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.

Absolutely

You are hearing it from Hawk and his rationale is sound

I don't think anyone does that in baseball anymore.

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.

Lots do it, including Moncada and Yolmer. Votto too. Not really a big deal.

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.

Rizzo and Votto choke up pretty high.

I used to think that players would emulate Barry Bonds and choke up more. Not so much.

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.

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.

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.

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.

 

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.

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.

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.

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, 20178 yr by Dick Allen

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.

 

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.

I'd rather see shorter swings and approaches with two strikes to try to generate some sort of contact.

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, 20178 yr by soxfan2014

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

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, 20178 yr by FT35