You Gotta Protect!!!

I have heard this preached by coaches and hitting coaches from the time I was able to hit a pitched ball. "You gotta protect the plate with two strikes!" I also heard shorten your swing up, spread out your stance, choke up and let the ball get deep and put it into left field. I'm a left handed hitter. I was actually a right handed hitter with a left handed grip when I first picked up a bat. My father must have been a genius or the angel of the Lord told him to just turn me around instead of switching my hands. Anyways all these coaches seem to think what they are doing is helping but in reality the worst batting averages are with 2 strikes. At the Major League level 3-2 has the best average at .239. This count would seem like a hitters count, but according to the numbers it is still heavily tipped towards the pitcher. The 1-2 count is the worst at .166 and as you can guess everything else falls between that .166 mark and .200. So what are you to do when your staring down the barrel of the dreaded two strike count? My strong opinion is..... hack! That's right take your best swing. Put the A swing out there instead of the "protection" one.
Now all the greatest hitters and hitting instructors ever are turning over in their graves or pushing themselves away from the table to calm themselves before hearing my rationale. Please come back sit down and hear me out. Lemme break it down for ya.
1. Practice! Practice! Practice! How do 99% of hitters train? They are training to take there best swing and hit the ball hard. Now if you are a coach that teaches two strike hitting and can consistently get hitters to drive the ball hard then stop reading, but since this can not happen by doing all the the things discussed in the first paragraph then keep reading. Bio-mechanically all those things cost a hitter distance and exit speed. Spreading out causes loss of weight transfer. Shortening the swing causes loss of bat speed. Choking Up decreases lever size. Remember this: The longer the lever the stronger the lever and the shorter the lever the quicker. Maybe this is another reason why the batting averages are so low with two strikes. Maybe it isn't all related to pitch selection, maybe it's related to swing selection. This whole protection thing makes me lose sleep. How come with a 3-1 count a hitter will spit on that fastball 4 inches off the plate, but with two strike they will chase it all day. Or with two strikes hitters will swing at a low curve ball in the dirt but 3-1 will take that all day. How come with two strike the hitters have been trained to expand the zone? The umpire hasn't expanded his. A strike is still a strike in his mind.
Okay here is my true feelings on this. The first is I always want to take my best swing. Second there is no reacting to the pitch. Maybe in little league when the ball is coming 50 mph, but a 91 mph fastball will be by you before you can react to it. It's okay to guess. If you look at the numbers you are an out anyways so why not guess and be on time. If you are still 1-2 and think this guy has a good curve ball I'm going to sit on it. You start a little later to compensate for the decreased speed and when the ball shows up you take your best swing. Let's say he does exactly what you guess and you are on time and drive a ball past the shortstop. Well you just overcame the odds. You were supposed to be out. Let's say you think curve ball and the pitcher blows a fastball right by you? So what, you were out anyways who cares if you strike out, pop out, ground out, foul out? Right and out is an out. I would rather have this scenario: Two runners on and you guess right and hit a line drive with your best swing and drive in 1. Then this scenario: Two runners on and you choke up, spread out, and then a weak ground ball double play to second with your protection swing. No only were you out you were responsible for two outs. I'm watching a game between the Dodgers and the Padres today and I see Uribe with two strikes take a hack on a curve ball and drive it into the corner for 2 runs. Then I see a non roster invitee for the Padres come up with first and third and he (Santana) takes two hacks then goes to an almost no stride shortened up swing and slaps a ball to first for and out. He did get and rbi but made and out. The season veteran Uribe got two rbi's and his batting average went up not down. I'm just saying if I'm a Big League manager and I have to make a last day choice for the roster. I have a talented new young player that has potential to score runs while making outs or a solid veteran that when I am down 3 in the ninth can get a hit, score two runs and still be on base to keep the rally going. Well I am going to lean toward the guys that is still on base.
Bottom line: Take your A game swing with you always especially with two strikes when you need it the most. It is okay to guess. If you are right and you will be then many more hits will come. You will guess wrong. Oh well you were out anyways. Training methods need to change to train more to be on time and guess than try to react to the pitches. I have a device I use called a NOS timing chain that has worked wonders. If you would like more information about this device and some of my other teaching methods please email me at info@hithardernow.com.