Can an Average Guy Hit a 95 MPH Fastball? | Above Average Joe | GQ Sports

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  • čas přidán 5. 05. 2024
  • Clay Skipper is a fan of baseball, but gave it up at age 7 when the game changed from underhanded coach pitches to machine pitches. So this episode of Above Average Joe certainly presents a challenge for him. Can he hit a a 95 mile per hour fastball? With the help of professional baseball players David Peralta, Kole Calhoun, Luis Gonzalez, Willy Adames and more, Clay trains up to meet this challenge.
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Komentáře • 2,5K

  • @iRaphahell
    @iRaphahell Před 2 lety +3049

    Now imagine a 105 mph followed by a 80 mph changeup, baseball is actually way harder than it looks

    • @jarryd8167
      @jarryd8167 Před 2 lety +169

      Only a few humans have ever actually accomplished throwing 105 that's so rare

    • @g.schmitz2367
      @g.schmitz2367 Před 2 lety +137

      @@jarryd8167 yeah but 100 isnt

    • @bryancline8893
      @bryancline8893 Před 2 lety +49

      When I played baseball my obp was almost 1000, but my batting average was probably just better than .010. I played little league and am a lefty. I got hit more than I hit the ball. I was legit bad but I even got intentionally walked a few times.

    • @Kiposlol
      @Kiposlol Před 2 lety +22

      @@g.schmitz2367 well its still uncommon 95+ is usually considered fast in the big leagues

    • @rockymountaintrout2689
      @rockymountaintrout2689 Před 2 lety +60

      If they threw a 105 mph fastball there change up wouldn't be 80 mph

  • @EEZYEEEE
    @EEZYEEEE Před 3 lety +2501

    Now imagine being a 3rd baseman and trying to catch a line drive coming at you 110mph

    • @rienn8559
      @rienn8559 Před 3 lety +67

      just try to avoid the ball if you can... oh my god I can't imagine

    • @kylerucinski9171
      @kylerucinski9171 Před 3 lety +276

      @@rienn8559 you have to catch it

    • @kylerucinski9171
      @kylerucinski9171 Před 3 lety +10

      Ik scary thought

    • @MadebyKourmoulis
      @MadebyKourmoulis Před 3 lety +154

      Some of the hardest hits I've seen went down 3rd. The usual reply to those are -i have no idea how I caught that I was just trying not to die.

    • @dudenotcool42
      @dudenotcool42 Před 3 lety +120

      Years of baseball prepare them for it. Its just muscle memory and reaction at that point

  • @marissa6425
    @marissa6425 Před 2 lety +345

    This video perfectly demonstrates one of the best parts of baseball/softball: the coaching. This captures why most players fall in love with the game, not just the love of playing but the love of every aspect: statistics, mechanics, strategy, coaching, etc. It is just so much fun to get lost in. Hats off to GQ and NY Empire.

    • @Landman1369
      @Landman1369 Před rokem +2

      You are absolutely right Marissa! Right as rain. LOVE OF THE GAME. 🇺🇸

  • @MTSGaming
    @MTSGaming Před 2 lety +77

    Why didn’t anyone address his footwork? Lol he’s doing an entire dance routine before each swing

    • @arthurkalb1817
      @arthurkalb1817 Před 2 lety +4

      Oh yeah.

    • @TexanUSMC8089
      @TexanUSMC8089 Před 2 lety +2

      It's real bad.

    • @scottmunson2917
      @scottmunson2917 Před 2 lety

      That was the thing that leaped (you'll excuse the pun) out at me too. Such "happy feet". You have to be calm and composed up there to have any chance. I've never seen a professional player at any level do that kind of hardball mambo.

    • @scottmunson2917
      @scottmunson2917 Před 2 lety

      This isn't to put him down at all. I was impressed by how well he did. It just seems such an obvious coaching point.

    • @Mellowyellow8888
      @Mellowyellow8888 Před 2 lety

      i'm assuming theres some hand eye coordination issues also.. those don't get fixed overnight..

  • @flaminninja3368
    @flaminninja3368 Před 3 lety +2624

    This is a lot more educational than I thought it would be

    • @cquick3277
      @cquick3277 Před 3 lety +47

      Jesus Saves Love God✝️

    • @ignoranceisbliss27
      @ignoranceisbliss27 Před 3 lety +21

      Take it with a few grains of salt, though... Right brain, left brain has been debunked for anything beyond right controls left and vice versa, not that nonsense about thinking in one side of the brain or the other 🙄 like, Jesus Christ, indeed, but for allll the wrong reasons

    • @paulnorton8483
      @paulnorton8483 Před 3 lety +1

      Same

    • @matts9728
      @matts9728 Před 3 lety +4

      Agreed, half way through I was like, "this is pretty good for GQ Sports"

    • @krispybakon6246
      @krispybakon6246 Před 3 lety +1

      @@ignoranceisbliss27 what

  • @mcclurehopkins6149
    @mcclurehopkins6149 Před 3 lety +3227

    This just shows baseball is harder than some people think. In school if you get 3 out of 10 on a test you failed but in baseball 3 out of 10 is a 300 batting average and your in the Hall of Fame.
    (Thanks for all the likes)

    • @l.u.a4501
      @l.u.a4501 Před 3 lety +93

      Preach brother preach

    • @Jake0666
      @Jake0666 Před 3 lety +142

      Ur not in the hall of fame with just a 300 batting average loo

    • @kotathechicken154
      @kotathechicken154 Před 3 lety +78

      @@Jake0666 it’s not just about how often you get a hit because you can get lucky and hit the ball weakly and get a hit here and there. The best of the best are able to not only hit the ball consistently but hard as well.

