it more when they're down in the count. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmags Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 Lots do it, including Moncada and Yolmer. Votto too. Not really a big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Sacamano Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 QUOTE (SoxAce @ Jul 22, 2017 -> 12:25 AM) Rizzo does it when he has 2 strikes. I'm shocked more players don't do it more when they're down in the count. Rizzo and Votto choke up pretty high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldsox Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Jul 22, 2017 -> 07:39 AM) Rizzo and Votto choke up pretty high. I used to think that players would emulate Barry Bonds and choke up more. Not so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliSoxFanViaSWside Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 Players do what's comfortable for them. Some guys do it most don't. The reasons for doing it are sound just like the reasons for moving around in the batters box ( which seems like no one does unless they are bunting) .I'll miss those Ted William's references from Hawk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Allen Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 I don't know why everyone doesn't choke up anyway. At the very least it allows you to use a bigger bat. More wood in the hitting area. You could get closer to aluminum bat dimensions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 22, 2017 -> 11:46 AM) I don't know why everyone doesn't choke up anyway. At the very least it allows you to use a bigger bat. More wood in the hitting area. You could get closer to aluminum bat dimensions. If you're doing that to add in more weight then I think it would actually slow your bat down because you've added unproducive mass that you still need to move during each swing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Allen Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 22, 2017 -> 02:59 PM) If you're doing that to add in more weight then I think it would actually slow your bat down because you've added unproducive mass that you still need to move during each swing. Grab a wooden bat. Sing it from the end. Choke up an inch getting rid of non hitting area. Notice the difference. Most grew up with aluminum where you can get a huge bat head and keep it light. If it were cool to choke up everyone would do it. A ride up Barry Bonds did it and no one can match him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 22, 2017 -> 04:08 PM) Grab a wooden bat. Sing it from the end. Choke up an inch getting rid of non hitting area. Notice the difference. Most grew up with aluminum where you can get a huge bat head and keep it light. If it were cool to choke up everyone would do it. A ride up Barry Bonds did it and no one can match him. Basic physics requires that the farther away the hitting surface is from your body the faster it will be going. I believe that's why people feel comfortable choking up with 2 strikes - it slows the bat head down and trades speed/power for control/contact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Allen Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 22, 2017 -> 04:49 PM) Basic physics requires that the farther away the hitting surface is from your body the faster it will be going. I believe that's why people feel comfortable choking up with 2 strikes - it slows the bat head down and trades speed/power for control/contact. Yes but this isn't the NBA. Clearing the wall by 1 foot counts as much as by 50. I'd rather have the more control and contact and take my chances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 22, 2017 -> 05:15 PM) Yes but this isn't the NBA. Clearing the wall by 1 foot counts as much as by 50. I'd rather have the more control and contact and take my chances. And since all home runs travel 50 or more feet beyond the wall, there's clearly no tradeoff here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Allen Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 (edited) QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 22, 2017 -> 05:43 PM) And since all home runs travel 50 or more feet beyond the wall, there's clearly no tradeoff here. I see guys who do choke up all the time like Rizzo, and Votto and Bonds. They seem to do fine. There are very few that barely clear the wall. How much farther will a ball travel from the same guy hit identically,if he is swing a 35 inch 35 ounce bat on the end , vs a 36 inch 36 ounce bat where he chokes up an inch or two? The guy who hit the most home runs choked up. The guy that got the most hits, choked up. Yeah, stupid idea. I guess the big question is what percentage of ABs not choking up result in home runs that wouldn't be home runs if choking up? I am guessing no more tha 1 percent if that. I think improving the odds the other 99 percent more than makes up for it. Edited July 22, 2017 by Dick Allen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldsox Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 22, 2017 -> 04:49 PM) I see guys who do choke up all the time like Rizzo, and Votto and Bonds. They seem to do fine. There are very few that barely clear the wall. How much farther will a ball travel from the same guy hit identically,if he is swing a 35 inch 35 ounce bat on the end , vs a 36 inch 36 ounce bat where he chokes up an inch or two? The guy who hit the most home runs choked up. The guy that got the most hits, choked up. Yeah, stupid idea. Gotta be a math guy out there. But I bet the guy who chokes up strikes out less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanne Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 because Hawk says? Meh...doesn't work for everybody unless you practice it on a daily basis. You can't just automatically choke up and be comfortable and expect better results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 I'd rather see shorter swings and approaches with two strikes to try to generate some sort of contact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Sacamano Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 (edited) QUOTE (Wanne @ Jul 22, 2017 -> 06:53 PM) because Hawk says? Meh...doesn't work for everybody unless you practice it on a daily basis. You can't just automatically choke up and be comfortable and expect better results. No, not because he says guys should. Even though he is correct and guys should choke up more. Edited July 24, 2017 by soxfan2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GGajewski18 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 In my opinion, I don't care whether or not they choke up on the bat or not. Yes, I know it cuts the down the swing to make better contact, but some players are just not comfortable doing it. When I played, I never choked up on the bat because I wasn't comfortable and it completely changed my swing. With the examples of Rizzo and Schwarber, they already swing with 2 hands as is so it's much easier to just choke up and shorten up compared to someone with swing of a Todd Frazier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FT35 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 (edited) QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jul 22, 2017 -> 10:46 AM) I don't know why everyone doesn't choke up anyway. At the very least it allows you to use a bigger bat. More wood in the hitting area. You could get closer to aluminum bat dimensions. The metrics people would probably frown on it. Bringing in the human element of the brain making an adjustment to a swing--it throws all the numbers off--gives hitters an advantage on an already pre-determined set of averages. They probably want to see the same swing taken in the same way with the same bat looking for the same result...that way you get a way more usable set of numbers and a better chance of getting the result that the equation tells you you're due for! Edited July 24, 2017 by FT35 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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