Why is Ryan Howard striking out so much?

Question

Granted,he gets his home runs and RBIs,but are these mostly swinging strikes or called strikes? Is his swing too long? Don't even remember Dave Kingman striking out this much...

Answer 1

Most power hitting have a tendency to strike out a lot.  They also tend to drive in more runs than anyone else on their respective teams.  Feast or famine.  Some power hitters through history have managed to maintain both high home run totals as well as batting averages.  Those are the ones you will find in Cooperstown.

Power hitters are acquired by design.  Each is very aware that if they were to cut back on their swings, they would better contact, less strike outs, and higher batting averages.  However each team needs that "long ball" threat to keep the opposing defenses honest.  I'm sure Howard would have a must higher batting average if Charles Manuel told him to cut back on the home runs.

Answer 2

ya dude he has an all-or-nothin' swing

Answer 3

Every body has there slumps....take your phillies...they been sucking,,while my mets are hot...Get ready for a sweep of your beloved phillies......

Answer 4

He has no bat discipline whatsoever.  He must come to understand that he does not have to hit every ball he sees out of the park.

Pitchers have recognized this and are starting to exploit him more and more.

Answer 5

1. He drives deep counts. Most sluggers also gets a lot of walks and that's because they take a lot of pitches and take the count deep to 3-2. But when it reaches that, a lesser hitter would try to shorten his swing and just make contact while a power hitter like Howard is still going to make a long, aggressive at the ball and that will result in a lot of swing and misses.

2. He is just a bad contact hitter. For all his walks, he does not have good strike zone command and more important, he is just bad at making contact.

Answer 6

He swings alot at pitches not in the strike zone.  He has a big swing, and he looks to drive the ball, not just to place it somewhere.

Answer 7

Ryan Howard swing is not of one of contact, he swings to drive in runs for his team.  If he were to become less aggressive he would lose a lot of what makes him a power hitter.  his swing also is not exactally on plane. the swing is only in the strike zonefor a little amount of time, a lot like Jim Edmonds.  Michael Young, Ichiro, and chipper jones for that matter are all keeping their bats in the zone longer .

Answer 8

Because it doesn't feel right not to swing.

Answer 9

He's hitting .322 with RISP so that's all that matters. He is a pure slugger so he's going to strike out. Even Jim Thome struck out a lot in his prime.

Answer 10

home run hitters always tend to strikeout a lot more than players that hit for avg. just look at reggie jackson and mike schmidt this is becuz they are always tring to get home runs. i think howard has more HR THAN HE HAS BASE HITS