I had to laugh. I kiddingly told Paul that George Steinbrenner hadn't hired me to be an advance scout. While Paul and I are friends, I don't necessarily want to be friends with players. But I do try to be friendly. I like to watch batting practice because I think it's very enlightening.
Some players take the wrong approach, and it becomes a home run derby.
It shouldn't be just for show. You can definitely tell the smart hitters by how seriously they take batting practice. The best way to approach b.p. is to hit from fine to line because it helps establish muscle-memory for the front shoulder to be locked in. Dick Allen, when he took batting practice, always worked from the opposite side to the pull side. He'd hit ground balls the other way and then explode on the last couple of pitches-and he was ready.