Swings and Misses: MLD

Pre-Game:
Once upon a time, back in the 60s, in sunny SoCal, there played a man - a Dodger - named Rob Fairly. Fairly was a big first baseman who had a way with a bat. One season, his magic touch failed him. He was in a horrible slump, and no matter what he did, he couldn't seem to figure out how to get out of it. For the life of him, he couldn't seem to hit a change-up, and it was really frustrating him.

His batting average got worse and worse, and finally, he was desperate. The Dodgers were in Washington DC, playing the Senators. At the end of his rope, not knowing what else to do, he approached the Senator's manager, Ted Williams. (Williams, by the way, is commonly regarded as one of the game's greatest all-time hitters.) He told Williams his situation: huge slump, demoralized, really wanting to master the change-up but striking out (literally) every time.

Williams just said, "If you can't connect, then stop swinging at them."

Simple advice, right? Maybe a guy with less of an ego would have just left his jaw on the floor for random tobacco juice rebounds to collect (ok, that was gross, but it gets the point across), and written off such a basic strategy. But Fairly took what Williams said and acted on it, and stopped swinging at those darn change-ups.

And you know what? Within a few games, Fairly came out of his slump.

Game Time:
Turns out that baseball is a lot like dating. If you are swinging your bat a lot and just not connecting...
Don't swing at pitches you can't connect with.
Lots of people, like Fairly, go through big slumps in their dating careers. But if, as a hitter, there are some pitches that you just can't make connections with this season - like Fairly's change-up - then don't swing. It could be the perfect pitch, but if you routinely can't make a connection, then stop trying so hard to hit every ball of that type that comes across the plate.

Have realistic expectations.
Don't expect yourself to be able to get on base every time you're at the plate. (Even the bestest of them rarely hit better than one in three at-bats, much less every time!)

I'll say it again, in case you thought I didn't mean it: Have realistic expectations.
Some dating hitters not only expect themselves to be able to get on base with every at-bat, but they also expect to get on base with the first pitch across the plate. And to add even more pressure, some hitters tell themselves that it's within the realm of possibility that they will only hit home runs. Newsflash: Not. Going. To. Happen.

"Small ball" wins games.
It's the hitters that consistently get on base with grounders, pokes, and lucky drops who have the best averages (generally). Besides, just remember this: there's got to be someone on base before any RBIs can be counted, and there need to be THREE in order for a grand slam to occur. Solo home runs are fine and good, but it's the grand slams and slides that really make the game interesting.

A note on Perfect Pitches:
The pitch could be a fastball up the middle, perfect height, and you could miss it every single time. It could be a pitch that every other MLD(ating) player could - and would - blast out of the park -- but if you can't, then it's not a perfect pitch for you, and you should pass.

Don't be afraid to pull a Fairly:
If what used to work for you doesn't anymore, switch it up. Chase a curve or a slider. (Please, don't embarrass yourself by leaning into the pitch so you'll get beaned and get a base, though. Also, don't chase wild pitches. Bad idea.) Look at every pitch individually and decide whether to swing. Use your gut. And if your gut doesn't work, use your mind. And if your mind doesn't work, consider asking an expert, like Fairly did. It worked for Fairly...it just might work for you.

Panda time:
So before your next at-bat, think about your strengths and weaknesses. Think about not the pitch that you want, but the pitch you can hit. Sometimes, it's the pitch that's down and out that you connect with for a grand slam. Just ask Pablo Sandoval.

Post-Game:
If you can't hit the change-up, don't panic and swing at every pitch. If you do, you're liable to get a shoulder out of joint...or at least, a lot of strikeouts. Be patient. If you can't make connections like you used to, refocus and try different pitches. Just work hard and practice and hopefully your manager will see it and not demote you to the minors. (O, horrors!)

Famous Last Words:
But remember...even if you do get sent to the minors, at least you're still in the game.