Does Your Baseball Bat Grip Really Matter?

Yes, your baseball bat grip is important because you need to hold the bat properly if you're going to hit the ball.  There are also different instances where you would position your hands on the bat a little differently.

The most important thing is to have a good firm grip on the bat.  After all, no matter how old you are, the further you advance in baseball the harder the pitchers throw and your grip has to be firm enough on the bat to withstand those hard fastballs.

We talked earlier about your bat grip and how you should line your knuckles up.  I've seen Major League players line up the door knocking knuckles and I've seen them line up the top hand big knuckles with the lower hand door knocking knuckles.  There's no set way to hold your bat.  Just make sure you are comfortable. 

While I mention to hold the bat with a firm grip I also want to say that your grip should be strong but tension free.  Your grip will tighten naturally at the point of contact.

Most of the time you want your bottom hand touching the knob of the bat but there is one occasion where you wouldn't.  Many times with two strikes you want to "choke up."  In this instance you would move your hands up an inch or two or three on the bat.  This allows you to get around quicker against a fastball by shortening the bat which actually makes it lighter.

Big time players who choked up when they had to were the likes of Ty Cobb and Pete Rose.  How about you?  Do you have any stories about players and their baseball bat grip?  Leave your comments below!