Why can't most baseball pitchers hit well?

Question

Stats show it. They have very low averages and barely any homers.

Answer 1

The reason why most pitchers don't hit for very high averages or hit home runs is that they don't take enough batting practice. Since starters only pitch every fifth day, they only bat at least 30-35 times a year. Most teams don't stress enough on hitting practice and would rather their pitchers work on pitching and not hitting. Relievers and AL pitchers don't hit at all. When a pitcher does hit, he usually will bunt. Even on 2 outs.

Answer 2

It does seem funny, as kids, the pitcher is usually the best athlete on the field... he's the kid that plays shortstop during the time he isn't pitching, and he bats in the top 4 of the line-up (check out the Little League World Series) but once you get past regular summer ball, It seems like everyone starts using a DH, so by the time you're 25 you may not have hit in a game situation in 5 years...Of coarse pitchers don't take as much BP as other players...NL starters only play every 5 days and usually pitch 6 or 7 innings so that equates to about 2 at bats per week... guys coming off the bench who take BP can't hit effectively when they only get 2 abs/week... It does annoy me that pitchers aren't better bunters... Bunting is a basic baseball skill... I wouldn't expect Manny to bunt (although Ortiz has droped a couple of nice ones against the shift), but I think all pitchers should be able to lay a bunt down to advance runners 8 times out of 10 at least.

Answer 3

i know for a fact that pitchers spend more time practicing pitches than hitting in the cages so that wouldnt help their batting. And if they are in the national league they only get about 2 or 3 at bats every 5 days.

Answer 4

Pitchers are paid to pitch, not hit. Pre game batting pratice, is for the hitters not the pitchers.If you don't swing the bat at least 100 times a day your not a good hitter(ask any hitting instructor)this includes your pratice swings. Also the training (weight)u do for pitching is different than hitting

Answer 5

If a pitcher can hit very well but can't pitch well. He might as well just to be a DH.

He's a "Pitcher". The most important job for him is not batting but pitching. Great pitching is also a great defense as well as great "offense".

Answer 6

I've wondered this myself. Most pitchers at the high school and college level are excellent hitters. It's only when they get to the pros that their averages go down. I guess it's because at the bigs, they focus more on arm speed and control for pitching, and spend less time in the batting cage. My guess, anyhow.

Answer 7

The have to focus on pitching. It's their main job, and it's also incredibly taxing on the arm. Time in the batting cages for a pitcher is time better spent warming up on the mound. Hitting isn't a priority for them and their general performance shows it.

Answer 8

Pitchers don't practice hitting. They concentrate on pitching. This is the exact reason why I beleive in the American Leauge's DH rule. I just don't understand why you would want to let someone go to the plate who doesn't know how to hit and the other team know's he doesn't know how to hit.

I would compare that to bringing in someone who doesn't know how to run, every 9 plays in a football game and then handing the ball off to him.

Answer 9

The pitchers today are so good at their position, it's hard to focus on hitting as well....true, they should have more knowledge of the opposing pitchers pitch selection, but they work harder than any other position, it's just too much.

Dane

Answer 10

Primarily because they are judged based on their pitching ability, so it makes sense to focus on that in their workouts rather than their hitting. Considering that many pitchers manage to hit around .150 or more without working on their hitting much, it's likely many of them would be at least passably decent if they concentrated on hitting at all.