Mike Epstein on Hitting
Mike Epstein is one of America’s top hitting analysts and favorite instructors, having spoke at the American Baseball Coaches Association and other high profile conventions. Prior to Mike’s teaching years, he was an All-American baseball player and still holds the highest lifetime batting average of .384 at the University of California, Berkeley. He was a member of the United States Olympic baseball team, leading the team in many offensive hitting categories in Japan (1964). He was named the Sporting News and Topps Minor League Player-of-the-Year in 1966.Mike played for the Baltimore Orioles, Washington Senators, Oakland A’s, Texas Rangers, and California Angles from 1966 through 1974. He broke a longstanding Senator’s record for lefties by hitting 30 home runs in 1969, culminating in winning the American League Player Win Average Award, given to the league’s most productive offensive player (Willie McCovey won it in the National League). Mike also became one of a very select few in Major League history by belting four home runs in four consecutive at bats in 1971. He also led the World Champion Oakland A’s in home runs in 1972.Mike Epstein continued his career in baseball as a minor league manager and hitting coordinator, which has lead to his current career as one of baseball’s leading independent hitting instructors and consultants for baseball and softball.