    • @utl_sports4784
      @utl_sports4784 Před 3 lety +28

      big facts. although not only is it waaaaay harder than most think its probably the hardest part of any sport to do

    • @dl2k671
      @dl2k671 Před 3 lety +121

      @@Jake0666 if you play for 15 years and average a 300 average your up there

  • @BrianSniatkowski
    @BrianSniatkowski Před 3 lety +33

    I played baseball basically since I could walk. Played baseball through high school and was a decent hitter. I rarely struck out. Against average pitchers, I raked. Against good pitchers I made contact, but my hits were usually "Texas leaguers" and opposite field. My final HS season I had a .363 average. Not bad, but nowhere near greatness.
    In my 20's I switched to slow pitch softball and became pretty darn good at it. Fast forward to my early 30's and I was in the cages hitting softballs and decided to try the 90 mph baseball machine. 10 pitches and 10 swings and misses, where the ball was basically past me before I was through with my swing. I moved to the 70 mph machine and was raking the ball. Back to the 90 mph machine with new found confidence it was 9 swings and misses and one foul ball. I was overmatched. It ain't easy even with years of experience.

    • @JamieSlateMusic
      @JamieSlateMusic Před rokem +4

      Hey Brian. I remember when my baseball dream ended. HS. Road game. First pitch, when I finished my slide step, the mitt popped. Never saw the ball. Quick strike out. Next time up, just started swinging on the release. Had the timing down but never saw the ball. In total, this was years ago and I still remember. We had one infield pop up, two infield dribblers, the rest strike outs. And our team had some good hitters, too. We had set a state record at the time, most runs in an inning, most batters in an inning, most runs in a game. Same season. But that day? We were no hit, and only three outs were NOT strike outs. I remember the coach saying, when asked how fast the kid was throwing "some where in the 90's" and I remember thinking, I ain't going to make it to college ball. lol.
      Thanks for sharing mate. Have a good summer.

    • @pyrocrabb12
      @pyrocrabb12 Před rokem +2

      Same thing happened to me except i stopped playing at age 15, I had a batting cage in my back yard. During little league tryouts for the all star team the coach decided to pitch as fast as he could at the short distance to end the day. One by one the kids swung and missed every pitch, I got up there and had to start my swing before the ball left his hand, and I hit every pitch he threw. The whole park stopped to watch me. Unfortunately I was not aloud to play on Sundays so I didn't make the team. The next couple of years I hit well but quit as I got older.
      At age 18, I was travelling to a bowling tournament when we stopped off at an amusement park. My buddy on my team played fast pitch and wanted to try the baseball pitching machine, I laughed inside thinking "really? a bowling softball player trying a 90 mile an hour pitch?" He had been to the worlds in bowling and was too young to be a professional. Anyways, he steps up to the plate and rips it up! Hit after hit, he was making some solid connection. My turn comes up and I stroll up to the plate as confidant as a Barry Bonds on all the steroids... I take my first swing, and miss. Second swing, miss. First basket of balls, nothing. I pay for another round and still miss every single pitch. I walk off feeling dejected because I got beat by a bowler and one of the parents there asked if I had played baseball before, I looked at him and said "I thought I had" and walked away. I thought hitting was like riding a bike, apparently not haha.

  • @zacharyduncan6118
    @zacharyduncan6118 Před 2 lety +35

    He regressed at the very end to exactly how he was swinging before all the coaching lol

    • @kentuckyfriedchildren5385
      @kentuckyfriedchildren5385 Před 2 lety +6

      hard to break bad habits in a short amount of time even with coaching

    • @MrCveedub
      @MrCveedub Před 2 lety +6

      He certainly did, went right back to being a "gate". Focused more on trying to hit the ball and not on the swing.

  • @studlypear05
    @studlypear05 Před 3 lety +1559

    When I was a kid, we didn't have the luxury of muscle activation training......dad put you in the batting cage and you just swing hundreds of times until you learned how to hit the ball. This video makes me feel like I learned sports in the stone age.

    • @nickthequick2011
      @nickthequick2011 Před 2 lety +75

      yeah the only instruction i recieved was to not drop my shoulder

    • @KtangMC
      @KtangMC Před 2 lety +167

      “Just keep your eye on the ball!”

    • @sneakymilkman4203
      @sneakymilkman4203 Před 2 lety +2

      Still how I do it lol

    • @ezracox1601
      @ezracox1601 Před 2 lety +32

      thats how most peaple learn the place he was using was a state of the art facility

    • @StrideX21
      @StrideX21 Před 2 lety +32

      That's why families that make more money tend to have kids that van be a little better at sports. I didn't have the luxury of having parents to take me to muscle activation training and pitching camps that costed 1000s of dollars. I'm right there with ya. I long tossed and kept my eye on the ball lmao

  • @jakeboyington
    @jakeboyington Před 3 lety +1171

    am i the only one who got an old spice ad with clay in it during the video???

    • @davidlara6721
      @davidlara6721 Před 3 lety +32

      Bro same

    • @heatherpotts8281
      @heatherpotts8281 Před 3 lety +33

      Same I was so confused

    • @Josh-go1yf
      @Josh-go1yf Před 3 lety +8

      Same

    • @w.filmer2348
      @w.filmer2348 Před 3 lety +6

      Lmao yes I’m still confused hahaha

    • @sappy_boi
      @sappy_boi Před 3 lety +27

      This video must've been old spice sponsored. The duffle bag had the old spice logo, and he was using old spice deoderant.

