Mickey Mantle Demonstration batlikeapro.com

[Ninefingers1010]

My memories of Mickey is tainted when received a donated liver in a few days.......the other who waited much longer were pushed aside so the Sports star can be taken care of. Forget what the paid doctors said....he got special treatment.

[harajukugirlloveandG]

@Ninefingers1010 So lets listen to you like you know what happened????

[JustinVerlander35]

What I find so interesting is he has barely any strides into his swing. He just planted his foot and had so much power and bat speed that he could just crush the ball. He is my all-time favorite player and there will never be another Mickey Mantle.

[vibra64]

Mantle, Berra, Mays, Dimaggio, Ruth, Gerhig, Musial, etc. were of a different time. They all had class. They all had talent. No drugs. Not one of modern day players can compare with these guys. They were simply the best.

[Itubeutubevrybdytube]

"THE MICK" was the BEST!!!!!!!!!!......His greatest "home run" was standing in front of the entire world and telling all......I'm no hero!!!!!!.......We will NEVER EVER see the likes of such a figure!!!.....RIP MICKEY!!!!!!!!!!!!

[25Amagi]

Mickey had a natural mesomorph (large muscle mass) body type, & his muscle fibers were of the fast-twitch variety. An extraordinary combination of natural God-given power and quickness. No, he didn't take roids, he didn't work out, he admits he didn't even rehab after ripping his knee during his first World Series. One game he says he was so hung over he argued the first pitch just to get thrown out as he couldn't see. strait.Too bad he abused his body and didn't focus on records like Bonds.

[RatHouseProductions]

@25Amagi liked that entire things then you had to ruin it with the last sentence... bonds shouldnt even be mentioned in the same paragraph as mantle

[Dakers11]

Maybe for the Mic it wasn't about F=ma. He was just a unique hitter. Who could accelerate his bat through the hitting zone witth greater magnitude than any other human that has ever lived. That's all.

[faffaflunkie]

Mickey Mantle batting right handed may have had the best swing ever.

[BLong114]

Awsome hitter had two advantages. 1. Heavier bat, (makes the ball go further). 2. Because a heavier bat needs more thrust to get through the zone quickly he needed to use his entire body. Since bats today are lighter hitters can swing using their wrists, (Joe Mauer, Manny Ramirez) so while he was one of the best he wasn't as ungodly as it might look.

[harajukugirlloveandG]

the bat speed and power are unmatched by anyone in history...

[SimpleStuff31]

@harajukugirlloveandG ruth?

[xxskifast]

a real slugger!



[klatu89]

In see that swing again and the extension, he actually reminds me of DiMaggio. The body unwinds and the bat whips around. What coordination. Coordination is where his power was, not in the wight room or the drug store. There was a sound to his home runs unlike anyone else's. It was a sound that shattered the air, and anything was, for that moment, possible.

[keagleman21]

@klatu89 DiMaggio has one of the most amazing stats a hitter could ever have. He had more home runs than strike outs in 7 of his 13 seasons. That is an awesome stat for a power hitter and one that no one has ever come close to. The next best for a power hitter is Ted Williams who did it 3 times in 19 seasons.

[YOIBEJONI1]

i stopped watching baseball when the YANKEES brought the fences in!

My towns H.S. fields are 370 to the alleys!!! When you see a home run every inning,

it lose's it;s appeal!

[wilzusuki]

racist sosa dindt did steriods

[Jimchapper]

@wilzusuki yeah he did.. and corked bats... but steroids werent banned at that point

[vibra64]

Because we have to teach the dummies here what is right.

Dummy!!!

[udo987]

Ok...all i have to say is this...Mickey Mantle 5'11 185LBS. never did roids drank beer got raw power from working in mines could hit the ball 634 feet. Yes, 634 feet. Bonds, McGwire, AROD? get props for hitting the ball 450-500 ft? All did roids and are all physically bigger then Mickey was and still did not possess that kind of power...more so, have power from BOTH SIDES OF THE PLATE.

