Last week we covered how approach can affect a hitter striking out too much. Today I want to discuss another potential cause of a hitter striking out: mechanics. As stated in the previous article, approach is where we start. However, assuming a hitter is in a good place mentally with their approach, the next place we look are mechanics. When we talk about mechanics and striking out, it really comes down to 2 main things: sequencing and bat path. Let's break each one down, see how they impact swings and misses and how we can fix them.
Sequencing and Adjustability
One of the hardest aspects of hitting is adjustability. That is, the ability to be on time with fastballs as well as off speed and breaking pitches. If a hitter is struggling with adjustability, the first place to look is at their sequencing.
What is sequencing?
Sequencing simply refers to the order that segments of the body commit to the ball. In a swing with good sequencing, hitters begin their swing from the ground, firing the hips first, followed by the upper body, arms and lastly the hands. Check out this clip below of a swing with good sequencing (notice how the body rotates from the ground up).
 This gives the hitter both the ability to catch up to higher velocity (by allowing better energy transfer through the body) and by keeping the hands back longer, the ability to give the brain more information on the pitch type, speed and location before committing the hands and bat. When hitters struggle with sequencing, the hands fire before the rest of the body and will show up in being late on fastballs and early on off-speed pitches.
Bat Path
Anyone who has ever trained at the facility or read anything that I have ever written knows how much emphasis we put on having a good bat path, namely the bat needing to move up through the zone. Why? Every pitch in baseball moves down. The best hitters in the world are at that level due in large part to their ability to match the downward plane of the pitch with an upward bat path.
How bat path effects swings and misses
The main purpose, above all else in a swing is to make contact with the ball. After all. if we don't make contact we won't have much success at the plate. the aspect of the swing that gives us the greatest ability to make solid contact is having a good bat path that matches the plane of the ball. Simply put, the longer the bat stays on plane, the better chance of contact and thus, when talking about strikeouts, lowers the rate of strikeouts.
If a hitter works up or down too much through the zone, it lowers the potential impact zone. While a hitter can still make contact with a bad path, the chances are severely hampered.
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