For example, I've heard Tony Gwynn is a pure hitter and Sean Casey is a professional hitter. What does it mean?
2007-03-22 18:22:35 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Baseball
A professional hitter is someone that willingly hits a ground ball to the right side to advance a runner from second to third with no outs. They work the count, making the pitcher show him and the teammates up later what all of the pitches look like. It is someone that works hard to overcome a perceived lack of natural athletic gifts to become a productive hitter.
A pure hitter is someone that can roll out of bed on Christmas morning and hit a line drive up the middle. They're just very gifted and work hard to make themselves even better.
2007-03-22 20:46:04 · answer #1 · answered by jpbofohio 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I haven't heard that about Casey...
But pure hitters like Tony G, George Brett, Rod Carew could adjust to anything you throw. They just hit the ball where the pitcher threw it, your only hope was that they happened to hit it to someone but there were no holes or weaknesses in their swing. Brett was once asked about his philosophy on hitting, and replied, Philosophy? Just hit it hard some place. A professional hitter will study the pitchers and learn their tendencies and the probability of getting a certain pitch and then wait for the pitcher to make the mistake of throwing that pitch or to that location. To some extent most hitters look for pitchers to tip off pitches. Years ago I caught a LHP (who was one of the top pitchers in the league) for a season and noticed that he twisted the ball a certain way in his hand behind his back on a fastball before he started his wind up. I never told him because no one was hitting him and I didn't want to break his rhythm, but the following year I was traded and had to play against him. I hit over .600 against him, I would wait for his hand to move and sit on the fastball. No one else could hit him very well but it became so obvious that I knew something, he was pulled from a playoff start against my team. That is what a professional hitter does and they will always make you pay for making a mistake.
2007-03-23 02:50:59 · answer #2 · answered by EnormusJ69 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
With pure hitters the mechanics are already there and are naturally correct. Pure hitters only adjust for different pitchers not their own mechanics. Professional hitters, no matter how talented, have to work the mechanics which can leave them at a slight disadvantage.
2007-03-23 06:51:37 · answer #3 · answered by Randy L 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The difference is about nothing but ability. A pure hitter is someone who has the natural ability to make contact with the ball. They just see the ball differently. A professional hitter is someone who has to learn all the quirks of a pitcher, field, fielders. They study hours of tapes to try and pick anything up that will help them.
2007-03-23 04:24:46 · answer #4 · answered by NSMITH 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a matter of talent. Tony Gwynn or a Wade Boggs just had the natural talent to hit which just cant be learned. A professional hitter may not have the talent, but they work their butts off to be a major leaguer.
2007-03-23 01:59:06 · answer #5 · answered by john b 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
pure hitter comes into the league and dosent need to change his swing and a pro hitter always needs adjustments to his swing it has alot to do with the eye too
2007-03-23 01:28:02 · answer #6 · answered by east2west 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
GREAT/PURE HITTER ARE BORN NOT MADE.
2007-03-26 11:56:44 · answer #7 · answered by smitty 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