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Reply With QuoteThe chance of a Major League Player batting .400 when I decided to give up the game...
Why are there no more .400 hitters in MLB?
Ted Williams was the last .400 hitter in MLB because he was the last player who actually believed he could hit .400. Ted hit .406 in 1941.
After nearly 30 years of asking MLB General Managers, Player Development directors, and coaches how they feel about the .400 batting average, I have not found anyone who honestly believes the .400 batting average to be a realistic goal.
This same feeling or belief about the .400 batting average is now all pervasive in MLB, including the Owners, General Managers, Player Development Directors, Hitting Instructors, Head Coaches, and Players.
Nobody in MLB honestly believes the .400 batting average is realistically possible, so nobody seriously expects to accomplish such a “ridiculous” goal. This is the main reason why nobody has hit .400 for the past 68 years.
While many gym teachers have received their “sports psychology” degrees from the “education” departments of various colleges, not the “psychology” departments, apparently none of them is teaching the most powerful mental law, The Law of Attraction.
Most sports psychologists teach their students to practice staying in the “NOW”, thereby avoiding the mental distractions of dwelling on the past or planning for the future during actual competition. Also, they all teach students to mentally and physically rehearse perfect performances to strengthen their neuro-physical blueprints of perfection.
While all of this is absolutely essential, it is not always enough. In order to maximize your subconscious and superconscious mental power, you need to understand and utilize The Law Of Attraction in a far more beneficial way. Ted Williams benefited from the most powerful form of sports psychology, unwittingly.
How? From the time Ted Williams was a young boy he repeated the same affirmation over and over, again and again, perhaps hundreds of thousands, even millions of times. Ted would always say out loud or simply think to himself, “All I want out of life is that when I walk down the street, people will point at me and say, “There goes the greatest hitter who ever lived.”” After saying it and thinking it so much, Ted actually grew to BELIEVE he actually was the greatest hitter who ever lived.
Now, in order to be considered the greatest hitter who ever lived, Ted knew he would have to hit .400 because his idols Rogers Hornsby and Ty Cobb both did it on several occasions. In fact, from 1921 through 1925, during that entire 5 year stretch, Rogers Hornsby hit .402. WOW!
Some make the mistake of believing that hitting .400 back in the 1920’s, 30’s, or 40’s was easier than it is now. Nothing could be further from the truth. Remember, back in those days the pitchers mound was 15 inches tall, not 10 inches tall as it has been since 1969.
Back in those days, the strike zone was actually called from the hitter’s knees to the letters on the chest, not from the knees to the belly button as it is called today. The taller mound and the much larger strike zone back then really helped the pitchers and hurt the hitters.
Pitchers of old also used the brush back and knock down pitch much more than the pitchers of today. The players back then played the game more like their very life depended on winning. There were no long term contracts. Being a professional baseball player during those troubled times was a cherished opportunity they would fight to protect. They approached baseball more like a war than a game.
The owners made these two significant changes after the 1968 season when Carl Yastremski led the AL with a .301 batting average. The pitching was dominating like never before and the low scoring games hurt the TV ratings.
Pitchers like Walter Johnson, even Babe Ruth could throw it close to 100 M.P.H. There have always been men in MLB who could throw it in the upper 90’s. Modern technology, the ever increasing size of humans, nutritional breakthroughs, etc. have little to do with either throwing arm strength or running speed. Either you are born with it or you are not!
Back in the old days, the sport of baseball was far more popular than it is today among a larger percentage of the population. Sure, the attendance numbers may be bigger today, but when was the last time you saw kids playing baseball just for the fun of it, outside of some organized game or practice? NEVER!
No, the truth is, it has never been easier for someone to hit .400. With the short mounds and small strike zones, pitchers are forced to throw much flatter, easier to hit pitches. If you will notice the most successful pitchers today throw the fewest strikes. They are taking advantage of the undisciplined hitter’s “home run-pull mentality” which both Ty Cobb and Rogers Hornsby considered to be a mental disease.
