Should physical strength be measured

[daywalkerdad]

Yes, we measure bat speed at tryouts. Fun fact, we have found no correlation between overall bat speed and batting average.

Bat speed is a piece of the puzzle but on its own, it doesn't mean a whole lot

Do you use ba as the best metric for a hitter? What about Ops?
I would not expect bat speed to increase average but extra base hits.

 

[JayW]

Do you use ba as the best metric for a hitter? What about Ops?
I would not expect bat speed to increase average but extra base hits.

A harder hit ground ball or line drive is more likely to be a base hit. Less reaction time for the fielder. Common sense.

 

[daywalkerdad]

A harder hit ground ball or line drive is more likely to be a base hit. Less reaction time for the fielder. Common sense.

Post was about not just looking at batting average but ops, or other stats that correlate better with run production.
Line drives are best, but grounders are least do to lack of extra base hits.

Ground Balls: A Hitter’s Best Friend?

It is often said that to succeed, you want to hit the ball on the ground and put pressure on the defense. But does that maxim hold up to scrutiny?

tht.fangraphs.com

 

[CoachJD]

So when speed reading the studies I have concluded that it is a good idea to swing a heavy bat (camwood) both right and left handed.

I've seen the exact opposite, though we might be talking about different things. What I've seen is that swinging a heavier bat (or using a donut) slows down bat speed.

But there might be a difference between swinging a heavy bat a few times in the on deck circle and training with a heavier bat to build strength.

It's also possible that the weight distribution difference between a heavy bat and a bat with a donut could matter.