Anyway, I’m getting sidetracked. 34 of the best batting stances in baseball history The latest sports news, video, analysis, scores and bettor info. It doesn’t matter how you actually stand at the plate — as long as you flap your back arm a couple of times like a crazy person, people will know you’re imitating Joe Morgan. Even now, looking at pictures of Bagwell’s stance and watching video, I’m wincing with phantom pain in the theoretical groin muscle I hypothetically pulled while imagining my potential attempt at imitating his squat/splits stance. Daten über Ihr Gerät und Ihre Internetverbindung, darunter Ihre IP-Adresse, Such- und Browsingaktivität bei Ihrer Nutzung der Websites und Apps von Verizon Media. The Stance Signature: Let me put it this way: If I was to attempt to do the splits right now, I would not be able to get my butt as close to the ground as Jeff Bagwell did on nearly every single plate appearance during his Hall of Fame career. And it wasn’t just what he did with the bat — we’ll get there in a moment — that was unique. Relaxed. 1 decade ago. Wir und unsere Partner nutzen Cookies und ähnliche Technik, um Daten auf Ihrem Gerät zu speichern und/oder darauf zuzugreifen, für folgende Zwecke: um personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte zu zeigen, zur Messung von Anzeigen und Inhalten, um mehr über die Zielgruppe zu erfahren sowie für die Entwicklung von Produkten. He was daring the pitcher — practically begging the guy on the mound — to throw anything anywhere near the plate so he could mash it into outer space. Just, wow. Tune in at 7pm ET for a look at baseball’s most memorable stances! 1 and I wouldn’t argue. Damit Verizon Media und unsere Partner Ihre personenbezogenen Daten verarbeiten können, wählen Sie bitte 'Ich stimme zu.' Don't love all their picks - a little too diplomatic in making sure players from multiple generations are represented IMO. At some point, it went through the “popular political reporters QT’d their answers” phase that lets you know it really has struck a chord. You can’t help but sing that as you’re windmilling at the plate, even if it’s just playing Wiffle Ball. dannylarrie. The speed and the power were jaw-dropping. He’d slowly raise the bat head as the pitcher went into the windup, and by the time the ball was headed toward the plate, the stance actually looked pretty standard. You just never knew, and that was part of the fun. That was his and his alone. There were more than a dozen players mentioned in those types of statements, including some who didn’t even make this final list because (spoiler!) He stood straight up, basically, but held the knob of his bat a little above his waist, with the barrel of the bat pointing back at the umpire’s shoulder, maybe 20 degrees above horizontal. Some homers were “pool balls” — those hit high enough to clear that tree and splash down in my buddy Eric’s above-ground pool, and we’d all volunteer to jump in to get those during sweltering Missouri summer afternoons — and some were “two-fencers,” though those were exceedingly rare for a neighborhood with more Willie McGees than Mark McGwires. Für nähere Informationen zur Nutzung Ihrer Daten lesen Sie bitte unsere Datenschutzerklärung und Cookie-Richtlinie. MLB Network counts down their Top 30 all-time batting stances. At one point a couple of hours after the tweet, Gary Sheffield was the No. What's Your Best Restaurant-Inspired Recipe For Dining In? Few, if any, players have ever looked so relaxed at the plate. Now, a warning: The Plantier squat is not recommended for out-of-prime-shape adults trying to recreate the backyard stances of their youth, at least without a vigorous stretching session. Certain batting stances entice us -- with either efficacy or eccentricity -- to the point of emulation (though nobody emulates quite so well as the one and only Gar Ryness, aka “Batting Stance Guy”). And if there’s any doubt you’re trying to imitate Morgan, it helps to hit 20-plus homers, steal 50-plus bases, have an OBP north of .400, win a couple of MVP awards and get elected to the Hall of Fame. The beauty of imitating Tettleton in backyards across the country was this: He was a switch-hitter, and he had the same basic stance both ways, so it didn’t matter which way you naturally hit as a kid — you could copy Mickey (but not your father’s Mickey, Mantle). The Stance Signature: Everything Ichiro did was so very cool, from the time he first hit the big leagues until his last AB in the majors. 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That reality didn’t stop a kid from believing, from posing after a swing, whether or not the ball went over the fence. Opening Up In Your Batting Stance. This is where all good hitters want to be at contact, so if you can start here it makes your stride and swing less complicated. So I tried to keep up the best I could, taking notes, both mental and physical, along the way. This man absolutely smashed batting conventions and rules with his off-the-wall stance in the batter's box. The Stance Signature: It’s all about the arm flap for Morgan. 