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I have been playing ball for over 13 years, but somehow I cannot get over the fear of the ball being so close to me, sometimes I jump back when in the box when really, i could have swung and it would have been a good hit. Do you guys have any tips for...

That can be a tough one. First, make sure that you're turning away from truly inside pitch, and not just lurching backwards. Second, get acclimated. Ask your coach if you can stand in the box while the pitchers throw their pens.

I'm going to be completely honest with you. If you've been playing 13 years, you must be at least 16. If you are still afraid of getting hit at this point, you are going to have to take a fairly drastic step to get over that or find another sport (and nothing wrong with that). You will need to take a full-on "embrace getting hit" approach. Have someone throw inside pitches at you as you stand behind a square screen. Practice turning in and taking the hit on your large muscles for pitches...

Good stuff in the posts above. Along with standing in during pens, which some pitchers actually like having (others don't of course)... Try standing in with a pitching machine dialed up to mid to upper 90s. Depending on the machine, you might dial up a curve/slider type pitch shape along with FBs... Random mix if possible. Just grab a bat and work on striding while tracking each pitch... No swinging. Get comfortable with the speed and natural ball movement... And work your way in toward the...

Learn to direct your focus away from getting hit and only focus on attacking the ball. Be aggressive at the plate.

The first thing to avoiding a HBP relates to vision. As a hitter are you seeing the ball well? Do you wear glasses? Have you had your vision checked. The key to hitting is seeing the ball well and the same with avoiding being hit by a ball. If you pick up the ball as early as possible you have more reaction time and this is the whole key to confident at bats. If you are sure vision is not an issue then you MUST practice getting out of the way of the ball to become empowered with the...

Originally Posted by Dadcoach: There is actually proper technique and it involves turning AWAY from the ball, (not into it!) Remember- Good hitters avoid HBP and are good at hitting because they are skilled at seeing the ball well. You mean turn into the pitch right? Also a hitter will take a HBP to get on base (except the head) it shows lack of fear of the ball.

Turn into the pitch? Must be a confusion of terms. Faced with a pitch off the plate inside, a right handed batter will tuck his left shoulder toward the catcher. Correct? I would call that turning away from the pitch. Reminds me of a kid I had in LL Minors. Big kid, bad attitude; had some potential, but was only there because his parents made him. I was showing him how to turn away from a pitch and wear it on his back so he wouldn't get hurt. He wouldn't hear of it. He said that if he was...

Originally Posted by JCG: Turn into the pitch? Must be a confusion of terms. Faced with a pitch off the plate inside, a right handed batter will tuck his left shoulder toward the catcher. Correct? I would call that turning away from the pitch. Reminds me of a kid I had in LL Minors. Big kid, bad attitude; had some potential, but was only there because his parents made him. I was showing him how to turn away from a pitch and wear it on his back so he wouldn't get hurt. He wouldn't hear of it.

Yup, I'm used to same terminology as Standball but just semantics. Dadcoach, everyone from at least HS JV up (if not younger) teaches and encourages players NOT to avoid HBP (unless at the head) but instead, how to get hit properly. Sorry, good hitters do not avoid HBP. OP is a teen and struggling with fear of HBP. The last thing he wants to be thinking about is to move to avoid being hit. You must be dad of a pitcher

Cabbagepatch, My son is actually a hitter, a sophomore who is leading his HS Varsity team in average and slugging so far this season. Scouts are fairly impressed with his approach and the training he has received. One of the keys to coaching is listening very careful to a player who is asking for help. You are right about HBP to the head. But this player has admitted he has true fear of the ball which is a special issue different than a regular hitter.It sounds like you have not coached a...

Originally Posted by cabbagedad: Originally Posted by Dadcoach: Cabbagepatch, My son is actually a hitter, a sophomore who is leading his HS Varsity team in average and slugging so far this season. Scouts are fairly impressed with his approach and the training he has received. One of the keys to coaching is listening very careful to a player who is asking for help. You are right about HBP to the head. But this player has admitted he has true fear of the ball which is a special issue...

Yes- we need to hear from RyyMann for his age and level of play- I am guessing around 16. There is a fascinating chapter in the book "Three Nights In August" by Buzz Bissinger where Tony LaRussa's view on the HBP and beanbballs are a factor. The chapter highlights how this can have a huge and permanent impact on the mental approach of a hitter. Until I read this book I never understood the "Self-Police" approach to paybacks and what it was about from a managers perspective. The book is a...

One of the things we did when I played was actually practicing getting hit by pitches. We would start out with a Juggs Lite Flight machine, just to get techniques down. Then we would then move on to an actual pitching machine set at about 65 with real balls. It helps you realize that it doesn't really hurt that much and it gets you over the fear.

Wow, cabbagedad has posted an impressive resume and his experience is still questioned and from movies. Ted Williams was HBP 39 times in his career. While that isn't a lot, he was dinged a few times. "Getting out of the way" means so many things to good hitters. For example, with my child, one drill we do is called "The Progression Drill." In that drill, I throw at her front hip, throw one down the middle and then throw one away. She protects herself or "gets out of the way" on the one to...

Originally Posted by Dadcoach: Yes- we need to hear from RyyMann for his age and level of play- I am guessing around 16. There is a fascinating chapter in the book "Three Nights In August" by Buzz Bissinger where Tony LaRussa's view on the HBP and beanbballs are a factor. The chapter highlights how this can have a huge and permanent impact on the mental approach of a hitter. Until I read this book I never understood the "Self-Police" approach to paybacks and what it was about from a managers...