Ted Williams is one of the greatest hitters of all time. Williams was the last player to hit .400 in a season, and “The Great Sprinter” had one of the most impressive swings in MLB history.
Williams once said: “The hardest thing in sports is arguably hitting a baseball” is a saying that many Little League coaches have relied on to calm young baseball players struggling with striking out. I know this from my own experience.
Kendrick Perkins has helped Little League coaches to emphasize that point once again.
Perkins was a first-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft straight out of high school and played 16 seasons in the league. Boston CelticsNow working as an analyst ESPN.
Perkins took to the plate Tuesday night at Fenway Park, where Williams played most of his career, and took several swings during batting practice.
What didn’t work:
Perkins struggled to get a touch on the ball, fouled off a few pitches and dribbled one grounder down the third base line. Clearly frustrated, Perkins threw down his bat and walked out, ending the session.
As expected, social media was not very kind about his performance.
If Perkins wants to try batting practice again, here are some things to keep in mind. First, he might need a bigger bat. That piece of wood looks like a toothpick in his hand. A bigger piece of wood would give him more coverage of the plate and give him more confidence hitting to the outside corners of the plate.
Secondly, as the old saying goes, “Nothing good happens until the front foot hits the ground,” but in Perkins’ case, his front foot hits the ground well before his swing, disrupting his entire swing mechanism — something that can be fixed with more swinging in the cage.
If Perkins wants to take batting practice again…
