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<\/a><\/p>\nA hope-filled pragmatist within the realm of Baseball\u2019s professional bats-men might \u00a0investigate all means (scientific and otherwise) by which that abhorrent statistical anomaly can\u00a0be improved upon or removed, or at least be diminished from the tablet of baseball consciousness. What would such an investigative assignment entail? It would probably include\u00a0reconnoitering all available resource reference material that would be pertinent in order to attack\u00a0such a bewildering set of circumstances. All the greatest minds in history would probably have\u00a0to be consulted for their expert opinions as to the mesmerizing and enigmatic circumstances\u00a0involved, from Socrates, Plato\u00a0 Borrowing from the Platonic dialogues, let us begin with a Socratic Dialectic inquiry so as\u00a0to advance beyond an initial stage of ignorance. Why is it not possible for a batter to get a base\u00a0hit every time he comes to bat? The immediate intelligent and practical answer would probably\u00a0be that the 9 defensive players would somehow find a way to prevent that from happening\u2014it\u00a0has been a tradition in almost 7 of 10 at-bats. But Socrates might further the dialogue by asking\u00a0\u201cWhat would prevent the fielders from catching the ball when he hits it (if he didn\u2019t strikeout)?\u201d<\/p>\n A perceptive \u201cinterlocutor\u201d might venture an array of educated guesses. \u201cIf he hit the ball over\u00a0the fence, the fielders couldn\u2019t catch it! And if he demonstrated an exact and precise principle of\u00a0batting technique, the mechanics of which would considerably lessened the margins of erroneous\u00a0calculation, then it might be theoretically possible to maximize his effectiveness to a more certain degree.\u201d<\/p>\n Tirelessly in pursuance of an ultimate solution, Socrates might again inquire, \u201cIs it conceivable\u00a0for a batter with highly acute physical sense perception and strength, as well as pronounced\u00a0scientific understanding and demonstrable application of sound mechanical principle to effect\u00a0a flawless swing that would propel the baseball over the fence every time a ball was pitched\u00a0for a strike?\u201d The mindful student might respond, after thoughtful consideration, that \u201cit is\u00a0conceivable, to thought, that such a prospect would be possible, but the human practicality of\u00a0such a degree of success would seem highly improbable.\u201d<\/p>\n Albert Einstein would probably agree with the perceptive student, since his Since Socrates\u2019 method of teaching always left room for additional inquiry, although the\u00a0responsive student advanced to a higher plane of understanding, the solution was assigned to\u00a0greater depths of investigation and personal practice. But Aristotle offered some advice to those\u00a0searching for excellence. From his \u201cNicomachean Ethics,\u201d I paraphrase what he said, \u201cin order\u00a0to begin a study of anything that would lead to the highest understanding and demonstration of\u00a0its universal verity, one must behold an example of a closest facsimile to the ideal estate, study\u00a0its admirable characteristics, and extrapolate from its obvious functional proficiency a common\u00a0entity by which a generic standard could be discerned, duplicated, and possibly expanded upon.\u201d<\/p>\n The Bible may have put it even more succinctly, where in Psalm (37:37) it is stated, \u201cMark the\u00a0perfect man and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace.\u201d Excellence in any field\u00a0of human endeavor is achievable to anyone willing to devote a \u201cheart and soul\u201d effort toward\u00a0mastering the definable concomitants to successful enterprise.<\/p>\n Astute analytical research on the topic of \u201cThe most productive means for becoming a most\u00a0proficient Bats-man,\u201d would have to begin with a visionary outline of what might be considered the various degrees of observable competence and perhaps the underlying characteristics (if any)\u00a0of the ultimate form of \u201cexcellence.\u201d End Part II<\/strong><\/p>\n Coming Soon: Part III<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Even at the lowest levels of cognition, hitting a baseball is an art form. And some artists are just better than others! But with a serious application of scientific involvement, couldn\u2019t \u00a0the artisanship be made to conform to a standard beyond what is customarily acceptable? Leonardo da Vinci expanded the scope of previous artistic … Continue reading The “Good Hitter,” and The “Great Hitter” – Part ll<\/span> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> and Aristotle to Newton, Einstein, Stengel, Berra, Paciorek, \u00a0as well as\u00a0St. Paul, Augustine, and Mary Baker Eddy.<\/p>\nRelativity\u00a0Theories precipitated the onset of Quantum Mechanics whose main postulate states that\u00a0\u201cat the fundamental levels of matter causation is a matter of statistical probabilities, not\u00a0certainties.\u201d But Newton\u2019s advanced mathematical appliance of Calculus certainly made it\u00a0evident that previously incomprehensible circumstances were now afforded a venue from\u00a0which to reduce those margins for error that had previously exacerbated most querulous\u00a0situations.<\/p>\n<\/a>Then, perhaps an elaboration of those varying degrees\u00a0(with examples and illustrations) could describe the characteristics of each, and establish a\u00a0platform for any prospective high achiever to undertake advancement toward that Ultimate goal.<\/p>\n