Reading a Hitter's Stance

Here is a quick guide to facing hitters you have never seen before:

When you're facing a hitter with:

High Hands - They tend to be very good low ball hitters. When you're ahead 0-2/1-2, challenge these guys with good fastballs at the top or above the zone. If you're going to go with off speed in these counts, it needs to start in a place where this hitter perceives it to be a strike and then bottom out of the zone.

Example: Ken Griffey Jr.

Low Hands - These guys crush balls up in the zone. Keep the ball down, and you should have a good chance.

Example: Jeff Bagwell

Stand on top of the plate - They tend to stand there because they struggle with pitches away. Locate your fastball and/or breaking ball down and away.

Stand off the plate - These guys tend to have trouble with the inside pitch. Challenge these hitters in.

Sidenote: These are typically good the first AB a guy has off you. Once you beat a hitter who stands off the plate in, he's not going to be surprised again in his next at bat.