[vibra64]

You are correct. A-ROID, BONDS and MCGWIRE and SOSA all did roids. So have many players 10 or even 20 years ago. The MICK had natural power, natural talent and something these clowns will never have...CLASS !!!!

[havee3333333]

he was 198 pounds not 185... But, still sick as hell

[Jimchapper]

@udo987 yeah he was great because his swing was great... like ted williams said.. its not about weight it's about how fast your swing is.. it's like this... if you have the right swing and use your lower half in your swing your more powerful.. short to the ball and have a direct path to the ball without dropping the bat head.. you hit better.. proven even in this vid

[soxpatsicecream7]

@udo987 Nobody has ever hit a ball 600 feet. Not even close.

[harajukugirlloveandG]

@soxpatsicecream7 except for the mick...

[SimpleStuff31]

@soxpatsicecream7 and sosa did too.

[617AV86892]

@SimpleStuff31 are we talking about steroid using sosa ? he dont count

[536mick]

@soxpatsicecream7 ; you know nothing about baseball. the bats used today (2011) have the same weight with exception to (two ounces). Everybody should have used the bat your referring and hit tapemeasure shots like The (only) Mick!!!! Nobody hit'em like the Mick!!

[smallfry3270]

IF Mantle didn't step in that hole. IF Mantle had taken better care of himself. He might have been better than Mays. Even Mantle agrees Mays was a bit better. I would take either one.

[realfunny7]

willie mays was all show made things look harder than they were - mickey mantle is and always be #1 & better liked than mays - he was like a rock star while playing and in retirement

[DJFredRH]

Mantle had speed and power, and should have been the greatest baseball player of all time. Instead he became our last American Hero 1951-1968.

[stevevandien]

Mantle truly ATTACKS the pitch, so fiercely that you even see his back foot leave the ground between 3 and 5 seconds. In "The Art of Hitting .300," Charley Lau suggested that Mantle's stride might have been a bit too long. But shortening that stride might have compromised Mantle's aggressiveness, as Lau conceded. By his own account -- reported by Roger Kahn in "Memories of Summer" -- Mantle strove to CRUSH good pitches. And he often did just that:) --

[kirbycol4]

@stevevandien

I am a HUGE Red Sox Fan but absolutely LOVE " The Mick" ! My God, I am in awe of the phenomenal Bat speed that he generated ! Teddy Ballgame said that there were only 2 guys he saw, that when they hit HR's sounded like a Cherry Bomb exploding; Mantle and Jimmy Foxx !

[stevevandien]

@kirbycol4 Damn straight. If Mick had been healthy throughout his career, he might have hit 650-700 homers. Even so, given all his injuries and personal foibles, he had a terrific career. AND he was a switch-hitter. It's so damn hard to switch-hit effectively, much less for power. The only such switchers in Mantle's class whom I can think of are Eddie Murray and Chipper Jones -- MAYBE Lance Berkman and Ken Singleton as well --

[kirbycol4]

@stevevandien

Don't forget my favorite Red Sox Hitter when I was a kid; Reggie Smith!

Smith appeared in 1,987 games, hit 314 home runs and batted .287. He was a switch-hitter who threw right-handed. In his prime, he had one of the strongest throwing arms of any outfielder in the big leagues. [ From Wiki]

[stevevandien]

@kirbycol4 Oh man, thanks for reminding me of RS.  This guy was a fine ballplayer and damn good hitter:) --

[ripperduck]

Look at that swing!!!! His upper body/head are still, but he gets tremendous power from his hips and upper torso. Maybe the best ever...

[brnape]

I heard his father use to make him carry kegs of beer from the local mom and pop store which was 20 miles away, and when they finished 2 hours later he had to hall that keg back twenty miles for the 3 cent exchange with that he would buy a side of beef and he sprinted 20 miles that hunk of beef, intestines and all

[vibra64]

Mantle is still the most naturally gifted, natural power ball player there was.

