Hitting with the Proper Effort Level

Question:

My 15 year old is playing freshmen ball, excelling behind the plate but struggling with the bat. He has problems tracking the ball, recognizing location, getting out in front of the plate. I’m telling him to use the pitches he calls for as a catcher as an aid in tracking ball rotation and spin. He’s short to the ball with his hands but sometimes is slow getting them there. Too often he’s fighting off the ball as it gets into the plate too deep. The ball’s hitting the bat as opposed to the opposite happening. He’s now ripping his hands through the zone quicker but if the bat head isn’t meeting the ball out in front, hand speed is being negated. Using Vision Training drills in trying to help the ball tracking, using Harvey D’s book to keep his head straight in fighting through what he perceives to be a slump. And in this case, he needs success FIRST before he gets the confidence. We need help in Boston, can you simplify my approach in helping him?

Answer:

When kids start to struggle they start trying harder, this leads to jumping at the ball and all kinds of mechanical breakdowns, as well as visual problems because of excessive head movement. Before you overhaul his swing check his effort level, his hands should be at 100% but throughout his swing he should be able to stay on balance. Keep doing the vision training drills, it will only help his tracking and reaction.

You mention in another post a spinning around the front foot. It sounds like he is casting his hands and spinning off the ball, make sure his weight transfer is correct and he is getting his weight from back to center, have him try to drive the ball right back through the middle while staying inside the ball.

How to Set Goals

Your goals should be definite and challenging.  Proper goal setting will both challenge you and give you a feeling of accomplishment when you attain them.  Also, you should feel free to modify your goals if necessary.

Remember on goal setting to stick to the positives rather than the negatives.  Always focus on what you want to do rather than on what you want to avoid doing.  This keeps you focused on success rather than on avoiding failure.

Your Goals should be:

• Specific in nature
• Challenging but realistic
• Short term
• Measurable on a day by day basis
• Positive in nature

Where to Put Your Hands and Arms

Let’s examine the correct placement for the hands and arms.  This varies from player to player, yet despite these variances, there is success with each.  If you look at Craig Counsell, he holds his bat up over his head with the barrel of the bat pointing to the pitcher. His stance looks very uncomfortable.

Contrast this with Eric Davis who holds his bat down close to his belt buckle.  There is an important fact to know here.  No matter where these guys stand, or how their arms are in the stance, after they take their stride, all good hitters come to the same point with their hands.  That point is right around the shoulders which is about the top of the strike zone, on top of or behind the back foot.  It is not where you start, but where you finish that matters.

How to Teach Young Players

Question:

Your material is top rate. I am having incredible results with both my kids (boy – 7 and girl – 9). I am managing my son’s team as well as a coach for my daughter’s team. My approach thus far is to cover all aspects of hitting fundamentals with all the kids starting on the set up and working forward. My time with each player is limited to about 10 minutes a week. Are there fundamentals that I should focus on that will get more observable results than others? With these kids getting limited reps, the progress is slow. I have completed the entire swing and am wondering if I start back at the beginning as most kids still struggle with the basics. I would appreciate any thoughts.

Answer:

With young kids, I recommend you start with their legs. Make sure their legs are in the proper position, so that they can complete their swing staying on balance. The practice time you are able to give them is not enough alone.  Give them specific areas to work on, such as working on balance in front of their mirror at home. If they have a tee at home, give them something specific to work on. If you can get more help, I would set up more drill stations so the kids can get more swings. They need to swing the bat everyday to improve their skills.

Important: Hitting the Right Pitch

Being selective at the plate is vital for a team’s success.  Why is it important?

• The win/loss record is very poor when opposing pitchers throw less than 115 pitches per game.
• Low pitch counts keep the opposition’s pitching staff in stronger positions.  Starter is able to go longer while team is unable to see 7th through 11th pitcher on staff.
• When opposing pitcher has 5 to 6 pitched innings, his confidence increases.  Hitters want to see all of the pitcher’s repertoire and early hitting eliminates seeing all the pitcher’s pitches.
• Non-selective hitters don’t get the job done in “clutch situations’ because pitchers are trying to make tough pitches starting from the first pitch.
• When the “set-up” men come into the ball game, outs on the first and second pitch is poor hitting.

Getting Back to the Basics

What is the ‘batter’s box’ in baseball?
The batter’s box in baseball is designed to keep the batter in a certain space. So he doesn’t gain an advantage. So it’s basically made up of a chalk and it’s for the right handed side of the batter and for the left handed side of the batter. And again it’s just to keep them in a certain space that they are not allowed to go beyond that boundary.

What is the ‘on-deck circle’ in baseball?
The on-deck circle is designed for the next hitter coming to the plate. It’s close to the dugout, for safety reasons, so the on-deck hitter is not vulnerable to getting hit, obviously. And a second reason why the on-deck circle is near the dugout is so that the batter doesn’t get an unfair advantage by getting too close to the plate and actually getting a better look at what the pitcher’s throwing.