  • @BlinkyB23
    @BlinkyB23 Před 2 lety +43

    I'm a woman who's never played baseball in her life. I'm physically active but don't play a sport. These videos are so fascinating to me! I love the determination of the athletes, their discipline...And also seeing what a difference a great coach makes. Makes me want to pick something up where you get instruction - it seems like such a great way to learn so many diff lessons.

  • @brianricketts4320
    @brianricketts4320 Před 3 lety

    Nice job. That was great. Appreciate adding all of the information about the mechanics of hitting. Very interesting.

  • @TT-pr9bx
    @TT-pr9bx Před 3 lety +841

    The batting coach has a phenomenal mentality. His words are applicable to more than just baseball.

    • @Bones12x2
      @Bones12x2 Před 3 lety +52

      He's also insanely good at providing direct real time feedback that can be immediately applied and understood.

    • @notasian7620
      @notasian7620 Před 3 lety +12

      Just imagine how much he charges per hour training though 😂

    • @madmadelo183
      @madmadelo183 Před 3 lety +9

      Watch, Jake Paul will hire this guy to train him to hit and then call out all of the worst hitters in the MLB...👏🤣

    • @rolandfischer931
      @rolandfischer931 Před 2 lety +17

      "focus on output, not outcome" is a huge life lesson for anyone who wants to really, actually accomplsh their dreams.

    • @leafsfan1122
      @leafsfan1122 Před 2 lety +11

      It resonated with me as a poker player. The result of the hand isn't what you should be proud or upset about, but rather the thought process, the application of sound fundamentals, and the knowledge that you're making the right plays that will produce net gains in the long run.

  • @SynysterGoose
    @SynysterGoose Před 3 lety +832

    That swing screams "I play golf" lol

    • @NomaDL2224
      @NomaDL2224 Před 3 lety +13

      I was thinking the same thing!! Lol 😂

    • @bridgelaurie9490
      @bridgelaurie9490 Před 3 lety +60

      Dude his feet and finish swing were so bad in the beginning every time he was off balance after swinging and his feet dancing all over I died a little.

    • @pathurd9595
      @pathurd9595 Před 3 lety +3

      @@bridgelaurie9490 I don’t play football and watching his little leg motion before the swing made me want to die

    • @mikeneuburger3989
      @mikeneuburger3989 Před 3 lety +1

      Everything except for that left foot 😬

    • @mikeneuburger3989
      @mikeneuburger3989 Před 3 lety

      @@pathurd9595 same

  • @602davido
    @602davido Před 2 lety +10

    Great to see Luis Gonzalez; will always be remembered here in Phoenix. I think more than other sports, baseball requires years of practice to acquire the necessary skills to play the game.

  • @gavinxdesign
    @gavinxdesign Před 2 lety +30

    You give a guy 25 pitches at 95 mph he’ll probably eventually catch up to it but to throw 95 then switch it up with a curve, change and slider there is no way an average person squares up a pitch. Good vid though

  • @editsbybrycet186
    @editsbybrycet186 Před 3 lety +633

    “I’m using a machine so I’ll get all strikes.”
    Bruh that thing was throwing MLB sliders🤣

    • @troubledsole9104
      @troubledsole9104 Před 3 lety +63

      I never had a machine throw all strikes.

    • @JCO
      @JCO Před 2 lety +2

      MLB pitchers can't hit the zone with sliders alla sudden?

    • @cliffsheets73
      @cliffsheets73 Před 2 lety +2

      Does it all depend on where the threads are postitioned when the machine wheels makes contact?

    • @mdhj67
      @mdhj67 Před rokem +10

      Yep. Those spinning wheels don't do it on purpose but they can grab the laces in any number of ways. The affect on the ball is nothing like a good pitcher but it will still cause the spin on the ball to vary.

    • @berzerkbankie1342
      @berzerkbankie1342 Před rokem

      Mmmm sliders

  • @dronz3r51
    @dronz3r51 Před 3 lety +1864

    I love how he gave up at age 7. He didn't even make it to kids pitching to him yet.
    Edit: Thank you so much for the likes

    • @tomvolz3760
      @tomvolz3760 Před 3 lety +62

      I was terrified of facing other kids pitching, because I was kind of scared of getting hit. Still stuck it out, though.

    • @roccos9777
      @roccos9777 Před 3 lety +8

      he said the machine pitched after coach pitch. when i was 7 we still had coach pitch for one last year

    • @sneakymilkman4203
      @sneakymilkman4203 Před 3 lety +8

      I should’ve never dropped baseball. I’m in 9th grade and haven’t played for real in 3 years and now I don’t know what to do

    • @Laynemoyes
      @Laynemoyes Před 3 lety +22

      @@sneakymilkman4203 bro you gotta go out now because if you dont as a freshman its 10x harder to as a sophomore through senior because you arent in the program

    • @sneakymilkman4203
      @sneakymilkman4203 Před 3 lety

      @@Laynemoyes I know and that’s why I’m screwed. I’m really good at track so I might just stick with it

  • @timothywilliams5812
    @timothywilliams5812 Před rokem +5

    I don't comment on youtube videos ever but I'll comment on this one, and I must say this is the best intentional coaching at it's best. Keep doing what you guys are doing. This is DOPE!!! You guys are awesome and deserve whatever you get out of the success you achieve. I'm glad I watched this video, you guys make me proud! Love yall!

  • @soapbox187
    @soapbox187 Před 2 lety +9

    Great video.
    Definitely concrete testament to the difficulty of baseball.
    The time you make the decision to swing the ball is already above the plate also known as too late. What we fail to notice is that the swing begins even before we process the pitch. This is honed by experience of course but can be taught to a certain extent.
    Next time you see a phantom cam swing of a major leaguer pay attention to his eyes. His eyes are focused around 20 ft in front of the plate as his bat makes contact with the ball which tells us he is effectively swinging blind but it is the experience and the blazed neural pathways that allow the minds eye to see the ball 🙂
    Interesting stuff

  • @BuddyBrownMusic
    @BuddyBrownMusic Před 3 lety +1901

    Happy Gilmore accomplished that feat not less than an hour ago 🤣🤣🤣

  • @mikiex
    @mikiex Před 3 lety +121

    "Clay Skipper" is a baseball players name if ever I heard one.