34 of the best batting stances in baseball history The latest sports news, video, analysis, scores and bettor info. This stance, I feel it’s safe to say, was not the favorite of Little League coaches and hitting instructors around Houston from, oh, 1991 to 2005. His right arm stopped at a 90-degree angle, with the bat straight up skyward from his hand, and he kept it there for a few seconds that felt like forever. The best photos from Week 8 of the college football season . Covering the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, college football and basketball, soccer and more. It worked, though; he retired with 150 career homers and a .382 career on-base percentage. Well, let’s just say our plate discipline wasn’t great on those pitches, because how can you take that aggressive, anticipatory approach at the plate and then let anything sail by you? The Stance Signature: Unlike most of the players on this list, the art of imitating Griffey was in the finish, not the beginning. Now take your front foot and place it five-to-seven inches toward the pitcher. Dies geschieht in Ihren Datenschutzeinstellungen. He was generous enough to add his considerable skills to the project with a couple of videos that have kept me laughing even upon multiple rewatches. Know a Dallas area high school athlete who's made an impact in your community? And a HUGE thank-you to someone who knows this subject matter better than anyone, Batting Stance Guy. There were no superfluous movements, no unnecessary adjustments to make. If you think I’m crazy for omitting the guy you copied the most, I apologize. Franco’s stance has to be the most iconic pre-swing stationary pose in baseball history, right? He didn’t so much waggle the bat as he appeared to let it drop a bit, then lifted it back up sporadically. This tweet has generated 9.2 million impressions (so far), and the more than 25,000 responses — via reply or quote tweet — meant that my mentions were impossible to keep up with for nearly two solid days. That part was replicable. Basically, what I’m saying is I have no idea how Sheffield walked 304 times more than he struck out in his career, because I didn’t see any patience in that approach (even though it clearly was there). I’ve kept a baseball bat at my desk for the two decades I’ve been a sportswriter; like Lt. Kaffee in “A Few Good Men,” I think better with my bat. Also, who has the purest and most power, average stance? Can you also tell me why they're good? Related Videos. ". Batista, a… Every inch matters when hitting a baseball. You know that. MLB Network. Point is, this ranking is, at its essence, arbitrary. That would really leave no doubt. Pick up a bat, and you’re hit with the overwhelming desire to pretend that you’re once again standing in your childhood backyard, pretending to stand at the plate and swing away like your favorite player of adolescence. Moises Alou's stance was most notable for the disparity between his feet, which were spread well beyond shoulder width with his toes pointed … Franco was a wonder, for many more reasons than just his batting stance. The Stance Signature: The Tettleton mystique was all about the bat position. They’re basically magical memory sticks. The Stance Signature: Youkilis is the only one who could give Batista a run for the “weird stances” title. When you were a kid, what player's batting stance was your favorite to imitate? A Proper batting stance has three phases. My backyard had a giant dirt patch for home plate and smaller ones for each of the bases and the pitching mound. The Stance Signature: You could insist that Franco should be No. It sure was intense as hell, though. I believe that it affects the player, I like Matt Hollidays and Brad Wilkersons to use for base-hits. Experts Weigh In, 80% of Americans Are Deficient in This Mineral That Controls Sugar Cravings, A Highly Opinionated Guide to the Best Plant-Based Dairy Products, Cadillac eVTOL air taxi revealed, CES 2021 and more: Roadshow's week in review, B.C. 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The Stance Signature: If we were ranking “weird” stances, this would probably be No. If you'd like to check out the countdown you can watch it here. The Stance Signature: Carew’s stance might not have been most “fun” to imitate, but if you were an aspiring batsman prepping for Little League success, Carew was perfect. When you first step into the box you want to be relaxed. He’d dig into the back of the box — nobody noticed the position of his feet, I promise — and raise the bat over his head, the barrel pointing out toward the outfield. Sie können Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ändern. I was just watching MLB Network's Top 30 Batting Stances Countdown and it got me thinking. He was basically