Backspin vs Launch Angle
Over the years, the philosophy on hitting mechanics has drastically changed. We went from hearing our coaches talk about keeping our back elbow up, to squishing the bug, and finally (and more scientifically analyzed) launch angle. The baseball community listened as Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson went on MLB Network to discuss his philosophy of hitting. Since that day, many trainers have changed the way that they are educated our youth in terms of hitting. However, is forcing launch angle the best mindset to have when working on your mechanics?
Everyone loves hitting homeruns. The joy of jogging around the bases and the feeling of accomplishment as you touch home and get greeted by the teammates you had driven in. Not to mention the clique saying, “Chicks Dig the Long Ball”. But let me ask you a question. How many times have you hit a homerun when you are actually TRYING to hit one? I would predict that at best, one out of every fifteen to twenty at bats? I’m sure most of the time you find yourself either hitting a fly ball, rolling over on a ground ball, or swinging and missing. Why is that? Because when you try and hit homeruns, you lose important mechanical factors in your swing that lead to failure. Obviously there are guys like Josh Donaldson who are freak athletes that can hit the ball over the fence almost on command, but that’s the reason why they are so special and make the big bucks!
I am in no way saying that some of the players who read this article will not eventually reach the level of a Josh Donaldson type player, but for the majority of the players, this is unrealistic. For many of us hitters who try and hit for a higher launch angle, we tend to get top spin, leading to more ground balls, slicing line drives, and less carry. But wait! What if I told you there was a way to still hit homeruns AND hit for a high average?
Backspin. Backspin is the key to becoming a complete hitter. When we make solid contact with the middle of the ball and stay through it, it leads to the ball gathering backspin. These are the balls that we hit the hardest! Don’t believe me? Think in terms of a pitcher for a second. The hardest pitch that a pitcher can throw (most of the time) is a four-seam fastball. This is the pitch that generates the STRAIGHTEST backspin, allowing the “four” seams to cut through the air. Curveballs generally have front spin, which is why they are thrown much slower than fastballs.
So, if we are focusing on hitting the middle of the baseball, and getting the most backspin on the ball, not only will we be hitting the ball harder, but our line drives will also carry further! In one interview, Albert Pujols once corrected a reporter that called him a homerun hitter. He said, “I just try and hit line drives, and sometimes they happen to carry out of the ballpark”. Pujols is a guy that has hit 614 homeruns and counting to go with his 3 Most Valuable Player Awards.
Still don’t believe me? Listen to Mike Trout, arguably the best complete hitter in the MLB talk about his hitting philosophy. He talks about staying on top of the baseball and hitting line drives. How about Jose Altuve? Who is a perennial .300 hitter and constantly in discussion for MVP.
And so, I challenge all of you, see how many times out of 10 that you can hit a line drive that does not slice or cut. This will show how well you are at getting backspin. Record your swing from behind and send it in with your results. I’m sure this will be an eye opening experience for all of the young hitters who think that hitting homeruns is the only way to reach the next level.