  • @patdry
    @patdry Před 2 lety

    This video is fantastic. Thank you to every single person involved in bringing this to us, and fo’ free!! Top quality.

  • @intensityintencities9283
    @intensityintencities9283 Před 2 lety +1

    Nice job Clay! Very cool video. I played ball in college and I always hated hitting off the machine, it was harder than an actual pitcher for me.

  • @wyffd
    @wyffd Před 3 lety +296

    Love how they decided not to change his swing and just let his natural movement run

    • @jamessinodinos145
      @jamessinodinos145 Před 3 lety +7

      this is exactly it!!!

    • @natef3986
      @natef3986 Před 3 lety +75

      considering he barely had any time, its probably better to keep his swing something that he's used to doing so he doesn't overcomplicate himself with mechanics

    • @kattelubega5840
      @kattelubega5840 Před 3 lety +4

      Great coaching

    • @slicedbread5692
      @slicedbread5692 Před 3 lety +10

      Probably one of the reasons he never hit the faster pitches.. His feet were dancing too much.. His eye level was moving up and down sporadically.. It was absolutely horrible at the beginning and after the great coaching he was just pretty crappy.. Sooo he improved but it was still garbage.

    • @MacLaw3084
      @MacLaw3084 Před 3 lety +10

      @@natef3986 he hadnt played since 7 years old so he wasnt “used” to any swing. i wish they would’ve tried to correct his dancing feet.

  • @NickPoeschek
    @NickPoeschek Před 3 lety +233

    I remember as a teenager being an OK hitter playing within my city leagues, and then going to a bigger tournament where we faced really good pitchers for the first time. First game, I stood in feeling confident ready to crush the ball but just heard the ball sizzle past before I knew what happened. Hitting good pitching is extremely difficult, kudos to this guy for giving it a shot!

    • @MrManfly
      @MrManfly Před 2 lety +7

      When I was younger, stronger and faster, I still couldn’t hit a 95 mile per hour fastball, thrown by the machine, when I was at the batting cages! It was already past me before I could even react!! 🙄🤷🏻‍♂️

    • @PizzzaBoy
      @PizzzaBoy Před rokem +1

      When I was 15 I played in a league where age ranged 15-18 year olds and I backed out of a curve ball. Never saw pitching like that lol

  • @davidweaver2156
    @davidweaver2156 Před 2 lety +1

    Never thought that this video would be that informative. Great job

  • @CatsMeowington
    @CatsMeowington Před rokem

    The next MLB game I watch will be a little bit more entertaining than the one I watched yesterday. Very informative. Thank you and thank You Tube for this service.

  • @darren795
    @darren795 Před 3 lety +294

    Willy Adames : when you hit it in the sweet spot you don’t feel it.
    Also Willy Adames : When you strike out looking and lose a World Series you feel it 🤣

  • @sunghwan6031
    @sunghwan6031 Před 3 lety +340

    I laugh at this guy but I also know I would probably accidentally throw the bat at the pitching machine

    • @cquick3277
      @cquick3277 Před 3 lety +8

      Jesus Saves Love God✝️

    • @willlynch1271
      @willlynch1271 Před 3 lety +18

      @@bsblleon01 bro cmon now you know you can’t hit a 95 mph fastball...

    • @Base950Y
      @Base950Y Před 3 lety +1

      @@willlynch1271 hitting a 95 mph is not that hard after putting in the practice

    • @willlynch1271
      @willlynch1271 Před 3 lety +6

      @@Base950Y idk man pro players do it everyday of there lives yet they still can’t hit them every time

    • @Aquvok
      @Aquvok Před 3 lety +3

      @@willlynch1271 yeah, cuz they’re moving, at different speeds, at different locations, and different timings. A machine is throwing a fastball every time and it’s almost 100% of the time within inches of the same exact spot

  • @JamesAllenJr
    @JamesAllenJr Před 2 lety

    Wow, I love how in-depth these guys teach... I'm a Master of the Jump Shot and I know nothing about that level of coaching. But, I should learn.

  • @poshko41
    @poshko41 Před 2 lety +11

    I've been watching baseball for over two decades and nothing has helped me better visualize and appreciate the mechanics of hitting like this video has.

  • @jaimecruz2972
    @jaimecruz2972 Před 3 lety +192

    I’m so glad he gives tribute to the difficulty of baseball many people never see

    • @justusphillips2480
      @justusphillips2480 Před 3 lety +4

      That’s because the media claims that baseball is so easy that all you have to do to play the game at a high level is take steroids.

    • @axe2grind772
      @axe2grind772 Před 2 lety +9

      If you didn’t know baseball is the hardest sport to be good at in the world you’re not an athlete. Golf is a distant second. 99% of the population couldn’t even make contact with a high school pitcher let alone a MLB pitcher yet I know many who can shoot low 80’s at a championship golf course.

    • @GoIndyGo18
      @GoIndyGo18 Před 2 lety +2

      @@axe2grind772it would be hard to convince me that it’s harder than hockey. They are playing a contact sport while skating. That’s ridiculous

    • @axe2grind772
      @axe2grind772 Před 2 lety +9

      @@GoIndyGo18 Well I’ve played hockey for 25 years of my life and compared to most levels of baseball it’s a breeze. I scored on Rick DiPietro in a tourney in Chicago and he was the 1st overall pick in the NHL yet I couldn’t make contact with a high school pitcher on my best day.

