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This time of year the traditional theory is pitchers are ahead of hitters because hitters don't have their timing down yet.

ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 09:20 am This time of year the traditional theory is pitchers are ahead of hitters because hitters don't have their timing down yet.

There is another factor IMO for the theory to be true far beyond the batters timing . Batters in spring training do not get pregame pitcher info as they do in regular season. There is No game planning. So when JJ or any other batter comes to the plate, they don't truly know the ins and outs of that specific pitcher . What is his 'go to ' pitch with 2 strikes etc ? Where is his favorite location when he gets two strikes on you ? So unlike regular season the batters go up their very uninfomed compared to regular season.
A prime example.. in regular season when a reliever is brought in , you can see the upcoming Cardinal batter walk back to the railing near the dugout and look at an IPad the pitching coach is showing him on the 'scouting report' on that reliever. All the data , info on his pitches etc are there .
They don't bother with the hours of video prep that happens in regular season.
Thus, batters are at a bigger disadvantage in spring training . It has more to do with that then theh 'timing of the batter'. Heck these batters have been hitting during the winter in performance centers, batting cages etc. Their timing is good coming into ST. It's not like the old days where guys had taken a couple months off from hitting practice .

ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 09:20 am This time of year the traditional theory is pitchers are ahead of hitters because hitters don't have their timing down yet.

This will always be true in baseball. On MLB channel yesterday, one of the Boston hitters made a comment that he was using his front heel down as his timing mechanism. This is in line with Hudgen's theory on hitting. Different hitters have different ways to judge where to initiate their timing mechanism.

Spahn topped out at 90 and threw 5 pitches. Absolutely true in his day. Now he’d be overlooked in lieu of jordan hicks

Voldemort wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 10:45 am

ScotchMIrish wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 09:20 am This time of year the traditional theory is pitchers are ahead of hitters because hitters don't have their timing down yet.

This will always be true in baseball. On MLB channel yesterday, one of the Boston hitters made a comment that he was using his front heel down as his timing mechanism. This is in line with Hudgen's theory on hitting. Different hitters have different ways to judge where to initiate their timing mechanism.

The main thing is that there is no one way to do it . Every individual has their own thing according to their body . There is no one right way ,.
Brings me back to a famous golf story .. An all-time great instructor from Texas was Harvy Penick He taught two aspiring youngsters Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite giving them individualized lessons. His grandson published his notes in a book titled the Little Red Book .. He related an amateur asking Harvey 'On the backswing should I lift my left heel up or not ? Harvey's reply 'If your left heel want to come up , let it ! ' That point was made clear years later when pro Tom Kite was asked about lessons with Penick ... Kite said 'When I was young, I never knew why Harvy would not want me to stand nearby watching him give a lesson to Ben Crenshaw .. I found out as adult it was because what he worked with Ben was different than me .
Ben's left heel came up on the backswing ( classic move in those days ) but Kite's heel never came off the ground. Harvey knew that both could be fine for each guy's body .
So great anecdote .. There is NO one way to do things and NO one way to teach things. Too many sports followers do not understand that concept.
That's why I laugh when posters are telling certain players they are doing this or that wrong . Those posters have a preconceived ( wrong) that there is one correct way and only way to produce results. They are wrong .
The posters 'fixes' for say a Jordan Walker may work with some players ( the poster has seen that ) but that may be counter productive for Walker. It is NOT a one fix fits all in sports. Would a basketball coach teach his players free throw technique by saying Player X shoots 90% at the line. Here is how he places his feet (distance apart at the line ), how he holds the ball at what level , etc. Answer " He better not . The best free throw shooters in NBA history had varying stances, ball height in their hands , etc. The great Rick Barry flipped his free throws underhanded and hit on 90% . Who would teach that ?

Absolut wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 10:53 am Spahn topped out at 90 and threw 5 pitches. Absolutely true in his day. Now he’d be overlooked in lieu of jordan hicks

He also had a deceptive delivery.

You could be right or they would try to change his delivery to get more velocity. 363 wins and he lost 3 seasons due to WWII service.

He had a screwball and was blessed with great health.