tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post387407577827124983..comments2023-10-31T06:31:41.395-04:00Comments on Bottom of the Barrel: Mike Schmidt May Not Remember His Playing Days Too WellBengoodfellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401971573776672570noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-64948098216495246552011-11-25T20:21:17.939-05:002011-11-25T20:21:17.939-05:00Hitting a baseball is considered one of the most d...Hitting a baseball is considered one of the most difficult skills in sports. "The Mike Schmidt Study" is an excellent book on the subject of hitting. You cannot go wrong from reading and applying the content of this book. There are many theories and opinions on the science and art of hitting...from linear mechanics to rotational mechanics to combining both. This book is well written. Without wasting your time with lengthy text explanations it shows with clear illustrations and simple but effective drills how to learn and improve your hitting.Sverigehttp://ctwenty4seven.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-65236869153705111662011-06-26T18:44:02.208-04:002011-06-26T18:44:02.208-04:00Martin F, you are probably right about that. I kno...Martin F, you are probably right about that. I know we are talking in generalities, but an infielder with 8 home runs shouldn't probably be striking out that much. I think we accept a player striking out a lot, as long as he hits a ton of home runs. Howard is an example of that, but I think he still gets shit for it.Bengoodfellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09401971573776672570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-42647665660256102702011-06-26T16:31:18.281-04:002011-06-26T16:31:18.281-04:00My problem with the strikeout today is who is gett...My problem with the strikeout today is who is getting them more so then how many for guys like Howard. If a player can pop 30+ homers, I don't want him swinging for a scratch single with two strikes. Look for a ball to drive, and try to hit the hell out of it. It's when the middle infielder with 8 homers a year is striking out 130 times a year. In his case, stop trying to hit a homer, or get a better eye, or somethi9ng.Martin F.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14565240074256943063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-40407981642399666882011-06-26T14:34:17.630-04:002011-06-26T14:34:17.630-04:00Rich, I figured you wouldn't agree with this p...Rich, I figured you wouldn't agree with this post. I'm not sure it is necessarily a lack of accountability among hitters, but a strikeout is now (correctly in my opinion) seen as just another way to make an out. I will accept that a hitter probably isn't necessarily poorly thought of anymore because he strikes out a lot, but I don't know if it is a lack of accountability that causes this. There were guys in Schmidt's time that struck out a lot (like Bobby Bonds) and it wasn't b/c of a lack of accountability, but they just stuck out a lot. Maybe there are more those guys now? <br /><br />Maybe Schmidt does have a somewhat point about players today striking out a lot. I wouldn't say it is b/c of a lack of accountability necessarily though. <br /><br />It is hard to compare a player across eras like that. Compared to hitters in the 1940's and 1950's Schmidt could be as seen as lacking accountability because of how many times he struck out. <br /><br />I don't dislike Mike Schmidt, but I also don't know if Ryan Howard is the best comparison either for how players who strike out a lot lack accountability. Howard has gotten criticism for striking out as much as he does. It is just part of his game. <br /><br />Across eras, today's players do strike out a lot, but so did Schmidt in his time. Comparing him to hitters in eras earlier than his it would look like Schmidt lacks discipline at the plate. <br /><br />http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/SO_leagues.shtml<br /><br />So I see what you are saying, but comparing across eras isn't incredibly helpful when it comes to strikeouts by batters I don't think. That's why I would compare Schmidt to players who struck out a lot in his day.Bengoodfellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09401971573776672570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-56327203540358545112011-06-26T11:34:01.807-04:002011-06-26T11:34:01.807-04:00I think the acceptance of it has created a lack of...<b>I think the acceptance of it has created a lack of accountability by today's hitter.</b><br /><br />I'd actually agree with this. Watching Ryan Howard strike out 200+ times a year by swinging at everything and anything, the fact that he was given 25M a year supports this.<br /><br />I know this is just one example (sample size alerts), but the number of times I've seen guys swing at pitches so far out of the strike zone is unbelievable. <br /><br /><i>he led the majors in strikeouts four times including three years in a row</i><br /><br />Those years he struck out 138, 180, 149, 148 times. Other than the 180 times, none of those years would have been in the top 15 last year. Even the 180 strikeouts would have been good for fourth last year.<br /><br />He led the league in strikeouts with 138, good for 26th in the league last year. <br /><br />I think he may have a point. The fact that he's 8th all-time is more due to his having played for 17 years.<br /><br /><i>Mike Schmidt was a hitter who happened to strike out a lot</i><br /><br />In his era, yes, he struck out a lot, but his 162 game average was 127 SOs per year... which is not all that bad. <br /><br />For comparison, Ryan Howard strikes out on average 191 times a year. Bobby Abreu (a very patient hitter) 107 times.Richnoreply@blogger.com