Why I love Babe Ruth's Swing So Much

The feel that Babe Ruth felt through the swing I think was like no other hitter ever - the slot position he felt, the early entry of the barrel into the zone, it was all so beautiful. It's popular to say Ruth couldn't produce in today's game. That's comical to me. Ruth would probably dominate even more than he did. Because now he wouldn't be competing with hitters who also came from the sandlots.  Instead, he'd be competing against guys with swings developed from swinging plastic as a kid, and hitting off of pitching machines a few times a week.  In Ruth's era, kids played many hours a week in the sandlots, and were free to develop their swing on their own, and not have to listen to swing coaches who want them to slap the ball around the field.

What I want to convey in this video more than anything is a certain feeling.  Look at how Ruth moved through contact and try to get that same feeling.  The hand depth at redirection, the way he turned into contact instead of extended, and the overly connected position at contact which only Ruth was capable of to such an extent - all this can be understood as a different feeling through contact.

If you find that feeling right now, that's fair too.  You can do it.  You can stop searching for the perfect swing and finally arrive there.  I think people get so caught up in the searching that they don't realize there is a way that will end your searching for good.  You won't have to worry yourself about what the best mechanics are.  You will have them.

Just because there are so many ways that don't work - ie conventional baseball swing teaching - doesn't mean there isn't a way that does work.  What I am most interested in conveying to people is that the swing can be drastically improved in a single instant, a single moment where you understand the feeling (especially through contact) that makes the difference in the great hitters. 

Look at Ruth's swings and get a good idea of the right feeling.  You will notice a difference in your hitting immediately if you can get it.  It's really just early entry of the barrel into the zone compared to back arm extension.