Tagged With "hitting geek"
Reply
Re: Pulling the trigger
My son has been in this situation before. In fact he's a leadoff hitter and he's scuffling right now. Like Tres_A, I'm just a dad, but my thought has always been "do what you need to do to reach the same level of comfort you had with your swing and your approach when you were at your best." In other words, "get your bucket and your tee and get in the cage."
Reply
Re: Pulling the trigger
My general observation, and my 2017 son likes to tell me this: it's harder than it looks in the stands. Or something to that effect. We've all seen our son's chase a first-pitch CB (or one drops in), lay-off a fat second pitch FB, and get in a deep hole and chase (or worse...look at strike 3). All part of the game. Pros do the same thing from time-to-time. I suppose the key is whether this is anomaly, a trend, or a consistent approach/result. If the latter, he won't be lead-off for long.
Reply
Re: Pulling the trigger
It's more than likely an anomaly. I've seen it happen to my son, usually once a year. Maybe twice through all 3 seasons. It happens. Just advise him to laugh it off and get back on the horse.
Reply
Re: Pulling the trigger
I was just reading a Yogi Berra quote book, and this one stands out: "How can you think and hit at the same time?" Don't think too much, just hit it
Reply
Re: Pulling the trigger
If it's one pitch, nothing to analyze. It happens. If it becomes habitual, then maybe he's guessing.
Reply
Re: Pulling the trigger
A MLB scout once told us that you have to have what he called a yes-yes-yes - no approach rather than a no-no-no-yes approach. As I understood him, he meant that on each pitch you are looking to do damage as a default, holding up only when the pitch reveals itself as NOT hammerable. A no-no-no-yes approach would I guess be the opposite, it's like "show me that you are hittable, pitch. But until you show me, I'm laying off." (although with a pitcher that cant find the strike zone....) He says...
Reply
Re: Pulling the trigger
Hitters have to go to the plate with a plan and execute it. Yes, hitters can get fooled on a pitch and get punched out. But this sounds like an unprepared at bat.
Reply
Re: Pulling the trigger
I mean, that observation is brilliant. We could observe Pete Rose or Babe Ruth or Mike Trout doing the EXACT same thing and draw the EXACT same conclusion as what is being discussed here. I'll take justbb's advice one step further - chill out people, chill out.
Reply
Re: Pulling the trigger
Is he doing active takes where he starts his lower body on every swing? https://youtu.be/GYDV0ScWq_k
Reply
Re: Pulling the trigger
Or if you can't stand listening to bobby for 15m just watch this https://twitter.com/CoachJeffL...567129606078464?s=09
Reply
Re: Pulling the trigger
Thanks Dominik, Yes his fundamentals were what they should be, appears to have just been a one time mental block. If it doesn't continue he should have another good year.
Reply
Re: Pulling the trigger
4 PA 2 AB, 1 for 2 with a single the other PA's were a walk and a sac bunt
Reply
Re: Pulling the trigger
Appreciate everyone's insight and knowledge as always. At this point no reason to think it will become a consistent problem so we will keep monitoring but if it occurs you have all provided some sound advice to consider. Thanks!
Reply
Re: Pulling the trigger
Probably got caught expecting a ball. His timing was off. Or it was the mental issue of having to deal being down 0-1.
Reply
Re: Pulling the trigger
So what's the problem? He was off his game one at bat. Sure, he could have had a better mental approach in the failed at bat. But, it's one at bat.
Reply
Re: Pulling the trigger
RJM, Now that you broke the ice, yeah, that was my first thought as well. One step further: If batters didn't screw up a LOT, then the games would last way too long. That's how I console myself in the 3B coaching box.
Reply
Re: Ga Tech "buys" new, big ARM
The hitting facility in Madison has this machine and it is "whats advertised". You can pick a RH or LH pitcher, the type of pitch, the speed, and the location (in/out up/down) in the zone. I sat in there as a left hander, against a LHP throwing a 95mph slider down and in. I left "soiled". The ball broke about 7 ft from the plate. Being a bit of a geek, the software that runs on a laptop outside the cage door rocks, it is user friendly, and a coach can sit there and throw what ever sequence...
Reply
Re: Keeping your own stats
Whether on the bench as a coach [HS and Legion] or not, I tend to keep my own version of a pitch chart, particularly when Junior is on the hump. He remembers virtually nothing about particulars after the fact, so if I'm not there, facts are few. In addition to the actual "book", I track pitches, strikes, strike %, first pitch strikes and %, K, BB, WHIP, etc. As someone in a earlier post stated "The numbers don't tell the whole story". How True!! When the HS team goes 10-30 over the last 2...
Reply
Re: Radar Guns
If you're to the side, you get the cosine component of the velocity. If you were at a right angle to the pitching direction, you should get a reading of 0 or darn near it. As stated, the best angle is in direct line with the direction of the pitch...can be either behind the pitcher or behind the catcher. There, how's that for an engineering answer? What a geek!
Reply
Re: Radar Guns
justbaseball, That's not being a geek! I think that's sound advice. But it stared me thinking.....Help me out here.....My son just bought a new car and since he had no credit the bank asked me to cosine for him. Since I cosined for his car, will that effect the police radar if he goes thru a speed trap??
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
Dad says 2 hands on bat? I think all dads say that. The question to you is did it help you hit the ball harder or more square?
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
That's what dad says. And I'm not sure if it does, I think it probably does. But I'm not 100% sure.
