Can't ask for more than hitting it on the screws, especially against a top tier pitcher. No batter will hit the ball hard for an entire season but have nothing to show for it but it can happen over the course of one game (or 5 games, even). Things even out over the course of a season and the numbers will be a good reflection. No one was awarding anything about effort, just commenting that the Cubs had some good swings on the ball but, sadly, they were at fielders. It does matter how it happens if you want to improve from game to game and work on fixing problems Exactly. Hitting the ball hard is all you can ask of a batter. In fact, if somehow a batter did hit the ball hard every at bat the whole season but hit .000, I'd bring him back the next year.