[brnape]

he was on roids

[vibra64]

Mantle was on roids? LOL LOL LOL. You must be drunk or stupid. I think the latter.

[brnape]

mantle was drunk and stupid so thank you for that comment He was one of the best but sorry I'm a Willie Mays dude

[EricAnno]

Mantle was just as good, if not better than Willie Mays.

[brnape]

are you crazy mantle would have been better if he wasn't boozin in the locker room, mantle was no Mays, Mays lost time in the war and played in that shit box candlestick park that blew homeruns back into play, yankee stadium has no foul room either

[EricAnno]

Mantle, as a hitter, was better than Mays, hands down.

Mantle has significant leads over Mays in OBP, OPS, OPS+, and has the same SLG. Mays played in a lot more games over his career, healthy, that padded his stats.

Mantle was better.

[brnape]

yah he kept himself healthy istead of hangin out with jim beam and jose cuervo his obp was better cuz they walked him so many times but that guy struck out more times than the 40 year old virgin, Mays By far is better, and mays played at the stick not short porch yankee stadium

[EricAnno]

You didn't give me any reason why Mays was better.

Mantle walked more because he was a far more patient hitter. His career OBP is over .420, where is Mays' at?

Mantle beats Mays out in OBP, OPS, and OPS+, categories that truly show how great a hitter is. He also beats out Willie Mays in EqA, but I doubt you know what that is.

Mantle was a far better overall hitter. You haven't proved me wrong so far. Strikeouts are useless. An out is an out is an out. They don't measure a great hitter.

[brnape]

He's just a better player Mantle played in tiny stadiums like Fenway Tiger stadium yankee short porch stadium and Mays played in the NL a much better league then

[EricAnno]

This is your argument? Seriously? What you stated is an opinion, not a fact. My stats are facts.

No one is arguing that Mantle was a better overall player. I said that he was a better hitter, which I have proven and you have chosen not to respond to that.

[vibra64]

Are you joking? Mantle could hit the ball out of any park. NL or AL.

[shandirocks]

@vibra64 so could willie stargell and he never used roids either.

[brnape]

Mays is better cause cause he's still alive end of story hahahahahah

[brnape]

10 year 100 or more rbi to mantles 4 338 stolen bases to 153

[EricAnno]

Oh, thanks for two stats.

Mantle OBP: .421

Mays OBP: .384

Mantle OPS: .977

Mays OPS: .941

Mantle OPS+: 172

Mays OPS+: 156

Mantle EqA: .353

Mays EqA: .332

But no, RsBI and stolen bases are clearly the better measurements!

[brnape]

only 2 stats anybody care about in baseball homeruns and RBI's everything else is can be thrown in the garbage heap, he was on base so much cause they pitched around him his body broke down while mays kept his game up his body in shape, Mays would be equal to Ali mantle to Tyson

[EricAnno]

RsBI are not measures of individual greatness, pal.

"everything else is can be thrown in the garbage heap"

First of all, nice grammar there. Second of all, home runs and RsBI are the only stats that matter? Are you kidding me? So, OPS+ and OBP, and EqA are just useless stats...let's just throw those away. They suck!

No, he was on base so much because he had a far better eye. And because he was a far better hitter.

And your comparisons are absolutely ridiculous and quite laughable.

[brnape]

all the other stats were made up so the player and the owner can sit down and measure performance just like now releivers now count how many holds they have HOLDS all i know mantle couldn't Hold Mays jock strap

[EricAnno]

"all i know mantle couldn't Hold Mays jock strap"

You still haven't given me any half-way decent reasons why. You gave me stolen bases (and failed to mention that while Mays stole more, Mantle had a better success rate) and RsBI (though they are more a measure of a team's greatness than the actual individual performer), Yet you say that Mays is SO much better, and give no logical reasons for that thought.

And you totally went off topic.