    • @MTSGaming
      @MTSGaming Před 2 lety +2

      ​@@justusphillips2480 my cousin was 5'5 110 pounds then he took 5 steroids and was 6'5 250 meat bag crushing homeruns like nothing

  • @2cardarsenal310
    @2cardarsenal310 Před 3 lety +196

    Mad props facing machine throwing 95 without a face guard.

    • @Michael_Rodrique
      @Michael_Rodrique Před 3 lety +14

      Why would you. Just move if it comes at you

    • @2cardarsenal310
      @2cardarsenal310 Před 3 lety +56

      @@Michael_Rodrique You have less than half a second to react to 95 mph, If it was that easy then MLB players would not get hit. Several careers have been ended by getting hit in the face and this is why you see most wear a face guard.

    • @Michael_Rodrique
      @Michael_Rodrique Před 3 lety +8

      @@2cardarsenal310 if you look at the mlb though most are on breaking pitches. Plus coming out of a machine in a controlled setting it is easier to see. You just turn you face away. That’s what the helmets for. Still hurts but less than one to the face.

    • @Michael_Rodrique
      @Michael_Rodrique Před 3 lety +5

      @@2cardarsenal310 I’ve have high 80s at my head and you do have time to react

    • @TripleLayerLemonCake
      @TripleLayerLemonCake Před 3 lety +15

      @@Michael_Rodrique 88 is not the same as 95.. Trust me, you have to have insane reactions.

  • @vmart054
    @vmart054 Před 2 lety +1

    This was awesome! Funny, but packed with great information!

  • @etamommy
    @etamommy Před 2 lety

    Thanks, this segment is great! Baseball in my view is the best sport of all and this aspect, though central is only one part. Not easy!

  • @jeffw1267
    @jeffw1267 Před 3 lety +117

    I like Luis as a coach the best: he's not being condescending like the others. He's just trying to help the batter improve based upon his current level of skill.

    • @csnide6702
      @csnide6702 Před rokem +1

      trading Luis was one of the DUMBEST things Tigers did -- not paying JD Martinez was another....... a child could do a better job than Tigers front office and Manager.

  • @ezralogan
    @ezralogan Před 3 lety +37

    "Swing as hard as you can"
    Got it. Cody Bellenger is coaching

  • @jamesnunya5833
    @jamesnunya5833 Před 2 lety +3

    The way he keeps moving that back leg... me and all my little league coaches growing up are yelling at him!

  • @joshskowron
    @joshskowron Před 2 lety +2

    This was so well done!

  • @WXVA9
    @WXVA9 Před 3 lety +171

    I love these coaches.

  • @nickbanks1034
    @nickbanks1034 Před 3 lety +104

    Definitely need more educational videos like these instead of "how did player spend his first million dollars?" This was way more interesting, and it gave me some ESPN sports science vibes. I don't enjoy watching baseball, but I've gained a new respect for the mechanics behind being a great player

  • @Bandolero456
    @Bandolero456 Před 3 lety +1

    When I was young, I used to watch Luis Gonzalez play winter ball in Venezuela for the Magallanes team where he became one of the many heroes that team had produced that later became super stars in the MLB. I remember that once in a while he would pop out his shoulder, pop it back and continue playing. Amazing guy Luis. Nice to see you in this video and remember, there is nothing like a Caracas vs. Magallanes.

  • @scottkinderdine3317
    @scottkinderdine3317 Před 2 lety

    Subscribed.... Really cool video, can't wait to see more of them.

  • @EHMSL1226
    @EHMSL1226 Před 3 lety +212

    Hitting off of a pitching machine going 95mph is nearly impossible. The reason that major league players are able to hit such fast pitches is due to their ability to start their swing and time it as the pitcher is performing their wind up. This allows them to get their timing of the swing in sync and read the ball a lot easier. With a machine there is no wind up, and thus no timing you can go off of. Its way way harder than hitting a pitcher.

    • @trevorgaddy5947
      @trevorgaddy5947 Před 3 lety +25

      normally the person on the other side of the machine should give you some sort of way to time it up (with like a simulated arm drop going towards the hole of the machine) still super hard but if you can hit a pitcher throwing 95 you will be able to time up the machine after some time.

    • @jackcasse
      @jackcasse Před 3 lety +2

      Amen to that.

    • @metzilla
      @metzilla Před 3 lety

      ^^^^^^^ THIS!!!!!! ^^^^^^^^

    • @tylermcgill9768
      @tylermcgill9768 Před 3 lety +10

      Kole Calhoun said in the beginning he thinks its easier to hit it off a pitcher than a machine

    • @jmunley22
      @jmunley22 Před 3 lety

      100% agree. i remember going into a batting cage a couple years ago and trying to hit it on the fastest speed and it was just impossible to get the timing down. i didnt even swing at half of the pitches because i wasn't ready for how fast it shoots out after it rolls down the little ramp. having a pitcher wind up and throw it at least gives you a chance.

  • @Shadow-pk2ur
    @Shadow-pk2ur Před 3 lety +135

    Is it me or is it so satisfying when you square the ball up and you don’t even feel the ball hit the bat and you know you just hit it really hard

    • @cruzwexler5303
      @cruzwexler5303 Před 3 lety +26

      Any baseball player that ever played knows this feeling. Unless they sucked 🤣.

