The phrase ’off with the crack of the bat’, while romantic, is really meaningless, since the outfielder should be in motion long before he hears the sound of the ball meeting the bat.

DiMaggio is puncturing a romantic cliché about fielding—reacting “with the crack of the bat”—by stressing that elite defense depends less on raw reflex and more on anticipation. A great outfielder reads the pitcher, the hitter’s stance and swing, and the likely trajectory off the bat, beginning his first step before the auditory cue arrives. The remark highlights a broader athletic principle: what looks like instantaneous reaction is often the product of preparation, positioning, pattern recognition, and experience. In that sense, DiMaggio reframes “quickness” as intelligence and readiness rather than mere speed, suggesting that mastery is proactive rather than reactive.