I’m at the farm right now hanging out with my buddy’s goats but wanted to sneak this in real quick like an old radio break. I mean are you kidding me with this analysis? David Ortiz is the greatest Left Handed Hitting Designated Hitter in baseball history and that’s because he clears his hips so swift and smoothly. It’s beautiful. Like a sexy little salsa dancer doing the flamengo. That’s David Ortiz in a batters box and it’s why he’s got so much power behind his swing.
There’s plenty of big bastards.
Plenty of strong guys have played this game.
The difference is the connection between the lower half and the hands and the upper body. The 3 parts of the swing. You got your lower half working towards the ball. Your upper body is working back. And your hands stay with the upper body until it’s time to swing and then your lower half just pulls the hands through.
That’s why they say “great hands” means staying back on a ball where your lower body has already committed. Think of a change up down and away that Anthony Rizzo would’ve kept his hands back on and hit hard to left center. That’s “great hands”
For the hips, a lot of guys struggle letting the lower body move first.
And if you watch that side by side replay, you’ll see both belt buckles uncorking before the hands start working towards the ball and that’s the kinda shit that makes a great big league hitter. Especially from the left side where you’re using the middle/other part of the field.
And it’s exactly why I’m so high on Moises Ballesteros. He’s got a real sexy first movement with his hips and that’s how you end up hitting .300 with 30+ homers in the big leagues. The fact he’s got great hands to back it up only makes the argument that much stronger.
So there you have it.
Moises Ballesteros is basically David Ortiz just 25 years younger.
PS – Here’s literally the best example of swing movements that I’m talking about. Really nice stuff here from Tatis Jr. with the foot down and the hands back. Maybe the best clip of hitting I’ve ever watched considering he had to completely restart his movements