| One of the toughest things in the world to do is | | | | other words his body is exposed, or open to the |
| to hit a round baseball coming at you at 95 miles | | | | pitcher. A closed stance is when the batter stands |
| per hour with a round bat, squarely enough so | | | | at the plate and his body is at a 90 degree or |
| that you can send it off into the field ahead of | | | | even smaller angle to the opposing pitcher. The |
| you in such a manner that it goes far enough that | | | | advantage of an open stance is that you can |
| you can get on base. Some of the greatest | | | | swing the bat quicker after the ball is released |
| sports players from other mediums have said | | | | since you are almost in a swing position to start |
| that they'd rather do anything else than try to hit | | | | with. The disadvantage of an open stance is that |
| a baseball. Some of these people are some of the | | | | on inside pitches you are more likely to pull the ball |
| strongest and most powerful players in their | | | | foul. The advantage of a closed stance is that |
| respective sports, including football tackles who | | | | you can generate more power when hitting the |
| have to deal with 300 pound bodies day in and | | | | ball because the bat is being swung farther. Also, |
| day out.So why is it that hitting is so difficult and | | | | a closed stance makes you wait on the ball more |
| what exactly is a professional ball player's | | | | and keeps you from committing too soon. |
| approach to hitting? To understand the difficult | | | | Depending on the player's individual strengths and |
| part, just try it yourself. To understand the | | | | weaknesses, a particular stance will be |
| approach, keep reading.A professional baseball | | | | chosen.Aside from the approach, there's how far |
| player, at least if he is one of the better ones, | | | | up the bat a batter will hold it. Some batters who |
| develops what is called an approach to hitting. Not | | | | prefer to make contact over hitting home runs |
| everyone's approach is the same, for if it was | | | | will choke up on the bat. This gives them more |
| everyone would hit the same. But what is | | | | control. The stronger men in the game will hold |
| constant is that every player who develops an | | | | the bat almost all the way down at the end of it |
| approach, sticks to it religiously. That is how he | | | | by the knob. This allows them to generate more |
| develops consistency.The first part of the | | | | power when they swing. Your typical power hitter |
| approach is the stance that the player takes | | | | will hold the bat this way.In the next installment of |
| when he is up at the plate. There are basically | | | | our approach to hitting two part series we'll focus |
| two stances, open and closed. An open stance is | | | | on how a batter adjusts during an at bat |
| when the batter stands up to the plate with the | | | | depending on the count, the situation and the |
| front of his body almost facing the pitcher. In | | | | pitcher he is up against. |