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
I'll be curious to hear other responses. The top hand is a big part of the equation. In order to maximize bat speed and power, it must be fully engaged through the contact zone. For most, a good gage to measure that is where the top hand ends up at the finish of the swing. If it ends up at least up near the shoulder of the bottom hand, then top hand release was not too early. If it ends up low and across the mid-section, this is often an indication that release was early and the hitter...
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
I'm just a dad and former Little League coach, not a HS coach like Cabbage, so take my opinion with a large dose of salt. 8 of the most successful teams in MLB are playing right now. Why not watch those guys and see how many finish their swing with one hand on the bat? I'm thinking you'll see that the great majority finish with 2 hands on. Of those few that take the top hand off, I think you'll see that it stays on at least until they extend through the ball -- IOW keep the top hand on past...
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
I agree with the variables as to why the top hand could come off. I want to keep 2 hands on the bat, but the one handed follow through just happens.
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
I want to have a 2 handed follow through, just something I will work on. Got a tournament this weekend. Will try to get video then.
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
read this article https://baseballrebellion.com/...ith-one-hand-or-two/ both can work buy don't release before you finish the turn (back shoulder points to the pitcher).
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
Doesn't matter after contact. Can be either way if it helps you to square it up and hit as hard as you can. You may roll over on the ball or popup if you are trying to acheive an arbitrary post contact position such as 2 hands on the bat or being balanced AFTER contact. Once the ball leaves the bat there is NOTHING more you can do to effect the outcome. So 1 or 2 hands AFTER contact is irrelevant.
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
It's irrelevant right up to the point you hit my kid (the catcher) in the back of the head with your one hand release swing.
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
Still irrelevant. Wouldn't make me change how I hit. Apparently not a concern for so many others who do it too.
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
the most meaningless discussion in baseball...it doesn't matter if you release the bat properly. I have one who finishes with one hand and one who finishes with 2. There are mountains of videos showing awesome swings from both sides of the plate with both forms of release. nothing to see here folks.
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
it sucks to be hit by a backswing but a catcher Needs to be Aware of that and set up properly. maybe that is even a slight Advantage of the one handed finish .
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
My son is a catcher. It DOES such to be hit by a one-handed backswing. Especially by the same kid in back to back ABs. Fortunately, he wears a hockey style helmet and that's the only time he's ever been hit by a back swing. DOMINIK85: are you implying that potentially hitting a catcher with a backswing is a good thing (somehow)?
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
no not really but if the catcher has to stand back farther it could be a disadvantage. not advocating to do this intetionally of course. ken griffey had a huge backswing, that was just his swing and not intended to hurt catchers. catchers had to adapt to his swing and not vice versa. https://thunderblogsports.file...r-follow-through.jpg
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
Once contact has been made the only thing that matters is get out of the box and start running. One hand or two hands don't matter. I like what Cabbage said about where top hand ends up and switching to two hands for drill purposes. But once the ball is hit the swing is over and now you transition to running. If a catcher gets hit then it's the catcher's fault for being too close. I learned that back in the day when my throwing elbow got drilled by a bat on a follow through.
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
As a catcher I don't care, it's a risk that I take. As a rule of thumb i will take my glove hand it fits a Righ handed batter and make sure my glove is 2 inches or so from his leg, then I should be good. But sometimes it just happens and I get hit. Doesn't matter, just shake it off and act like it doesn't happen, shows how tough you are anyways.
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
But it doesn't matter when the hand is released. If it is released too early then you are not getting your money's worth on the swing, that's what I've learned from other people's comments.
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
If I may.... The key to understanding is this. What is critical is the drive Thru the ball and not to the ball. Once a hitter drives through the ball with one palm up and one Palm down the wrist will roll over and the ball is gone! Hold on or let go... The torque of the body will determine it naturally!
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
Charlie Lau - What the critics failed to understand was that the hitter released his top hand only after making contact with the ball. A hitter could actually extend the bat further with one hand, rather than holding onto the bat with both hands. To Lau’s way of thinking, extension mattered more than gripping the bat with two hands after the fact. You will see batters that typically keep two hands on the bat alter that when having to extend for an outside pitch or for a pitch they misjudged.
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
LL, 17 and under, poor hitters should follow through with both hands to make sure they make good contact and maintain bat speed through contact. It's irrelevant for elite hitters though. I have a habit of holding onto the bat and then having to swing it around again to drop it after making contact, so letting go of the top hand after contact allows me to get to 1st faster.
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
My son, 14u, has been hit twice in the back of the head. Twice the batters have been called out instantly and both team coaches came running for him. In order to avoid it he would have had to have been at least 6 feet behind the plate, that's just not feasible. My hope is as the kids get older they can swing one handed without hitting the catcher.
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
Is he getting hit on the front end of the swing or the follow through? Getting hit in the back of the head I could see horrible swings where they throw the barrel out then try to bring it through the zone which could get him. If it's on the backswing I would have to see it to figure out what's going on. It does get better as he gets older......thankfully
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
RHB swings at an upward angle let's go with right hand, bat/arm continue motion as bat starts descending, body does a nearly full twist and the bat (while arm is fully extended) hits my son on the back of the head, HARD.
Reply
Re: Two Hands on the Bat!!
This is an unfortunate situation that happens at times for catchers (that's me). I have gotten hit by a bat in the chest, the kid threw the bat backwards after the swing, and it hit me across the chest and helmet, he was called out by the umpire.