When you were a kid playing baseball/softball in the backyard, did you ever pretend that you were coming up to the plate with your team trailing by three runs? BUT THE BASES WERE LOADED; yes, more drama : TWO OUTS, and of course, THE BOTTOM OF THE 9th INNING?
AND WHAT HAPPENED? Of course it ends “HAPPILY EVER AFTER” with you smacking the pinch-hit grand slam and your team mobbing you at home plate, proclaiming you “clutch”.
What was your hitting plan or approach during that at-bat, do you remember? What was the count?
Where was the location of the pitch?
David Bote remembers every detail.
Bote hit a home run he will never forget – a grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the Cubs to a stunning 4-3 victory over the Nationals. It was just the 25th known “ULTIMATE SLAM” —which is a WALK OFF HOME RUN WITH THE BASES LOADED AND YOUR TEAM DOWN BY THREE RUNS.
WATCH Bote’s at-bat with him taking us through his thought process and approach:
In the game the night before during his at-bat, Bote struggled against the Nationals on an overload of 2-seamers. Bote knew the National pitcher this night (Madson) had a sinker and a 4-seam fastball. AND HE DECIDED TO PICK ONE.
“Today, I said, ‘You know what, I’m NOT GOING TO GET BEAT DOWN”.
“LOOK FOR A BALL DOWN. GET IT UP. CAN’T GET BEAT WITH A GROUND BALL. GET UNDERNEATH IT. GET IT IN THE AIR. HIT THE BALL AS FAR AS YOU CAN TO CENTERFIELD. STICK TO MY PLAN”.
“When I got to 2-2, I was like ‘STICK TO MY PLAN. Just get it in the air. Hit it as hard as I can to center field. That was the approach – get underneath it”.
Let’s analyze Bote’s at bat.
Let’s go through Bote’s at bat. He fouled off the first pitch he saw – good swing at exactly the pitch he was looking for. He took the second pitch, which was close, but called a ball. He took the 3rd pitch which was close too, but was called a strike over his OBJECTION OF “NO”.
See the photo below – it was indeed a ball – INCHES MATTER IN OUR GAME.
Now, Bote is BEHIND IN THE COUNT 1-and-2. The next pitch was low (non-competitive pitch) and EVENED THE COUNT at 2-and-2, which is better than 1-and-2 but still a pitcher-friendly count.
See the league-average wOBAs below from the 2018 season:
STICK TO THE PLAN
- How many hitters would show that kind of confidence and resilience in that pressure situation to stick with their plan? Remember, it’s two outs and the game is own the line.
- How many hitters would still be fuming and playing WHAT IF in their minds about the 1-and-1 borderline pitch that went against them?
- How many would start to WORRY about NOT STRIKING OUT?
- How many would just trying to put the ball in play? Who would’ve gone to the SLASH move – fake bunt and pull back and take a half swing?
That’s why there have only been 25 ULTIMATE SLAMS.
- It takes the convergence of great swing mechanics and perfect contact on a well executed pitch;
- it takes a good plan and hitting approach;
- it takes the courage to stick to it;
- it takes a CHAMPION’S MINDSET who is not deterred by a borderline pitch but instead stays focused on the task at hand; and
- it takes waiting to get the pitch he is looking for in order to put HIS VERY SWING ON IT.
It’s truly a GAME OF INCHES!
PURSUE EXCELLENCE & WIN THIS PITCH!