the Happy Gilmore of the baseball diamond. Maybe I should number these Big Three something like 1a, 1b and 1c. My own baseball career ended after a tryout for a Division II school — I made the team, but I wasn’t a fan of the coach (a buddy played for him the previous season) and I was realistic about my pro chances (zero), so I considered that ending on a high note. There were definitely days when I hit a ball into the pine trees in my buddy Garrett’s backyard — those coniferous landmarks were basically deep right-center — and, yeah, I stood there with my cap on backwards and smiled like I’d cleared the Kingdome fence. Nominate them for the I AM SPORT Award! This year it was dominated by our bleak present, About Last Night: The Canadiens are starting to play like the team they want to be through two games, Camila Alves McConaughey Shows Off New Adopted Family Dog: ‘What Was I Thinking!’, Dog Won't Stop Getting Stuck In Mom's Sweaters, This Face Mask Mistake is Worse Than No Mask at All. In MLB, who was the best batting stance? MORE: "My mother forgot my birthday": Baseball cards reveal personal bonds with players. I had a media credential for the game, but when I saw the day’s giveaway, I went outside, bought a $3 general admission ticket and went through the turnstiles to claim my prize. I’ve always known I’m not alone, but that truth was reinforced last week. The best batting stance starts with setting your feet. And, no matter what we might have thought in the deepest reaches of Ego Land, our swings didn’t look anything like Darryl’s. Covering the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, college football and basketball, soccer and more. … If only he had stayed healthy, he could have set records that never would be broken. Each of us has our own unique stance, based on our size, height, strength and other physical factors. Your stance should be comfortable for you to do. Start by aligning your feet with your shoulders, as if there is a straight line running between them. there are many right answers to a question asking about individual favorites. Personally, Carew was a bit before my time, but Jose Oquendo had a similar left-handed approach, leaning back with the bat on plane, and my Oquendo imitation made me one hell of a switch-hitter at McNair Park. Beginners should start with this one. Then, he’d raise both hands high above his head and point the business end of the bat back at the pitcher, almost in a taunting fashion. Covering the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, college football and basketball, soccer and more. He is quick to the ball without alot of extra movement. Even when he hit a home run off your favorite team, you couldn’t really be mad because that swing — the leg kick, the lightning-quick bat speed through the zone and that postcard-perfect follow through — was a thing of beauty deserving of marvel, not hate. 2. I wanted to make this list 50 players long, then settled on 10 and couldn’t cut five guys so it’s 15. Once you enter the batter's box, the first thing you'll want to do is get your feet … And I’m deeply sorry for leaving off these players (not listed in any particular order, btw): Will Clark, Willie McGee, Don Mattingly, Tim Tuefel, Derek Jeter, Jerome Walton, Barry Bonds, Rickey Henderson, Cal Ripken, Nomar Garciaparra, Frank Thomas, Carl Yastrzemski, George Brett, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Pete Rose, Reggie Jackson, Jim Leyritz, Chipper Jones, Dale Murphy, Keith Hernandez, Bo Jackson, Wade Boggs and Jose Canseco. Dazu gehört der Widerspruch gegen die Verarbeitung Ihrer Daten durch Partner für deren berechtigte Interessen. Some MLB hitters adopt an extremely crouched approach to … Just try not to smile while doing the windmills and pumps before coming set after one final smooth, quick windmill as the pitcher goes into the windup. Massive, copious amounts of power. I sent this tweet and was blown away by the response. He’d wave/waggle/swat it around like the world’s most energetic metronome. MORE: Ranking the 13 best baseball card sets of the Junk Wax era. Craig Counsell, Tony Batista and Ken Griffey Jr. land in the top three spots on MLB Network's All-Time Batting Stances countdown. What’s your favorite batting stance of all time? And when the swagger and stance were repeated by those of us in backyards everywhere? It’s not that he was the only one who did this — it was actually a very similar bat position to Rod Carew — but he was a power hitter, not a slap hitter like the others. Favorite current and past batting stances countdown best batting stance mlb it got me thinking I tried to keep the. Point a couple of hours after the tweet, Gary Sheffield was bane! Own unique stance, based on our size, height, then raised them high as the pitcher may the... Stance Signature: you could insist that franco should be neither too nor. 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