Look for that quality at bat.

As a very wise baseball man recently said, "A time at bat is a terrible thing to waste." One of the baseball coach's major tasks is getting the hitters to understand the importance of each at-bat and to prepare them to work the pitcher to get it.

A hitter who studies the game, learns the strike zone, stays patient, and thinks with the pitcher is going to make a lot of line-ups.

Most hits are a result of pitcher mistakes - a breaking ball that doesn't break, poor location, failure to pitch to the hitter's weakness, pitching carelessly to the good hitters, tipping off the pitch by changing the mechanics, etc.

But, to give credit where credit is due, there are hitters who will bang the good pitch simply because they are good hitters who come up to the plate prepared for a quality at-bat.

The mental preparation includes a knowledge of the task at hand - bunt, hit and run, hitting the ball to the right side, or working the pitcher for a walk.

The hitter must also have a knowledge of the pitcher - his repertoire, pitching pattern, idiosyncrasies, coolness under fire, what rattles him.

They must always think with the pitcher: How'd he get me out the last time? What won't I see this time because I hit is so hard the last time?

The hitter must also be physically prepared to face the pitcher: have the skill to accomplish the task at hand - bunt, hit and run, hit a sacrifice fly, etc. - and have the ability to adjust his mechanics, perhaps shorten his swing against a hard thrower or with two strikes on him.

The quality at-bat is characterized by the batter never giving in to the pitcher, fighting off the pitcher's best pitch. A hitter who knows the strike zone will not swing at anything out of it and will often work deep into the count (3-1, 3-2).

Fouling off a few pitches will increase the chance of getting a walk or something good to hit, and will also take a toll on the pitcher - make him throw a lot of pitches and tire him out. Tired pitchers become mistake-prone pitchers.

It is important to understand that the hitter's ultimate goal in most situations is to hit the bail hard, even though hard-hit balls are sometimes hit right at a fielder, creating an out or a double play.

Line drives and long fly balls are often recognized as quality at-bats, since the batter usually worked to get a good pitch and hit it hard.

Hitters who can do this consistently are in good shape. The hits, runs, r.b.i.'s, and averages will take care of themselves.

In dutch situations, with the game on the line, who wouldn't want this kind of hitter up at the plate?