    • @Moonlight-cq6bi
      @Moonlight-cq6bi Před 3 lety +3

      @@cruzwexler5303 Ive been playing for 5 months now and hope this feeling is comin soon haha

    • @dwrink9
      @dwrink9 Před 3 lety +7

      Especially into a gap and out of the box you know it's an xbh

    • @jje8058
      @jje8058 Před 3 lety

      I wouldn’t call it satisfying but yes I agree

    • @walker9789
      @walker9789 Před 3 lety +7

      Best feeling ever for a ball player

  • @vaporwareproducts
    @vaporwareproducts Před rokem +1

    Nice vid. Gonzo! Loved watching you as a kid in stros uniform.... The “hands up” comment is a killer for youth learning proper path IMHO. I like thinking about “setting bat on shoulder then pick it up a bit”. Allows kids to get on plane and stay on plane easier, they are still learning load, stride - pros know how to time this perfectly. For kids that do that they swing late and wind up chopping or swing outside their shoulders-pulling off so to speak.

  • @NickkaDUB
    @NickkaDUB Před 2 lety +1

    You gotta love the Dr’s picture of the stance. The front arm is on top. (The right handed hitter’s left hand is on top while holding the bat). They’re trying to hurt the kid.

  • @DC-id5gi
    @DC-id5gi Před 3 lety +32

    I met Gonzo when I was a kid and he was great. The security tried to usher us along and he kept talking with us and signed a million things and shook my hand. I told him I wanted to play outfield like him (yeah I never even played HS ball) but he was just an awesome person to 7 yo me.

  • @LordWafflestomp
    @LordWafflestomp Před 3 lety +73

    Willy Adames: "It's still hard, even if you know what's coming, it's still hard to hit it"
    Astros fans: yes

  • @craigborgardt6396
    @craigborgardt6396 Před rokem

    A very well done story and video....shows what it takes physically and mentally to hit a fastball. It'd be fun to see how guys who've played at the high school varsity level would do.

  • @garrytreymendeziii5650
    @garrytreymendeziii5650 Před rokem +4

    You had some of the best coaching there is. My son hit in that very cage and played on Empire teams when we lived in NY and Jordan and Chris and the rest of the crew at Empire helped him develop into a great ballplayer. So I’m not surprised they guided you to success.

  • @devinwayne89
    @devinwayne89 Před 3 lety +25

    I'm jealous of how much technology in baseball has evolved. Wish I had this kind of info on my swing in hs 15 yrs ago.

    • @WilliamPitcher
      @WilliamPitcher Před rokem +1

      If you it makes you feel any better, just remember that pitchers have this kind of technology now too. ;-)

  • @Ericliaoo
    @Ericliaoo Před 3 lety +80

    20:38 at least Clay smelled like a man who can hit 95mph fastballs and who can also do anything 😂

    • @cquick3277
      @cquick3277 Před 3 lety +4

      Jesus Saves Love God✝️

    • @reddoyle34
      @reddoyle34 Před 3 lety

      Who can smell when everyone is wearing masks?

    • @sleepyheadz
      @sleepyheadz Před 2 lety

      @@reddoyle34 you've just caused a stock market crash. lol

  • @OsvaldoG521
    @OsvaldoG521 Před 3 lety +2

    When he said “I feel like I might throw out my back” it reminded me of when I threw out my back doing BP for first time in a decade...

  • @Matt-f07u
    @Matt-f07u Před 2 lety

    What an accomplishment!! Kudos to you man!! Thats way harder than it seems and people think.

  • @anthonymccomack
    @anthonymccomack Před 3 lety +160

    If only the Diamondbacks knew how to hit an MLB fastball

  • @brandonbaxter7307
    @brandonbaxter7307 Před 3 lety +229

    Now imagine Ohtani throwing 101 and you dont know if its a splitty or not😳

    • @foenem5291
      @foenem5291 Před 3 lety +34

      its so stupid 😂😂 101, then 93 that disappears...

    • @JasonJia909
      @JasonJia909 Před 3 lety +6

      He's a figment of our imaginations...to this day still doesn't feel real

    • @nolanpatten7586
      @nolanpatten7586 Před 3 lety +16

      Or DeGrom’s 95 slider😬😳

    • @williamdawhale701
      @williamdawhale701 Před 3 lety +12

      Or my 25 mph meatball

    • @pedroaguilar2011
      @pedroaguilar2011 Před 3 lety +5

      @@williamdawhale701 nobody touches that

  • @neilschlemeel5751
    @neilschlemeel5751 Před rokem +1

    I hit off the machine in the Reds clubhouse set at 75 (20 pitches) & it was easier than I'd ever have thought - especially with George Foster critiquing us - he was a great host for the ballpark tour

  • @sachinnair1613
    @sachinnair1613 Před rokem

    The coaching in this video is incredible, he knew exactly how to understand Clay's strengths and weaknesses and apply them to his lessons

  • @Gankhisprawn
    @Gankhisprawn Před 3 lety +58

    “That beep, is that a good sound or a bad sound?”
    Coach: “Yes”
    LOL

  • @gamble777888
    @gamble777888 Před 3 lety +35

    Fantastic coaching right there. Shows how these pro players can actually hit some of these balls which logic would dictate are impossible to hit.

  • @LuisSilva-eo3cy
    @LuisSilva-eo3cy Před 2 lety

    Al that technical stuff while the Latino coach “hey papi look at the ball and dale duro” 🤣

  • @dukeon
    @dukeon Před 2 lety +7

    Barry Bonds: “Just do this” …pulls Gagne 101mph fastball into McCovey Cove…

    • @teeemm9456
      @teeemm9456 Před 2 lety

      Barry Bonds Also: "Just do this" ...pulls some steroids out of his bag...

