Open Stance

[pthawaii]

I figured since I recently posted and some of you have seen my son's swing, I might as well get all my questions in now

Like must kids, he likes to mimic MLB players. He thinks Carl Crawford's stance is fun, and so he started to do his "Carl Crawford" impersonation recently.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiukh5jXfbY

Last practice, he said he wants to do that in his regular hitting. I’m thinking, sure, go for it, at the very least it will keep him from stepping into the bucket (which he used to do).

Any problems if he starts doing this all the time as part of his regular swing? Or if can, try to avoid it as it will create bad habits or a more complicated swing later?

[jbooth]

I figured since I recently posted and some of you have seen my son's swing, I might as well get all my questions in now

Like must kids, he likes to mimic MLB players. He thinks Carl Crawford's stance is fun, and so he started to do his "Carl Crawford" impersonation recently.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiukh5jXfbY

Last practice, he said he wants to do that in his regular hitting. I’m thinking, sure, go for it, at the very least it will keep him from stepping into the bucket (which he used to do).

Any problems if he starts doing this all the time as part of his regular swing? Or if can, try to avoid it as it will create bad habits or a more complicated swing later?

You're now talking style versus necessary fundamentals. What you do before heel plant doesn't matter much. But, you better look like everybody else, when your heel plants. There is VERY little difference between the 240+ MLB hitters, in what happens from heel plant to contact. There is a LOT of difference between them in what they do from stance to heel plant.

[Ursa Major]

All I can say is that I've seen dozens of under-12 y/o hitters TRY to use an open stance, and very, very few in game conditions actually close their stance enough during their stride to be able to adequately cover the plate. And even those who do tend to truncate the 'closure' as soon as they face a scary fast pitcher.

Like many things in hitting, it may be a helpful trade-off -- in this case, to get him so focused on closing that he 'forgets' to step in the bucket. Maybe he can try it temporarily until the bucket problem disappears. But you and he should understand that it takes a lot of practice to make sure that the necessary aggresive closed stride becomes second nature. But, you've got to like a kid who's willing to invest himself in trying different swings; it makes it easier for him to 'own' whatever swing he ultimately comes up with. Sure, he may not ultimately stick with that stance, but - if you discourage him from sampling new techniques - he might not continue to try other new things that might lead to the swing that will give him the most success.

[The Flush]

pthawaii,

Does your boy still use an open stance or did it not work for him? My son is stepping out a little bit and before I suggested that he try an open stance, he suggested to me that he try that. We might play around with it a little bit tomorrow at BP.

[songtitle]

All I can say is that I've seen dozens of under-12 y/o hitters TRY to use an open stance, and very, very few in game conditions actually close their stance enough during their stride to be able to adequately cover the plate.

You can watch an MLB game, and most open stance hitters dont get closed.

[pthawaii]

pthawaii,

Does your boy still use an open stance or did it not work for him? My son is stepping out a little bit and before I suggested that he try an open stance, he suggested to me that he try that. We might play around with it a little bit tomorrow at BP.

Currently, my son's stance is standard. He likes to goof around with the open stance, but for the most part, he's in a normal stance, neither open nor closed. I've let him experiment, and he's sort of settled on being neutral.

[skipper5]

IMO it's an OK experiment for younger kids to make.

(It's a bad choice for a teenaged HS prospect because even if he bats .350 his coaches will curse "that darned stance" the 65% of the time that he makes an out.)

[pthawaii]

I just gotta make sure my son doesn't see this guy hitting. He'll instantly want to impersonate him

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[The Flush]

What I am hoping is that by experimenting with the open stance and stepping towards the plate it will lead to him striding straight forward when he goes back to a neutral stance instead of stepping out.

[The Uncoach]

I have had more than a few youth players who step in the bucket and get cured by starting open pre-stride.

[tradosaurus]

I think a good pitcher should love a batter who has an open stance in league play.

I would give him nothing but strikes on outside corner or curveballs that break over the center of the plate.

Then scoot the fielders over as if playing a left handed batter.

[tradosaurus]

I just gotta make sure my son doesn't see this guy hitting. He'll instantly want to impersonate him

Here is the youtube video showing his complete batting style. What's the chance a MLB team would pick this kid up with such a dorky stance?