[stevevandien]

@EricAnno Not to jump into this debate, but Mantle once told Bob Costas that "Willie was better than me, and Hank was better than either of us." Personally, I think Mick and Willie had roughly equal talent, except for Mantle's power switch-hitting. Both were strong and fast, with powerful and accurate arms. But Mick had more injuries, which kept him from fulfilling his potential, although he still did damn well. Willie remained healthy enough to reach his.

[MickeyT54]

Mickeys strength came form his past.... working in the mines. He was muscularly more developed than most of the players. His eyes were sharp and when he swung, he commited 100% to his swing...no prisoners....caused lots of strike outs BUT created some magnificent

home run shots! Long live Mickey's memory !

[LazlosPlane]

It was so then and remains now, remarkable and unbelievable, how Mantle could hit for such power and average.

He is compared often to Mays, whom I loved growing up, but Mays wasn't a boil on Mantle's ass AT THEIR BEST.

Mantle was a 7 tool player: 1) run, 2)catch, 3) throw, 4) hit, 5) hit for power, 6) hit for average, and 7) intimidate the shit out of a pitcher from the on-deck circle.

How else could Maris get all those sweet pitches to hit?

[vibra64]

Your right. He was a swith hitter as well. Power on both side of the plate.

[amazingjourneys]

Nice job

[vibra64]

Listen to me: Mickey Mantle used no steriods. Never worked out. Abused his body. Still was the GREATEST swith hitter in baseball history. Players today like A-rod and others look at how they swing the bat. They ley go with one hand and still hit the ball 400 feet. Why? Because they use weights, take steriods and todays pitchers suck. Also the fences are shorter distances. Mantle played in Yankee stadium where center fiels was 460 feet away.

[carlinrulez666]

I know that Mantle never cheated, but you said that he never worked out?

[vibra64]

Yes, he never worked out. Don't know how old you are but buy a book about Mantle's life. He used to be out partying all night with Billy Martin and Whitey Ford. The next day he would hit 2 home runs!! He had natural power.

[paintballsniper777]

While I will never argue that Mantle had more natural power in his right arm than in both arms of A-rod I must clarify something as I do this myself. They do not one hand a swing unless by accident. I have a similar swing as many (With a mix of Ruth and Gehrig) and I can say when you let go of the handle it's on the back swing and as Rose said "has no benefit of power." None the less I do enjoy breaking down Mantle's swing to critique my own mechanics.

[changoilu]

Man I don't want to wax poetic here but this is truly a magnificent image. The swing was perfect,full extension,the WORKS!!!

This very special man was unique in every aspect of Baseball. When will people realize that there was only ONE Mantle and we shall NEVER see his like ever again.

[sussexcounty]

You can see this man's natural power. No "juice" either!

[Joeydback]

Cool footage, but that's not a homer.

[vibra64]

How would you know?

[loughran03]

Mantle had more natural ability than any player in history.3.1 seconds to first. The longest homer in history,ect.Ya there are a few guys with better lifetime stats, usually due to longevity, and Mantle did abuse himself,but his raw ability,power were unmatched, and I grew up in the bay area during the great Mays era. Mays had better stats,took good care of himself, and unlike Mantle he was good to the fans, but the Mick had the unmatched speed and power. May he rest in peace.

[yankeefantilldeath]

your actually buying jose canseco's bull crap

about arod

lol

no way dude

not until they have real evidence like they do for bonds and clemens

[ramsback28]

I agree. Who cares what Canseco has to say? He pissed away his hall of fame career.

[baseball396]

GO W SOX!!!

[Joeydback]

nice footage, but that was a ground ball.

[ozunasox]

Perfect Swing.

[ozunasox]

he swung a little late though

[dustin0004]

Cant swing perfect every pitch, just when you do and you swing as hard as he did its gonna go far.

[baseballgeek27]

Yeah, you're really one to criticize Mickey fucking Mantle! Jackass... how do you manage to breathe?

[vibra64]

A natural power hitter. And he could hit a ball a mile from either side of the plate. too bad todays kids and for that matter, kids born after Mickey died have only seen steroid freaks like B Bonds, M McGuire, S Sosa and many others. Todays players suck. They swing with one hand and the ball travels 500 feet.

