fouling off a pitch

Question
A friend of mine, who has played semi-pro ball, says that it is physically impossible to deliberately foul off a pitch; that all the batter can do is swing and try to hit the ball ?the speed of the pitch and the bat speed can not be coordinated to purposely hit a ball into foul territory. If the ball goes foul, that is not the batter's intention. I say this would give the lie to the notion of a hitter having "a great at-bat", fouling off pitches until he gets one he can hit, or working the pitcher for a walk. What is your opinion on this matter?  Thank you. Walter Marks

Answer
Walter,

Your friend is partly correct -- but not entirely. While most hitters can't place the place exactly where they want it (except in a bunt situation), a good batter does have some control as to where they hit the ball. For instance, in a hit and run situation, batters often try to hit to the opposite field -- and can often do so with a great deal of success.

But can the batter deliberately hit a foul ball? Yes and no. The reason why fouling off many pitches is considered a good at bat is that with 2 strikes, a smart batter (especially contact hitters) will swing at any pitches that could be close to being called a 3rd strike. This may mean swinging at a bad pitch -- and if you do that, the best you can hope for is a foul ball to extend your at bat (for instance, if you're swing at a pitch 3 inches off the outside part of the plate, you're basically trying to foul it off -- not necessarily put it in play). So, while the batter may not be aiming to hit the ball foul, he is trying to fight off bad pitches with 2 strikes.

Hope some of this answers your question!

Mike Fortunato