“Show me a guy who’s afraid to look bad, and I’ll show you a guy you can beat every time.” – Lou Brock
It’s true. Baseball truly is a game of failure. Show me the most successful baseball player and I will show you a failure. For example, a player who hits .300 means that he posted three hits in 10 plate appearances. Translation: He made an out (think failed) the other seven times up.
Unlike amateurs, professional hitters make quicker adjustments and repeat their swings more often – period.
Many people ask me what it takes to compete at the Major League level as a hitter. The truth is that Major League hitters care less about being unsuccessful as they do being over matched. If you’re not over matched, you have an opportunity to succeed.
I remember the first time I faced Kerry Wood at a Chicago Cubs mini-camp. His fastball seemed to have another gear to it. Because of the length of my swing, Kerry completely over matched me. While I had enough bat speed to hit his 95 mph fastball, bat control was most crucial at that level.
After watching more seasoned hitters match up with Kerry, I knew I had to change my focus to achieve success. Being able to adapt is critical in any successful journey.
In the end, when it comes to baseball, it’s all about how often you can repeat your skill. An above average high school pitcher can repeat his delivery and locate his pitches 50 percent of the time. That’s compared to collegiate and professional pitchers, whose averages range from 60 percent and 70 percent, respectfully.
If you are a high school hitter who can only repeat a good swing 30 percent of the time, you will be over matched and unsuccessful most of the time.
But there is good news out there. Diamond Directors is here for you. We can help you develop a swing that’s functional and repeatable – even if you’re not able to visit our Hitting Lab.
Click here to experience Diamond Directors ONSITE and ONLINE TRAINING.
See you in the cages.
BIO:
C.J. Stewart has built a reputation as one of the leading professional hitting instructors in the country. He is a former professional baseball player in the Chicago Cubs organization and has also served as an area scout for the Cincinnati Reds. As founder and CEO of Diamond Directors Player Development, CJ has more than 12 years of player development experience and has built an impressive list of clients including, some of the top young prospects in baseball today. If your desire is to change your game for the better, C.J Stewart has a proven system of development and track record of success that can work for you.
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