Today’s MLB hitters are bigger, stronger, and just as athletic as ever. Unfortunately, most are really not too wise. They don’t even know what Rogers Hornsby and Ted Williams thought about. They foolishly believe that the hitting philosophies of Ted Williams and Rogers Hornsby would not work today.
In their prime, hitters like Rogers Hornsby and Ted Williams would have absolutely dominated in the watered down version of baseball we see today.
Hornsby may have hit .500 against today’s pitching which has been so emasculated by the rules. In fact, over a 2 month stretch from June 28th, 1924 to August 29th, 1924, Hornsby hit .489 , the greatest 2 months ever!
The bottom line is our subconscious mind manufactures experience for us
equal to our honest expectations. Until someone actually believes he can hit .400, we will not see any .400 hitters. Jesus probably best summed up the mental state required to hit .400 when he said in Matthew 9:29, “According to you faith, be it unto you.”
There was an old commercial on TV encouraging people to go to college. The tag-line of this commercial was, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”
Perhaps a MLB owner, GM, player development director, coach, or player will get the message and start using more mental power.
Bruce Winship Wright
bwinwright@hotmail.com
The chance of a Major League Player batting .400 when I decided to give up the game...
If you sort the NL league batting averages from the past 134 years, ALL of the years from 1921-1925 are in the top 11.Originally Posted by bwinwright
Heck, if you don't count the 1800s, the top 10 years are 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, and 1930!! (not in that order)
What's the purpose of this thread? Is there some question that I missed?
Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.
Is this supposed to be a joke?
Lots of reasons, but not the bald assertions you put forth.
He should have believed he could hit .400 'more than once'. That woulda been really something.Ted Williams was the last .400 hitter in MLB because he was the last player who actually believed he could hit .400. Ted hit .406 in 1941.
When he only does it once, like others, it makes it look like there's something to the 'luck' aspect regarding BABIP stuff.
... and why does this surprise you? 1 time in 80 years, and you think it's the result of 'stinkin thinkin'?After nearly 30 years of asking MLB General Managers, Player Development directors, and coaches how they feel about the .400 batting average, I have not found anyone who honestly believes the .400 batting average to be a realistic goal.
Seriously brother.
You should have stopped talking/writing quite a bit ago.Pitchers like Walter Johnson, even Babe Ruth could throw it close to 100 M.P.H. There have always been men in MLB who could throw it in the upper 90’s. Modern technology, the ever increasing size of humans, nutritional breakthroughs, etc. have little to do with either throwing arm strength or running speed. Either you are born with it or you are not!
I really did not want to need to type the following, but I did because I was concerned that someone uniformed might read your comments and think there was something to it.No, the truth is, it has never been easier for someone to hit .400. With the short mounds and small strike zones, pitchers are forced to throw much flatter, easier to hit pitches.
[1] Pitchers throwing intense pitches every time. There's no 'holding back' for later and there's no 'taking some off' if no one's on base.
[2] Much more sharper, late-breaking pitches in modern pitching (Slider and splitter to be specific). Nobody throws the Bert Blyleven bender anymore.
[3] Specialized relivers. (7th, 8th, and 9th inning feature a new guy, not the same tired starter you've seen twice already).
[4] Flame-throwing closers (fresh-arm, big heat, and a specialized out pitch. Years ago this guy woulda been a medoicre starter, now he's a dominant finisher).
[5] Fields that no longer have very large outfields. Better for HRs, worse for BA. IFs play in the OF grass and charge everything.
[6] Fielding technology (sunglasses, gloves, etc) has improved fielding in every way.
[7] The advanced scouting and trend data is readily available to every team (and fan).
"Prove it".Today’s MLB hitters are bigger, stronger, and just as athletic as ever. Unfortunately, most are really not too wise. They don’t even know what Rogers Hornsby and Ted Williams thought about. They foolishly believe that the hitting philosophies of Ted Williams and Rogers Hornsby would not work today.
Demonstrate how hitters today are less intelligent and "baseball smart" than hitters of the past.
Prove that essentially all modern hitting philosophies don't branch from the "Williams Tree".
