Most Awkward Batting Stances Of The 2000s
To the keen eye of the impassioned baseball fan, the differences between the stances of batters at the plate can be as clear as apples and oranges. Through subtle differences, such as the movement of the bat on the shoulder or the positioning of the rear elbow, to major differences, such as the distance between feet or the stiffness of the back, each ballplayer brings something a little different to the game. Some ballplayers with the prettiest traditional stances you've ever seen have turned out to be awful hitters, while some have adopted the most clumsy, bumbling stances in the game and managed to bat .310 throughout their careers.
We take a look at some of the most awkward batting stances in baseball.
5.) Ichiro Suzuki, Career Batting Average: .317
Similar to how many professional European basketball players stand at the free throw line, Ichiro steps into the box and stands at the plate with both knees pointed slightly inward. Ichiro, who would by no means be widely considered a power hitter, keeps himself constricted, closing his front shoulder and hip. This allows him to attack the inner half of the ball, sending it up the middle or to the opposite field.
4.) Jeff Bagwell, Career Batting Average: .297
Bagwell's stance at the plate was pretty special. First, the former first baseman would spread his legs unprecedentedly far apart — as far apart as 3 or 4 feet. Once the considerable distance was achieved, he would then squat down incredibly low. For Bagwell, that was his method of having a solid control over his center of gravity. Similar to how many automotive engineers are positioning engines lower under the hood to prevent unwanted momentum, Bagwell went another step farther, and actually moved his front foot back upon his swing.
3.) Hunter Pence, Career Batting Average: .284
Pence brings more uniqueness and nontraditional kinetics to baseball than just his stance. The way he runs could hardly be achieved by most horror movie monsters. His approaches on fly ball routes in the outfield means he gets more cardio in a week than most marathoners. At the plate, Pence, who is tall and lanky, has a stance arguably wider than Bagwell's was. Crouching slightly, Pence then takes a giant step — up to a foot and a half — toward the pitch, and unleashes a swing that must register on most Richter scales, with the bat way out in front of his body. An extra feature is the look on his face, either an unparalleled focus on or a pure hatred of the ball.
2.) Kevin Youkilis, Career Batting Average: .291
In the majors, Youkilis chose a stance with his feet close together and held the bat with his hands awkwardly separated on the barrel, which pointed almost directly at the pitcher. Additionally strange to look at was the idle spot of the bat, directly over his head and near parallel to the ground.
1.) Tony Batista, Career Batting Average: .251
Batista's extremely open stance takes the cake. Taking up nearly every inch of the batter's box, Batista's rear foot would plant near the back of the box, while his front foot would take a gargantuan step forward and to the outside of the box, so that his body was almost facing directly at the pitcher, much like a medieval swordsman. With his back facing the catcher and umpire, Batista found a way to make it work, hitting 221 homers through his 11-year career.