Quality at-bats = better stats
November 5, 2011 by Coach McCreary
Filed under Hitting
In the game of baseball, pitchers will always have the advantage over hitters. It can be frustrating but that’s how the game works. When I played, what frustrated me the most was when I got myself out. By that I mean there was an error in my approach to the at-bat that had a greater impact on me making an out than anything the pitcher did. Over the course of a few weeks one season, I decided to keep a record of how many times the pitcher got me out as opposed to how many times I got myself out. First of all, here are some of the ways I distinguish between the two:
What I realized was somewhat depressing. The amount of times I was largely getting myself out was very high. My guess is that the majority of hitters would feel the same way if they stopped to analyze their own at-bats.
My playing career is over but if you still have one ahead of you and want a quick way to improve your offensive numbers, start by increasing your “quality at-bats.” Basically, force the pitcher to get you out. If you do, you will not have to worry about your numbers. They will take care of themselves.
Leave a Reply