We've all had the experience of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Those moments in life when we have bad timing. Well, hitting is like life in that way because timing is everything! Think about a pitcher's objective, they are trying to make you look foolish and send you back to the dugout, and the most effective way for a pitcher to do this is to disrupt a hitter's timing at the plate.
When facing a pitcher that seems to have your number and is particularly difficult to time, it is way better to be get jammed than it is to be out in front. There are several reasons why this statement is true. For one thing, if you are getting jammed it's usually a ground ball, and when you are out in front it's usually a fly ball. So the likelihood of getting on base goes up if you are late, not early, because ground balls are typically more productive than fly balls.
The second and most important reason has do with a hitter's mentality or mindset. If you are jammed and late on a swing, it's evidence that you are still trusting your hands and waiting as long as possible to swing, which optimizes your bat speed. The opposite is true about being out in front. When you are out in front, usually there are some issues mentally to deal with regarding confidence, patience, anxiety, etc.
One of the best ways for a developing hitter to gain comfort at the plate is to be prepared. This ability to feel comfortable at the plate can be developed through hours of practice and preparation. MaxBP offers some of the best training out there for hitters looking to improve their timing at the plate. The MaxBP Pro offers a variety of breaking pitches (curve, cutter, slider) from the left-handed and right-handed trajectory, providing a quality simulation of pitcher aiming to throw the kitchen sink at a hitter.
So remember, trust your hands and let the ball come to you, because timing is everything!