The easiest way around the bases is with one swing of the bat.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
The harder you grip the bat, the more you can swing it through the ball, and the farther the ball will go.
My pitching philosophy is simple - keep the ball way from the bat.
When the ball was hit, my first reaction as a shortstop was always go in the direction of the ball. You can't do that at first base. You go too far in that direction, and it's hard to scurry back and be ready to pick the throw.
How to hit home runs: I swing as hard as I can, and I try to swing right through the ball.
After I hit a home run I had a habit of running the bases with my head down. I figured the pitcher already felt bad enough without me showing him up rounding the bases.
You fool around with different pitches playing catch, but it's not the same when you've got to face some guy with a bat in his hand.
The only thing I do to my bat is put some tape around the handle to build it up a little bit because I broke my finger about six years ago and can't really close it the way I want to. Other than that, the same bat, same Louisville Sluggers.
I don't need to practice my swing. I grew up with a bat in my hands.
In my own case I have frequently faced the pitcher when I had no desire whatever to hit. I wanted to get a base on balls.
Hit a home run - put your head down, drop the bat, run around the bases, because the name on the front is more - a lot more important than the name on the back.