Power Outage

Andy Ferguson: Another Day, Another Double Play

The last two S.C.R. and Under Armour National Tryout dates I worked both featured ballparks with a short porch down at least one foul line. In Fairfax, VA the fence was a little over 300 feet down the left field line. Last weekend in San Antonio, TX the right field fence was 299 feet away and the left field fence measured 312 feet. Needless to say, both ballparks sure made it a good day to be able to lift a ball to the pull side.

However, the biggest problem with this type of situation is an inaccurate perception of raw power. Not by our scouts, since we know that most (not all, but most) balls leaving these band box ballparks would be routine outs at most college parks, but instead by the players and parents. I’m sure that many people were surprised to hear their raw power grades from their Player Development Coordinators in the days following these two events.

I was part of a few of these conversations, which usually started with something like, “but he hit two balls over the fence, how can you rate his power as average?” The answer is that raw power has nothing to do with where the fence is in any given ballpark. A ball that is hit 300 feet to the pull side is going to indicate the same power whether it hits the top of the light tower in a tiny yard or breaks up a tea party of pitchers hanging out in the outfield of a large park.

Last Sunday in San Antonio, I was evaluating hitters with fellow Baseball Factory scout Ernie Ramirez. In the afternoon session, there was a string of about five or six left handed hitters in a row that were just launching balls over the right field fence (299 feet to right field, 371 to center field, so figure about 340 to right center). While it was somewhat captivating to watch, we both looked at each other about the same time and said, “when I see a guy hit an oppo bomb in this park, I will be impressed. Until then, we need to get someone to go round up those baseballs.”

The same thing happened later in the BP session with a string of right handed hitters, only this time there were some opposite field home runs. There were even a few guys that clearly mishit balls, and they carried easily over 350 feet the other way. In this case, they were home runs, but even if they didn’t hit the warning track in a particular ballpark they still indicate above average raw power. Why? Because when compared to the average hitter it takes a better swing, the ability to hit the ball deeper in the zone, and more bat speed or physical strength to drive balls from center field to the opposite field.

So, remember, it just isn’t that impressive to see a hitter yank balls over the fence to the pull side. It simply does not indicate anything that may differentiate you from any other hitter. If you want to impress someone with your power, drive balls up the middle and to both gaps. If you don’t have the strength or ability to do that yet, then hit line drives and hard ground balls up the middle of the field. That type of contact indicates skill and ability to deliver the barrel to contact on a good route, along with the ability to get some extension through contact – both components of any good hitter, let alone power hitter.

Andy Ferguson is currently the Senior Director of Baseball Operations with the Baseball Factory. Ferguson joined the North Carolina State baseball team as a walk-on, and went on to solidify his role on a team that participated in four consecutive NCAA Regionals. He later coached with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and then served as an Associate Scout with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Diego Padres.