What is the ‘batting cage’ in baseball?
The ‘batting cage’ in baseball is set up for the hitters before the game so that more or less the balls stay in one area, so that they’re not chasing the balls around. When a batter hits, it’s nice because the balls will be held by the netting of the cage and the third thing is that the coaches can get very close to the hitter and watch from behind and maybe help them work on technique.

What is ‘pine tar’ and how is it used in baseball?
Pine tar is a sticky substance that is used in baseball really to give a header a great grip on the bat. This is so the bat doesn’t flat your hands, or the bat doesn’t feel loose in your hands, or they don’t feel as good as a grip on the bat.

What is the right way to grip a baseball bat?
The appropriate way to grip a baseball bat is to keep your hands relatively loose, the looser your hands are, the looser your muscles are and the better that they fire, the better that they operate. So I would say generally speaking “loose” there is a technical way to do it so where your knuckles, your first knuckle on each finger line up your right hand with your left hand, but generally speaking the idea is that your hands should be relatively comfortable and it should not be really tight when you grip a baseball bat.

What does it mean to ‘choke up’ on a baseball bat?
Choking up on a bat is really done in situations where you feel you’re overmatched by the pitcher. He’s throwing very hard or you have two strikes on you, so you’re really in a protective mode where you don’t want. You want to keep your swing a little shorter and you want to have a little more control at the bat. So, by choking up you’re actually getting a little more control, and you’re less vulnerable to someone overpowering you.

What is the right way to hold and position a baseball bat when preparing to hit?
The appropriate way to hold a bat when you’re positioning yourself to hit the ball is really, varied. There’s many schools of how you hit. But generally speaking, your hands should be pretty much placed somewhere towards your back shoulder. Your hands should be about the height of your shoulder, and again, they should be in a pretty relaxed position. How you hold the bat forward or backward really depends on your hitting coach.

What is the right way to position my body when preparing to hit a baseball?
The most appropriate way to prepare your stance before hitting a baseball, first of all, is that there’s very different ways. There’s the option of opening your front foot, which is called an open stance, so that you can actually see the ball a little bit better, and your front side, or your front shoulder, is more open or toward third base. There’s a closed stance where your front shoulder is actually pointing more towards first base – this being a right-handed hitter. Some players like to crouch a little bit more because it keeps them more compact. Some players like to get more upright, because it actually keeps your head more still, and you tend to see the ball better.

Where should I stand in the batter’s box when preparing to hit a baseball?
The place you should stand in a batter’s box will vary. If the pitcher is throwing very hard, hitters tend to move towards the back of the box, and towards the catcher, so they have more time to react and see the ball. If the pitcher is not throwing very hard or he is throwing a lot of off speed pitches like curve balls or changeups, hitters tend to move forward, because they want to catch the ball before it dies or before it breaks on them.

What type of pitch should I expect from the pitcher in baseball?
The type of pitch you should be expecting from a pitcher is a fastball. Fastballs are thrown approximately 70% of the time in a game, and probably even more at the lower levels. So you really should expect a fastball. And for the most part, you want to hit a fastball because that’s what hitters are trained to swing at more than any other pitch in batting practice.

What should I focus on as I prepare to hit a baseball?
The key things you should be focusing on when you prepare to hit a baseball are, number one, to see the ball well. If you see the ball well, it’s the single most important ingredient to having success at the plate. Number two is to be relaxed. Take a deep breath before you get in the batter’s box. Number three, again, keep the body loose, and keep the hands loose.

Where should I be trying to hit the ball during a baseball game?
The place you want to hit the baseball during a baseball game really depends on the situation. For the most part, you want to hit the ball where it’s pitched. If it’s pitched away from you, you want to hit it to the right side if you’re right-handed. If it’s pitched in toward you, you want to pull it to the left side if you’re right-handed. However, there are certain situations in a game when you’re supposed to hit the ball to the right side of the field, or you’re supposed to try to drive the ball to the outfield to maybe score a run from third base.

What is the ’sweet spot’ on a baseball bat?
The ’sweet spot’ on a baseball bat is considered that area which is only about maybe four inches long, just above the label of the bat, which is the center of the bat and just below the top of the bat. It’s more towards the top of the bat and is about four inches long, and it’s where the ball tends to have the most power or force behind it from the bat itself.

What is the batter’s ‘wheelhouse’ in baseball lingo?
The batter’s wheelhouse is a term that is really based on the hitter being able to develop the maximum amount of power, usually that means a ball that’s on the inside part of the plate and usually about waist height. For some reason that seems to be the area where a hitter can hit the ball the furthest or pull the ball the furthest to left field if they’re right handed. They call it a wheelhouse because he can get the most amount of power from that area where the ball is pitched at.