[ThePaisans]

what a swing

[yankeefantilldeath]

arod is the mickey of today

he just murders the ball

with out roids

[ramsback28]

A ROD did roids bro. No one can touch Mickey. Switch hitter with god given power !!!

[dustin0004]

Chipper jones is the modern day verson with not as much power....Jones kinda just has a smoother swing though.

[vibra64]

Are you joking? How can a guy named Chipper compare to MM? NO way! Chipper can't even carry MM bat.

[linkcamp]

A young Mantle was faster than Dion Sanders to first base and hit them further than Ruth or Mcguire - a freak of nature.

[koolbossjock]

And his workout consisted of old fashion work.Breaking rocks with a sledge hammer and running and pushing minning cars up the trax.LMAO at these pri madonnas today.Oh I stubbed my toe i need a day off.

[rangerdgd1]

The guy was about 5'10,maybe 5'11 and weighed less then 200 lbs,and hit the ball farther then most player much bigger...I remember he hit a game winning homerun off Barney Schultz in the 1964 WS,that went into the 3rd deck at Yankee Stadium...Quite a monumental blast,even by today's steroid induced standards

[TheeStegamanQuirple]

hear! hear!

[rangerdgd1]

How about Frank Robinson winning the triple crown in 66'

[RUFan4Life]

i meant to win the Major League Triple Crown(led BOTH leagues in batting, homers, and RBIs)

robinson only led the AL in batting, homers, RBIs

[highlander924]

Balaroue are u fuckin stuped bro \? dude are u comparing Mickey Mantle to Du8stin prajoya. not a chanes bro Dustin Pedroia isebnt good enuf to wipe Mantles ass

[RUFan4Life]

he will always be the last person to win the mlb triple crown in batting.

(don't say carl yaz did it; he only led the AL in batting)

[hamshow]

Only in batting? How about RBI's who had more than Yaz in '67 ??? He was tide with Killebrew in HRs.

[RUFan4Life]

i meant he officially won the triple crown in the AL only, but yes, he was tied for most homers, and should not have been credited for it

[glum68]

If he was playing today with all that watered down pitching he would of hit 60 or 70 home runs. This was a guy that didn't lift weights, wasn't 6'5" and didn't use roids.

His injuries and boozing caught up to him later in his career. If he was healthy he could of hit over 600 home runs

[vibra64]

600 home runs? How about 700, 750 or 780?

[JzzamieX07X]

Before steroids and HGH!!!

[ozunasox]

how do u know they werent on steroids and hgh, is there proof that there wasnt any or did anyone even know about it

[MickeyT54]

Hey listen and get educated about athletes from years ago...they didn't know about molecular biology, hell, doctors barely knew

the science... let alone what they could use to improve athletic skills. So forget about roids in Mays or Mantle. These guys were natural athletes...and Mickey, if he hadn't abused his body would have broken every batting record in MLB history. He did what he did by abusing himself!

[vibra64]

You are correct. Only these dumb posters say that the MIck, Mays etc. where using drugs.

[keagleman21]

@MickeyT54 Mickey drank and partied his life away because he lived in fear of an early death. He saw his father, grandfather and uncle all die around or before 40 years old. Having had Osteomyelitis as a kid, a rare auto-immune disease, also added to Mick''s fears that death was waiting on him. He almost lost his leg then and had to have a number of operations as a kid. That was a terrible load for a young man to carry around. I think few people would have handled this burden much better.

[Balaroue]

I do know a player with that same swing (yet with far less power)... Dustin Pedroia, the rookie shortstop on the Red Sox. Same mechanics, etc... watch the kid when you have the chance.

[laurensadriaanse]

yeah right

[bionicbigfoot]

PEDROIA?!? Comparing his swing to Mantle's?? OMG. You're a Pink Hat, all the way. Probably a Yuppie transplant into South Boston. Silly, ignorant poser.