    • @mrmacross
      @mrmacross Před 2 lety +4

      @@teeemm9456 well, in this particular instance, Bonds was going up against a juiced up Gagne, so it sort of evens out...

    • @Adtrevino37
      @Adtrevino37 Před 2 lety

      @@mrmacross I was bout to say. When did Gagne ever hit 101? lol

  • @Shinobi33
    @Shinobi33 Před 3 lety +46

    What a blast he must have had.... If any of us went to Empire they'd probably want $3k to $5k for those sessions. If I had the money I'd pay it.

    • @vernievuitton
      @vernievuitton Před 3 lety +8

      and he was getting paid by GQ the whole time!

    • @TexanUSMC8089
      @TexanUSMC8089 Před 2 lety +1

      He said a player normally comes to them for a month, not one day. That's going to be some big money, but if it's the difference between playing in AA or AAA or the majors...Money well spent.

  • @glenishii2022
    @glenishii2022 Před 2 lety

    That’s pretty darned good that you could even make contact. The training that they gave you was amazing. I wish they had that when I was younger. I also think that the kinetic training could be useful in golf as well.

  • @rojeliocastro9733
    @rojeliocastro9733 Před 2 lety +2

    Haven't played in over a decade. This makes me wanna get back out there

  • @bakedsalmon5455
    @bakedsalmon5455 Před 3 lety +30

    This was actually a very informative video. I'll be using some of these techniques with the team that I coach. Thanks guys!

  • @Olliemets
    @Olliemets Před 3 lety +18

    Well done. I coached a lot of kids in travel and tournament ball specifically on hitting and the coach's observations and challenges are spot on. Modern tech helps, but a trained eye can see a lot too. I grew up in an era where a lot of old shopworn cliches were used that were fairly useless. You need good eye hand coordination to hit, but good coaches can really help. Build the swing first. And practice good swings, not bad ones. Tough to break bad habits. Good Video

  • @rutheshelman2483
    @rutheshelman2483 Před 2 lety +1

    That hitting coach is fuckin legit. He knows what he's talking about

  • @billygowhoop
    @billygowhoop Před 3 lety +15

    I remember the one time that I went up against a guy throwing 85+ in high school (my school and most of the schools I played in were tiny and had very little tablet athletically). It was a totally different world. I can only imagine what 95 mph looks like when you're at the plate and trying to hit it.

    • @danielmajor258
      @danielmajor258 Před 2 lety +2

      It’s scary, I’ll tell you that, but what makes it worse is when the pitchers have a 80 MPH curveball to back it up 😂

    • @davewilliams5721
      @davewilliams5721 Před rokem +1

      The 95mph fastball never scared me, I could always pick my speed up, it was when they would keep the same arm angle, and drop a 82mph changeup on me. I looked like I was flailing at bugs up there.

    • @RevanPorkins
      @RevanPorkins Před rokem +1

      I was hitting 85 in the cage at 12 its not that fast when you see it everyday all the time.

  • @Maz2323
    @Maz2323 Před 3 lety +33

    This was a great video! He said something of massive importance to little leaguers. It’s better to swing and miss with a good swing than to have bad contact on a bad swing.

    • @SimonFoster23111971
      @SimonFoster23111971 Před rokem

      except on 2 strikes - and then contact forces the defense to make a play.

  • @tylerp4130
    @tylerp4130 Před 3 lety +8

    This was fascinating. As someone that didn't play baseball beyond a very young age, you kinda think the pros just pump some iron and do some cardio and then show up and swing a bat. There's sooooo much more than that in their swings.

  • @xonirx
    @xonirx Před rokem +1

    Around 1970 we had new batting cages where the very fast setting was 100 mph. I got to where I could always hit 7 or 8 out of 10. Ken Harrelson came to the Grand Opening and he fouled off one pitch out of 10. Made my day.

  • @Steezboy3000
    @Steezboy3000 Před rokem

    Props to the players for being cool and not laughing, and genuinely trying to help

  • @drewaldridge5208
    @drewaldridge5208 Před 3 lety +12

    Playing through high school in Wyoming (Babe Ruth League since Wyoming doesn't have high school baseball as a sport), you don't see many pitchers that can top 90; mid to high 80s at best. Went to Vancouver, WA for the Pacific Northwest tournament and faced some dude out of Beaverton, OR (circa 2004) and he was easily mid 90s. I fouled the first pitch straight back, struck out swinging. My next two teammates never even got the bat of their shoulders. Until you face a mid to high 90s fastball, you don't know... TV doesn't do it justice.

  • @laurenhulkower9663
    @laurenhulkower9663 Před 3 lety +6

    This is so hysterical and so true! Love it!

  • @digitaldoc1976
    @digitaldoc1976 Před 2 lety

    Gonzo broke MY heart against my Yankees! That's repressed trauma relived! Thanks, Clay. (Seriously, though, this is my first of your videos. Thanks for a great one!)

  • @danapaul3216
    @danapaul3216 Před 2 lety

    Excellent video, this is why baseball is so hard and only a few highly skilled and hard working people can do it at all. Not to mention the ones that do it successfully for years at a time. The truly consistent professionals who make the hall of fame are such a minuscule percentage of human beings it scary.

  • @tricktaylor1983
    @tricktaylor1983 Před 3 lety +32

    Next you should try and play 3rd base and field a grounder coming at you at 100+mph and then throw a runner out at 1st who gets down the line in 2.5 seconds.

    • @vernievuitton
      @vernievuitton Před 3 lety +4

      LOL Are you trying to kill the guy?! Cuz you'll definitely rearrange his face and maybe his balls too xD

    • @shinigamigaming2941
      @shinigamigaming2941 Před 3 lety +3

      To be fair, no grounder keeps above 100 unless a low fly, which is an insanely hard catch. Inpressive to do, but the ball bouncing even just once makes it lose some juice, but a 90mph ball coming at you is still hard to catch. Lol

  • @tonyLA24
    @tonyLA24 Před 3 lety +25

    Imagine being a catcher, you HAVE to catch every single pitch.