What is a ‘designated hitter’ or ‘DH’ in baseball?
A designated hitter in baseball is actually something that was made popular in the 1970s. And what happened is, in baseball, you started getting players who no longer were able to play defence as they got older, but they were still great hitters. So they decided, instead of having the pitcher hit, they would replace the pitcher with what was called the designated hitter. So he’s actually the designated hitter, meaning he’s hitting for the pitcher, and his job is to simply hit when the pitcher’s spot would come up. He doesn’t play defence.

What is a ’switch-hitter’ in baseball?
A switch-hitter in baseball is someone who can hit both left handed and right handed. Most baseball players either hit right handed or left handed, but the switch-hitter can do both.

What is a ‘pinch hitter’ in baseball?
A pinch hitter is a player that comes up at some point in the game and hits for a player that is already in the game. His job is to come off the bench, when he’s not necessarily that warmed up, but he’s got to find a way to pinch hit for the player that’s already in the game.

The Winning Attitude

Approach attitudes include a player’s plan (what he is going to do) and his approach (how he is going to do it).  Players have approach attitudes about everything that they do in the game.  These attitudes can change from pitch to pitch, just as their job and the situation in the game changes.  Approach attitudes direct the player; they are his guidance system.

The words hope, need, not, and won’t are negative.  Keep them out of your self talk vocabulary.

As a starting point, examine your attitudes concerning the following:

• Seeing the ball
• Where the best point o contact is for pitches inside, middle, outside, etc.
• Hitting pitches to the opposite field, up the middle and to the pull field
• Bunting for a hit, sacrifice and squeeze
• Hit and run
• Hitting mechanics
• Your strike zone

The Proper Stance

As you look around the baseball and softball world, you will see all types of different stances.  From Little League to the Major Leagues the stances will vary.  As a young player it is good to initially experiment with different types of stances. I’ve heard Ted Williams says that he would see a new player come into the league and like something this player was doing with his stance and he would try it.  He always went back to what he was comfortable with buy he wasn’t afraid to try something new.

You shouldn’t be afraid to try new things, but at the same time you should not be changing your stance everyday.  Find a stance that is comfortable and workable and stick with it.  When something is no longer working for you, make and adjustment!

Don’t Have a Loser’s Limp

A mentally weak individual makes excuses for his or her actions instead of owning up to their mistakes.  I once called a player into my office after a game to find out why he had botched a routine pop-up to the infield.  Before I spoke a word, he said, “Did you see the wind take that ball?”  This sounds like a good reason for missing a pop-up, however, the wind didn’t just start blowing right before the ball was hit – the wind fooled him because he hadn’t anticipated before – hand what effect the wind might have on a ball hit in the air.  This was a lack of preparation on his part which he didn’t handle properly.  His appropriate response should have been, “I messed up the play because I wasn’t prepared for what the wind was going to do.”  I would have replied, “Good, you learned something.”  The End.  I wasn’t upset at him for the error, I was disturbed at his loser’s limp.  One of the keys to improving your game is to take responsibility for your actions – learn from them and then move on.

In order to be successful in life as well as in athletics, you must develop mental toughness.  Learning to persevere through the difficult circumstances, to control your emotions despite what occurs around you, and not making excuses for your actions are vital components to achieving your goals.  Anyway you look at it, life is a battle.  Don’t fall short and become a casualty or worse – a fatality.  The players who don’t make it to the next level, yet should, are fatalities.  Don’t add your name to the list.

Hitting Philosophy: Aggressive Under Control

This is the philosophy I teach and naturally I strongly believe it is the correct one.  If you would like to see this exemplified as a team philosophy, just look at the Oakland A’s, the Yankees, and the Boston Red Sox.  From an individual aspect, hitters who use this philosophy are many of the top hitters you see in the Major Leagues who have high base on ball numbers as well as a high on base percentage.

Individual examples: Several players who exemplify this philosophy in action are: Jason Giambi, Barry Bonds, Jim Thome, Bernie Williams, Manny Ramirez, and Eric Chavez; the list goes on and on.  Recognize the fact that these hitters are also among the top ten in base on balls.  Look at this list of hitters and ask yourself if you think they go up to the plate looking for a walk… of course not.  The walk is a by-product of having a good strike zone and not giving in to the pitcher by swinging at his pitch.  Unfortunately, most littler league and high school coaches think walks show a lack of aggressiveness.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  It is not that any of these individuals (or teams, for that matter) are not aggressive; these are some of the most aggressive hitters in the league but also the most disciplined.

Hitters that consistently swing and make outs early in the count are actually fearful hitters.  They fear striking out.  They’ll hit the first thing close that they see.  Contrast this to the confident hitters who do not fear getting deep in the count and making the pitcher work.  This philosophy gives you the best of both worlds, that is, if you’re disciplined enough and mentally tough enough to use it.

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