In 1971, Hall of Famer Ted Williams wrote the book "The Science of Hitting", his extremely detailed fundamental guide on how to hit a baseball and the thought process behind it. Ball State University first baseman Brad Miller, however, does not follow the philosophies of the "Splendid Splinter."
"I actually read his book," Miller said. "A lot of it was so complicated that you just need to break it down into simpler terms."
When Miller is not at the plate, he isn't looking for the seams of the ball. He also hasn't constructed a strike zone in his head so that he knows what spots in the zone he hits best.
"I don't think about anything," he said. "When you're in the zone, you're just seeing the ball and hitting the ball. When I don't think at all, that's when I do the best."
It's hard to argue with the results. Miller is hitting .333 with 21 home runs and 75 RBIs. He is eighth in the nation in home runs per game (0.37), eighth in RBIs per game (1.32), 26th in slugging percentage (0.688) and 29th in runs per game (1.16).
"He's the marquee guy in our lineup," Ball State coach Greg Beals said. "He's somebody that the opposing team has to account for. They know when he's on deck or when he's in hole. He affects how another team pitches and plays defense against us."
His power numbers are much higher than last season. In 2005, he only hit eight home runs and recorded 49 RBIs. Opposing pitchers were pitching around Miller after he had a monster sophomore year. He didn't struggle batting-wise as a junior though, hitting .357, showing a willingness to take walks and not to chase pitches. There's nothing wrong with that, but when a reputation as a power hitter has been built, it can be tough to handle.
"This year, I was just a little more aggressive at the plate," Miller said. "I kind of said I'm not real satisfied with the walks, let's go for the doubles and home runs a little more and try to get the RBIs up. With Justin Rogers hitting behind me, he got hot and kind of helped pitchers throw at me a little bit more."
His relaxed attitude at the plate is the same off of the baseball diamond. Ball State third baseman C.J. Webb, Miller's roommate on the road, said his easy-going personality is part of what makes him a great teammate.
"He's one of those guys that you need on the team," Webb said. "He's going to lead by example. He's not going to rally the troops and yell and scream."
In his junior year, pitchers were avoiding him at the plate for a reason. In 2004, Miller's sophomore year, he hit .366 with 15 homers and 58 RBIs. After the season, Miller was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 49th round of the Major League Baseball draft.
The decision to either stay at BSU or go pro was an easy one. There was no reason to leave college so soon when he felt he wasn't ready for the big leagues.
"I told everyone I was not ready," said the Muncie Central High School product. "I wanted to stay here at Ball State and get things done with the MAC Tournament and everything. There was no chance of me going pro after that year."
He is expected to go somewhere in between the 15th and the 25th rounds in next week's MLB draft.
On May 20, Miller broke one of the most important records in baseball, setting a Ball State mark for home runs in a career with 50. Matt Wood previously held the mark at 49.
Miller is still two home runs away from the single season record, held by Thomas Howard. Howard played with six teams during the course of a 11-year career in the major leagues.
"[The home run record] wasn't what I was striving for, but once I did it, I sat and looked back at the things I've done, and I felt real good about myself," said Miller, who also holds school records for RBIs and hits.
The reason Miller stayed at Ball State, to finally make it to the NCAA Regionals, has finally paid off for the Cardinal first baseman. Ball State won its first ever Mid-American Conference championship on Saturday, defeating Kent State University 7-4. The Cardinals are two weekends away from playing in the College World Series and the chance to play there is what drives Miller and his teammates.
"It's something that's the ultimate goal for any type of college player," he said. "To get there and just to be in that environment would just be awesome. That definitely drives us a little bit more to play a little bit harder."
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