Others have just ignored you for obvious reasons, I got sucked in. Please accommodate my requests listed above.
I'm trying to be nice about things, but the stuff you are saying is just either 1] wrong, [2] uninformed, [3] bald assertion, [4] rant.
Yeah, it was so 'hard' to hit .400 in Hornsby's day that multiple guys did it. Ted Williams hit .400 primarily because he "thought he could". Turns out he thought he could do it "only once". *Rolls Eyes*In their prime, hitters like Rogers Hornsby and Ted Williams would have absolutely dominated in the watered down version of baseball we see today.
Hornsby may have hit .500 against today’s pitching which has been so emasculated by the rules. In fact, over a 2 month stretch from June 28th, 1924 to August 29th, 1924, Hornsby hit .489 , the greatest 2 months ever!
I don't appreciate your comments, because rather than examining the factors affecting the lack of a .400 hitter, you went on nostaglic-based rants and made insulting bald assertions of the modern player.
Last edited by CircleChange11; 08-02-2009 at 01:48 PM.
3 reasons:
1.Much better pitchers:
The pitchers got much better. There where some great pitchers back then, but the average pitcher got much better.The velocity and the movement of the pitches increased significantly(compared to teds time I would say at least 10 mph). There are tons of very hard and good throwing relievers(even specialists). Plus they scout the batters much better.
In general pitching just got much better, despite a smaller zone and lower mound.
2.Better fielders
The fielders got much more athletic and have stronger arms. So they make much more outs. Plus the fields got better, making it even easier for the fielders.
3. Swing for the fences mentality:
The batters try to hit HRs now. They have uppercuts swings, which are sometimes a little bit long and wild(fielder, Howard).
THis causes them to whiff more.
Today a so is much more accepted, it's just another out.
Back then it was like a "disgrace" and player tried to avoid striking out at all costs.
Today the swing for the fences even with 2 strikes, while back then they might have chokes up and slapped it the other way.
This causes the average to go down.
I agree with the point that Williams was very strong mentally, and we can and should learn from this.
But I'm not sure if the approach back then(let's say the pre ruth approach, since ruth was the first of the modern-high power, high walks, high strikeouts type) is nessecarily better.
I'm a big fan of high average hitters like ichiro, but sabermetric studies have shown that the modern approach of swinging for the fences, while compensating this with obp(walks) is very effective.
Of course then there are stupid hackers in the mlb like francour, who just hit at anything. This is no good baseball. The best hitters back then where selcetive, and the best hitters now are also.
Last edited by dominik; 08-02-2009 at 02:53 PM.
Back when? In Babe Ruth's time?Back then it was like a "disgrace" and player tried to avoid striking out at all costs.
Seriously?
For some reason I thought Ruth [1] hit a lot of homers, [2] struck out an awful lot, and [3] was regarded as the greatest and most celebrated player of all time.
Babe Ruth "invented" the 'home run swing' ... even with 2 strikes.
We didn't even bring up "increased media exposure/attention/pressure" yet.
What makes you believe that the pitchers got that much better? Were you alive back then? I’ve talked to pitchers and players from the 30’s on, and they’re take is much different than yours. The “PITCHERS” didn’t get any better, but the “THROWERS” did.
Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.
No before Ruth(in cobbs days).
Ruth with his new style ended the deadball era and made the new approach popular with his great success. Still of course it took some years for this approach to become as prevalent as it is now.
What does that comment mean?
There were a lot of things different pre-Ruth. At one time it was a pitcher's job to induce contact for a 'lively game' (i.e., throw strikes batters could hit). Looking at the gloves layers used, and the ways hits were scored, it's sorta understandable how more guys hit for a high average.
While a lot of things are similar now to then, some very important things have changed dramatically that comparing now to then may no longer be an "apples to apples" thing. There are decent arguements for the 'tougher then' and the 'tougher now' sides of the discussion. It's interesting regardless.
Web gems GALORE!
Willie Mays' catch in the world series stunned everyone at that time (50's)... heck; that thing isn't even in a weekly top 10 now.