[hobbytown21]

actually smart ass, Pedroia does swing like Mantle, that is why Pedroia has the power that he does for such a small guy. THey have similar swings, they take huge strides and put absolutely everthing into every swing.

[vibra64]

Are you joking? Comparing this guy to Mantle!! Todays players, and players of the past 10 or 15 years, are all juiced up. A Roid, Bonds, Sosa, McGuire and God know how many more are all druggies. In Mantle's day, they played for the love of the game. Mantle, Mays, Aaron, Ted Williams, Ruth, Cobb, etc. would put todays so called "Stars" to shame!!

[vibra64]

Listen to me moron: we are talking about Mantle. Pedroia will be forgotten years from now. He is a nothing compared to Mickey. Mantle will forever be remembered as the GREATEST switch hitter with awesome power from both sides of the plate. Pedroia is a nothing.

End of story. Any other comments you send me will be deleted. I will not waste my time reading your idiotic comments.

[vibra64]

I agree with you!!

[vibra64]

LOL

[vibra64]

Have your eye sight checked!!

[vibra64]

Can anyone show me a player today or since MM who can swing a bat like that? No one can. MM was a "true" power hitter. A natural. No steriods, drugs, weights. A perfect power hitter.

[stevevandien]

Some of Mantle's teammates, like Joe Pepitone and Tom Tresh, said Mickey was simply the strongest man either had ever seen. And as you say, WITHOUT drugs or weights. Have you ever seen a photo of Mantle in his prime without his shirt ? Reminds me of Jimmie Foxx, another hugely strong and muscular guy who never lifted weights --

[vibra64]

Yes I have seen those photos. In the 1950's Life Magazine did a feature article on Mantle. Quite a few photos of the Mick without his shirt. If you do a Google search you may find some.

[23brookside]

His swing was a work of art, truly. Early in his career a fellow Yankee hit one into the uppermost deck at the old Yankee Stadium, a gigantic shot. Passing Mick on the bench, the player teased, "Top that one, kid." Mick promptly served a pitch into the same vicinity of the park, but higher and longer still. Returning to the dugout,Mick passed by and without saying a word, looked at the other player who had taunted him. "Drop dead, you son of a b****," the other said, or words to that effect.

[RUFan4Life]

lol!

[vibra64]

LOL!!

[vibra64]

What a swing!! Natural power. Not like todays so called "power hitters" who are all juiced up on steriods or HGH. Today, baseball players swing a bat with one hand and still hit the ball over 400 feet. Steriods anyone?

[Baroknoky]

Had it not been for that drain cover, The Mick no doubt would be the one that Bonds is chasing....he may have also set the records for stolen bases....simply the best natural ever......

[jantonice]

That swing is a thing of beauty. Its baseball ballet!

[jennpi24]

Mickey Mantle was one of the fastest baseball players ever until he got caught in a drain cover. He could have hit a lot more homeruns then 536. His swing is beautiful ,i know.

[DesertFox101]

*nods* It's quite a shame what he ended up. Baseball was his everything.

[vibra64]

What?? Are you drunk? Mantle was never on "roids".

[DesertFox101]

I never mentioned roids. I don't know much anything about him after his baseball career because that isn't the real Mantle, in my opinion. I'm just basing that statement after the fact that every interview of him later on shows a man beaten down by life. Two years ago when I posted that comment, I was very naive, and I still am now, but at least I know what the drain cover refers to.

[vibra64]

Understood.

[jennpi24]

ummmm......

[DesertFox101]

xD Nah, don't turn your nose up. You really have to appreciate baseball to like this. In fact, thank you Mrbaseball7 for posting this. Mickey Mantle put every fiber of his being into his swing; you can see it. It's beautiful, in a way.

[themetalgod21]

mantle swing was beatiful from both sides what power

[vibra64]

Beautiful, pure natural power. No roids there!!!

[bettydaw1970]

amen brotha!!!!