Why are pitchers and catcher so bad at batting???

[Deuce]

They see more pitches than anyone. Should be stone cold sluggers. I don't get it.

[Dutchie]

Most of the time if you are a good hitting catcher, they move you so as to save your legs and longevity. It ain't easy being a good defensive catcher either though. Its a rare talent to be able to control a 95 mph fastball, have 2 other good off speed pitches AND have the ability to hit those pitches. There are more than a few that have the raw talent to do both (Bryce Harper, Rick Ankiel ect) But to make it to the top of the ladder, you kinda got focus on one.

[keyboarding]

They see more pitches than anyone. Should be stone cold sluggers. I don't get it.

Has less to do with the eye and more to do with mechanics.

[ttwarrior1]

and most pitchers were also the best hitters in little league, high school, etc

[nrok2118]

Most pitchers growing up were good hitter, they were usually the best all around athletes...but once a pitcher becomes a "pitcher", all their time and effort and mechanics revolve around throwing the ball. I loved seeing Garza (i think it was last night or the night before) try to make throw to first on a bunt (maybe swinging bunt), but totally just threw it into the ground 5 feet in front of him. Pitchers become so conditioned to "pitch" it becomes all they're good at.

[JohnGalt2341]

Most pitchers growing up were good hitter, they were usually the best all around athletes...but once a pitcher becomes a "pitcher", all their time and effort and mechanics revolve around throwing the ball.

I agree 100%. I'll take it a step even further... in order for a person to become one of the very best in the world at anything it almost always requires 10's of thousands of hours of practice... basically the majority of all their free time. If someone is spending more time practicing something more than you are... they will more than likely be better at it than you. There's not enough hours in the day for a single person to be a master at multiple things... unless those things are closely related and even then it's very rare.

[Chi_archie]

more than any other professional sport, Baseball is a game of long term, long learned skills. You can't do it at the MLB level with just raw athletic talent. Doesn't matter if you were the best hitter in little league, High School ect. You are going against the best talent from many countries when you jump to signing a pro contract.

can't miss #1 overall draft pick hitting talent even has to slowly climb the rungs from rookie ball sometimes and learn and hone their craft. And still many of this guys just don't have what it takes. And they are concentrating on hitting (and fielding)

so you can see how great High school or college hitting pitchers never develop the talent to hit a major league off speed pitch or cutter. They can't just skip from being super awesome HS slugger or even college Aluminum batter guy.... and go to the minors and get DH-ed for and not take batting practice and then all the sudden get a wood stick in their hand and face Roy Halladay and have any decent chance