Not to further move the thread off topic, but the most impressive thing to me about the WS catch was that it was a 454-foot "fly out". Talk about 'getting robbed' in more ways than one!
You have no idea how many great plays took place before every pitch of every game was recorded on 5 different cameras. You act as though all the fielders ever caught were nice little routine balls, and everything else dropped in for a hit, and that’s far from the truth.
Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.
That's true, but I'd also think that 'glove technology' has to have a significant impact, especially on the average (or evne below average) fielder.
I think every era has had its 'great fielders' that have a lot in common with each other. Plus, modern limitations on base running tactics greatly help fielders in recording outs. Some of the sbase-running stories from the "old days" are just amazing ... I don;t know anyone willingly played 2nd base back then. *grin*
Here’s the bottom line of the attempt to compare the game/teams/players/officials/owners/executives/fans, or whatever from one era to another. Its really futile because there’s just no way to do with any degree of accuracy. Heck, the simple status of baseball being demoted from America’s game prior to say 1960, to the shabby # 3 or #4 sport it is now, means the game had to have changed dramatically.
Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.
At one point I felt that Ichiro had a shot at hitting .400 His approach and what he does is a little different. That's what it is going to take - building a better mouse trap, one specifically focused on average.
Inchiro doesn't walk enough to hit .400 .... i.e., he gets "too many at bats" (requires too many hits).
That's one thing George Brett has talked about quite a bit. He thinks a hitter needs to get right around 500 bats with today's schedule and style.
When Williams hit .406, he has 456 AB's
When George Brett hit .390 he had 449 ABs
When Gwynn hit .394, he had 419 ABs.
Ichiro's fewest at bats in any season is 647.
See?
Looking at it like that, the 'best' thng that might happen to a player chasing .400 is to get a minor injury (rest) for a month, and then be able to "pick up" where he "left off" once he's healthy.
Last edited by CircleChange11; 08-03-2009 at 11:24 PM.
Same thing Gwynn has said. Gotta burn some of those at bats.
I wonder if there's anything with all 3 of those guys, along with Helton, being LHBs.
I think it's great because it displays the inherent superiority we lefties have ... and announces the beginning of our worldwide takeoverbut since none of those guys have 'great speed', I don't think being in the 1B side batter's box really helps.
I would guess that the big advantage is better "view" of RHP's breaking balls, sliders ... instead of coming at you and breaking over the plate, it's actually moves toward you ... and you get many ABs versus RHP in MLB.
Maybe this is obvious, I've just never sat down and thought about why the last guy to hit .400 and the last 3 guys (4 if you include Olerud) to 'challenge/chase .400' are all left-handed.
It's not necessary to get about 500 ABs, it just makes it easier. Tony Gwynn proved it was possible when he hit .402 over 624 ABs (and .400 over about 645 ABs).
Okay, but let's be reasonable. We're talking about something that has been done 1 time in the last what 70 years?
... and each time it has been done or challenged, it's been accomplished by guys that had fewer than 500 at bats.
Looking at statistics compiled over two seasons really doesn't apply, because it's not remotely close to being the same thing.
It is, however, interesting that Gwynn has hit .400 in 600+ at bats. I wonder what Ted's average is including the end of the season before he hit .406, and the start of the following year?
But, realistically, combined stats over multiple seasons are not all that applicable to viewing stats of a single season. Interesting certainly, but not all that applicable IMO.
Here ya'll go.
If you can understand this, you'll have a good handle on where the .400 hitters have gone.
http://www.engr.utexas.edu/faculty/b...tting_.400.pdf
Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.
I read it twice and am still not sure.Here ya'll go.
If you can understand this, you'll have a good handle on where the .400 hitters have gone.
http://www.engr.utexas.edu/faculty/b...tting_.400.pdf
I guess it saying that if today's top hitters strikeout 80-199 times (Ryan Howard) it is impossible to get anywhhere near .400. In Ruth's day, he was regarded as having a high number of K's. But, he was nowhere near the K totals of today's sluggers.
"Smith corks it into right, down the line. It may go...........Go crazy folks! Go crazy! Jack Buck