My son wouldn't hit like him because I would ridicule him publicly (while he is at the plate) until he stopped.

[The Uncoach]

I think a good pitcher should love a batter who has an open stance in league play.

I would give him nothing but strikes on outside corner or curveballs that break over the center of the plate.

Then scoot the fielders over as if playing a left handed batter.

An open stance doesn't hinder plate coverage. You haven't thought through the arc of the swing.

Ted Williams from Chris O'Leary's site.....

[The Flush]

This is more of what I was thinking of showing my son. He might not be 100% closed, but it is better than stepping out. Are there other good examples?

[tradosaurus]

An open stance doesn't hinder plate coverage. You haven't thought through the arc of the swing.

Ted Williams from Chris O'Leary's site.....

1) 99.9% of league players are not Ted Williams
2) That pitch is not on the outside corner of the plate
3) Ted Williams starts with an even stance and adjusts.
4) Your point is ?????

[azmatsfan]

Here is the youtube video showing his complete batting style. What's the chance a MLB team would pick this kid up with such a dorky stance?

My son wouldn't hit like him because I would ridicule him publicly (while he is at the plate) until he stopped.

The video is a little misleading. That's not really his "stance". He's in a more traditional stance before the pitcher has even started his motion.

[tradosaurus]

The video is a little misleading. That's not really his "stance". He's in a more traditional stance before the pitcher has even started his motion.

So what is the reason he starts in a retarded stance? It has no value and looks ridiculous.

[Jake Patterson]

So what is the reason he starts in a retarded stance? It has no value and looks ridiculous.

Nothing before launch matters.

[pthawaii]

What I am hoping is that by experimenting with the open stance and stepping towards the plate it will lead to him striding straight forward when he goes back to a neutral stance instead of stepping out.

I'd let him experiment if he's willing. I think trying new things isn't a bad thing. At the very least I can say it hasn't hurt my son to play around with stances. I'm starting to get a sense that the more they can play around with different aspects of a swing the better. That's just a theory at this point though

[tradosaurus]

Nothing before launch matters.

Up to a point I agree.

You wouldn't advocate jumping up and down twirling the bat with one hand before launch would you? What about facing the stands before launch?

Obviously somethings do matter.

Acting retarded before launch will most likely keep you from the big leagues.

[The Uncoach]

1) 99.9% of league players are not Ted Williams

Moving goal post.

2) That pitch is not on the outside corner of the plate

I didn't tell you to look at the pitch location. I told you about plate coverage. Try being a little pliable and watch the arc of the bat through the zone. That bat covers the whole plate and then some.

3) Ted Williams starts with an even stance and adjusts.

So then according to you, he must be stepping in the bucket. Why would he need to make any adjustment on a ball that is on the outer half and one that he hit to right center?

4) Your point is ?????

That whatever your point may have been, it is easily refuteable.

[Chris O'Leary]

You can watch an MLB game, and most open stance hitters dont get closed.

Nonsense...

[dominik]

Up to a point I agree.

You wouldn't advocate jumping up and down twirling the bat with one hand before launch would you? What about facing the stands before launch?

Obviously somethings do matter.

Acting retarded before launch will most likely keep you from the big leagues.

I agree with that. some of the good hitters get away with that but for the average talented guy keeping it simple is often better since there is a good chance they don't get into launch position in time when they doing funky stuff like youkilis.

I'm not for oversimplifying things and killing all athleticism and important "micro moves" (as some "rotational hitting" coaches in these days do) but generally keeping it simply and not have too much unnessecary movements is better for most kids.

[The Uncoach]

I agree with that. some of the good hitters get away with that but for the average talented guy keeping it simple is often better since there is a good chance they don't get into launch position in time when they doing funky stuff like youkilis.

I'm not for oversimplifying things and killing all athleticism and important "micro moves" (as some "rotational hitting" coaches in these days do) but generally keeping it simply and not have too much unnessecary movements is better for most kids.

You bolded the important point and then struck out.....bigtime. Youkilis looks like a dork pre-launch. Somehow he made it to the show. If you can hit, MLB doesn't care what your pre-launch looks like.

[The Flush]

We worked on it some today, but he really did not close up much. Maybe we will try putting an obstacle that he has to step over in order to get into a closed position. Still working on connection issues as well.