  • @TheLetsPlayBaseballCurse

    I wish I had resources like the coaches and doctors or even the video when I played in little league. I wasn't a good hitter by any means and I learned a whole lot about the mechanics here. Thank you.

  • @cmalc8
    @cmalc8 Před rokem

    So much of batting mechanics is similar to golf (and I suppose hockey and other two handed bat sports), just a different spine tilt.

  • @isaaclopez1775
    @isaaclopez1775 Před 3 lety +17

    Who else saw his old spice ad during the middle of the vid

  • @SolRC
    @SolRC Před 3 lety +4

    Coach Baltimore and Dr. James seem awesome. I need a physical therapist with half that ability . Cool stuff. I think I am going to do these workouts before I skate.

  • @dlvox5222
    @dlvox5222 Před 3 lety

    I need those mobility drills and stretching for golf.

  • @GunNut37086
    @GunNut37086 Před rokem

    That was great! Very interesting science behind all that.

  • @jensonhartmann3630
    @jensonhartmann3630 Před 3 lety +4

    I appreciate you using my AZ Diamondbacks for coaching!

  • @cubbygig6016
    @cubbygig6016 Před 3 lety +12

    “Is that a good or bad sound?”
    “Yes”

  • @anthonyfreund129
    @anthonyfreund129 Před rokem +3

    I do pretty well in the 90mph cages here. I always thought just the opposite though of pitcher vs machine. I'd rather a machine throw it to me and always felt more confident than facing a human since it's pretty much the same fast ball every time - no worry about the offspeed stuff, curves, sliders, etc. Any good batter will adjust their timing to the same repeated pitch. Great batters can face great humans and know what pitch to sit on and will just fight off the garbage they don't want.

  • @bigsassyster
    @bigsassyster Před 2 lety

    Insane how good some of those swings were in the cage against the 95mph pitches when seeing the first swings of the day/episode.

  • @Khorton014
    @Khorton014 Před 3 lety +13

    Man it would have been cool to have all of this technology and kinematic coaching back in the day. All this hip stuff, my coach just told me throw my junk at the ball.

    • @skeezix8156
      @skeezix8156 Před 3 lety

      Any batting coach can tell you what you’re doing wrong, but if it’s wrong and you’re hitting the ball, don’t change it.

  • @jmac1851
    @jmac1851 Před 3 lety +20

    This just proves baseball is the hardest sport. Natural talent, YEARS of practicing hours a day, millions if dollars yet the average players fail 3/4 time

    • @zem0104
      @zem0104 Před 3 lety +3

      It isn't at all

    • @garrettgriggs9368
      @garrettgriggs9368 Před 3 lety +6

      @@zem0104 So what is? Have you ever actually played it at any sort of a competitive level?

    • @ahmeddirie2632
      @ahmeddirie2632 Před 3 lety

      if anything it proves the opposite cuz he succeded

    • @garrettgriggs9368
      @garrettgriggs9368 Před 3 lety +5

      @@ahmeddirie2632 That was not succeeding. Simply making light contact like that is not hard. Making solid contact is hard. Him having 10 tries versus only having 3 tries

    • @jmac1851
      @jmac1851 Před 3 lety +6

      @@ahmeddirie2632 barely hitting the ball knowing exactly where it is going is succeeding? lmfao real pitches have much more spin on them and you never know where theyre going to go.

  • @davecooksfood9320
    @davecooksfood9320 Před 3 lety +4

    We've seen him HIT a 95 mph ball, now let's see him PITCH one.

  • @Ryanbmc4
    @Ryanbmc4 Před 2 lety

    Teaching how the body works while still thinking that there is such a thing as left and right brain is just amazing to watch.

  • @ericschneps302
    @ericschneps302 Před 3 lety +23

    Why aren’t they telling him the plant his right foot?

    • @joedunn7434
      @joedunn7434 Před 2 lety +1

      That’s exactly what I was thinking

    • @RyisheedWilson
      @RyisheedWilson Před 2 lety +1

      Right I’m looking at his swing like “why is his right foot moving around like he’s square dancing”.. plus, his feet were almost together..no kind of balance or stability..

  • @jakovi_slater
    @jakovi_slater Před 3 lety +53

    Why did he ask Willy Adames for advice 😂😂😂😂 He only knows how to watch fastballs down the middle and lose the World Series

    • @GWrench9
      @GWrench9 Před 3 lety +5

      This had to be said

    • @mlwyouth7521
      @mlwyouth7521 Před 3 lety +3

      To be fair that was probably the most stressful an of his life

    • @anthonyraineri5190
      @anthonyraineri5190 Před 3 lety +1

      When your coach pulls your pitcher who has given up 1 hit in 6 innings and the reliever he brings in get's bombed.

    • @Marz997
      @Marz997 Před 3 lety

      He should ask Jacob Alvarez for advice.

  • @robertroy1878
    @robertroy1878 Před rokem

    Very cool. Makes what the pitchers and batters do much more impressive.

  • @garrettgrassl6038
    @garrettgrassl6038 Před 3 lety

    at 20:39 the only thing I could think about is the steve will do it intro song

  • @fatboyslimz2554
    @fatboyslimz2554 Před 3 lety +6

    he needs to plant his back foot and step into the pitch, i think what held him back was the little dance move he did as he was about to swing. it was like road runner starting his feet to run before he hit the ball ;) good video tho