Neutralizing Launch Angle

Watch any MLB game or analysis nowadays in 2018, and it is a never ending gawking at the Launch Angle Craze. Quite frankly, it is nothing new in the game. They just now have the technology to document and ceaselessly talk about it. Therefore, it trickles down to the amatereur levels far faster than info ever has before. For all those who think that they reinvented the wheel in this great game, you are actually just validating simple physics. Now you don’t want us to wake up Mr. Ted to re-remind you of all this, do you? Because he gets rather cranky when he has to repeat himself. Most eccentric fellows do.

In the spirit of all this hoopla and information overload, which has exaggerated mere gimmicks in some instances, baseball is still a game played by humans. Flawed humans. Baseball, as in life, is a game of give and take. Therefore, the more a hitter adds, the larger margin for error he has to deal with in his overall production. So today, we are going to look at the ways you can begin neutralizing Launch Angle, The Craze. Feel free to Air Some Grievances in the comments and send the hitting gurus back to the lab once again. Because pitchers always have the Dominant hand in this 149 year (and counting) chess match.

Execute and ye shall be prosperous.

Neutralizing Launch Angle
Stay Out of
The Middle of the Plate

This is a no brainer.  I have touched on it in several previous posts. STAY OUT OF THE MIDDLE OF THE PLATE!!!! It’s that simple. It speaks for itself. If you need more validation, most hitters’ swing path goes through the middle of the strike zone. That is where they are looking for pitches because that is where they are most comfortable and most seasoned to do damage. Also, stay out of a hitter’s personal NITRO ZONE. This comes down to knowing the hitter and picking up on his tendencies. Other than the proverbial, Down & In to lefties, you get into the know, by watching Batting Practice. Pay attention to what pitch locations the hitter drives the ball most consistently, and where he gets himself out….even in BP.

Neutralizing Launch Angle
High Heat

All hitters have holes. With the launch angle craze, mid range hitters are going all in. Meaning that they want to hit everything into orbit. They aren’t looking to hit the ball where it is pitched anymore. As a result, you see more pitchers throwing at the top of the strike zone. Because that location is almost impossible to launch. The good hitters realize that they have to stay on top of that pitch.

 

Josh Hader masters Bader on 3 Pitches (all fastballs). 😳 pic.twitter.com/Bccqc6qQCi

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 30, 2018

As for the Goon Squad, they either swing through it or pop it up. If they do drive it, they possibly guessed right on the location, and cheated to get to it. In all other instances, there is only one Barry Bonds. Challenge the hitters here and force them to make the adjustment. Even Mike Trout continues to struggle with the pitch above the belt.
Allow a Hall of Fame Slugger explain the concept.

 

 

Neutralizing Launch Angle
Gone Fishing

Let’s be honest, a Dominating pitch that is breaking down and away from the barrel of the bat on 2 planes, which looks like a fastball until the last second, will be tough to hit regardless. Even if you are just playing Pepper. You know where I am going with this one…

When you see swings and misses at a Slider down and away, usually there are 2 examples.

 – The first is when a hitter stays on the pitch. He picked up on the spin, committed to swing, tracked the pitch and looked to hit it the other way. He did everything correct and the put a good swing on it. Yet, he still couldn’t get the bat on the ball.

Luis Severino, Filthy 86mph Slider & Cabrera’s look. 😂 pic.twitter.com/VjLJzRYEQn

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 4, 2018

 – The other example is a when a hitter swings Dead Red. In just a millisecond, realizes that he has another thing coming. The sudden doubt, regret, and shame are what keeps hitters up at night.  

Nasty slider from Sevy. #Yankees pic.twitter.com/C7RVxyJvXj

— Max Wildstein (@MaxWildstein) May 30, 2018

The Slider Tactic

The Slider is designed to tease the hitter into thinking that he is getting a fastball. This is even more so prevalent nowadays, because the launch angle understanding is enabling hitters to hit homeruns on lower pitches. More homers are being hit on pitches at the knees than ever before. With this newfound approach to hitting, it is important to keep the hitter honest. Again, staying out of his Nitro Zone. Therefore, when the hitter thinks he is getting a sure thing to drive out of the park, doesn’t always mean that he played his cards right.

Keeping this concept in mind, the ability to locate the Slider in counts like 2-0 or 3-1, to the Gorilla Launchers is vital. It further expands the zone as you can follow up with the high fastball. There is a reason why Up & In, Down & Away has been getting hitters out forever. The better you can stretch the plate, the more you have no reason to throw the ball down the middle.   

Well, Mr. Ted woke up and has to chime in…he is not known to be a quiet man.

 

Sliders made hitting a little tougher. I could hit the slider — no question about hitting it — but I couldn’t hit it in the air, and they got the big shift against me.

 

We don’t argue with Mr. Ted. Many have this learned the hard way.

Allow another Boston Hall of Famer explain to you how to simplify neutralizing Launch Angle.

 

Neutralizing Launch Angle
ATTACK

The whole Launch Angle Craze is getting a lot of hype now because everyone likes hitting dingers. Additionally, I understand the evolution of the hitting approach. The dark side of it is lower batting averages and more strikeouts….Many, Many more strikeouts for the taking.  

What does it mean for pitchers?  Less runners on base. Stay out of Nitro Zones, attack the hitters’ weaknesses and limit the walks. Yet, continue to remain aggressive. Teams can handle giving up solo home runs.

The MLB Strike Zone is far more fair to pitchers today than it was in the Mid-Late 1990s when home runs were flying like crazy. Along with thinned pitching from expansion and chemical enhancements, the strike zone was the size of a postage stamp. Even bad hitters will do damage with that advantage. Although, it just makes Greg Maddux’s performances from that era even more remarkable.

Don’t let the hype of the craze deter you as a pitcher. Hitters still roll over on the ball and hit routine grounders. They also will hit a 6 hopper towards the mound which the pitcher has to charge to make the play. Thus, giving the little sisters of hitters some bragging rights at home that they can hit the ball further. When you see a hole in the hitter’s approach, ATTACK & EXPLOIT! It is part of what makes pitching so much fun.

As the hitters keep making the game complex, pitchers neutralize launch angle by keeping it simple.

Keep Dominating!!!