12yo Hitting Clips

Thanks Callaway! I'll take a look tonight (hopefully).

Jason

Somwtimes i hate being brutally honest, but from thoe clips, they all look like he 'accidentally' made contact below the ball.


however for that age he has well developed mechanics for his age.

Not a good swing.

The good news is that he led the league in "accidental" contacts!

I agree w/ Mr 3000. For his age his mechanics are certainly developed. Now it's what does he do with them from here.

Of course he needs to continue to get stronger as all 12 year olds do. I would like to see him learn how to generate more through the glutes and lower half.

He needs to develop proper movement patterns. He some some well and needs work on others.

Do you use wood bats at all during practice? If so continue to do so. If not get one as it will assist in many aspects of his swing.

All in all I think it's a solid swing at this point. Can I ask what his results are? I would assume pretty good.

quote:

Can I ask what his results are?

He led the League in accidental HR's and accidental average.

Thats typical. He is 12 in a 12 and under league.

Lebron James was another athlete who was typical.

Vance34

I don't mind criticism, but how about something constructive? Thanks.

Vance,

I second Callaway's post.

While a video of the complete swing would be much better to make a complete evaluation, you throw out a phrase like "Not a good swing". If you have such an opinion, then back it up with constructive critiscm and possible drills or other methods to help this young player out.

NHF

Click the link for the complete swing.

I'm no expert and I can't tell for sure with that tank on his arm (just kidding) but it seems like he's locking his front arm and thats why on the inside pitch he really has to pull everything out to get the barrel on the ball. What I like is his bat control and his stance. Very quiet and simple. Just that front arm lock makes a long looping swing which for now he can probably get away with. He faces me when he gets older and I'll bust'm up inside and high.

Don't change a thing right now. His front elbow works up real well and hes using his lower half well for a 12 year old. It looks like he made accidental contact because hes only 12 and though hes probably a fairly big kid, hes not that strong. However, he will get stronger as he gets older and that swing will start to look a lot smoother because the mechanics are there for a smooth swing.


Edit: now that i look at it again his front half is collapsing forward through contact. have him work on pull back with that front side instead of going forward with the back side. that should alleviate the problem.
The arm bar is ok on him right now because hes able to get his hands inside the ball and his front elbow works well and allows him to do that even though he starts in a barred position. Take a look at Griffey, he starts with a bar but his front elbow works up often on inside pitches in order to keep his hands in and that is what calloway's son is doing.

I stand corrected. Sounds like lilbomber understands more than I do. He sounds right.

I'm sorry Guys. Callaway and NHF. I have seen his swing on all 4 shots. The full swing. So this guy is the next Lebron James of Baseball. Thats great! Keep up the hard work. Callaway, I've played the University course there in Columbia, I enjoyed it very much.

NHF fundamentals DAD. If you'll click on the word DEAD RED and LOW PITCH and INSIDE PITCH. You to can see the whole swing.

Vance, I didn't say he was the next Lebron of baseball. I've never met the boy, but I know that James played against kids his own age growing up and Jordan did as well. I wish my kid had hit 13 hrs this year, I think it's evident that the boy has worked hard on his swing. If you know of things he needs to work on be a good guy and help him out, that's what this website is for. I think you know quite a bit about baseball but don't let the guys who love to argue and pick at each other keep you from helping someone along who is looking for help. I get a feeling that some of the people who could give some advice are reluctant to share because somebody else will jump right in and want to argue.

I like having some additional eyeballs on his swing. Sometimes I get caught up in one aspect of his swing and overlook something that should be obvious. This boy works very hard to improve and we really do appreicate any and all opinions.

Thanks again,
R.

Here's my advice:

Most kids who play Little League baseball are done in organized baseball by age 15. If you don't believe me, dig up the list of kids who played in your Little League 12u division in 2002 and count the ones who're still playing at any level. Even among the league all stars, I would bet you at least half are done playing by age 15.

So, let your son enjoy these years. As much as you might like to dream, these years may well be his last in baseball. Nitpicking the swing of a Little League stud is a bit overboard if you ask me. And the tone of some of the comments above is truly uncalled for. Guys, I would've thought this was elementary, but you don't talk to or about a 12-year-old kid the way you do to a pro player, for Pete's sake.

Callaway, if your son shows over the coming three years that he has the love of the game and the desire to continue, at that point there will be plenty of time to focus on the finer technique points. Right now you and he should just be building happy memories. If he ends up shifting to another sport, or maybe becoming the best actor or singer at his school, or just deciding he'd rather work to make money so that he can chase girls at the mall instead of practicing every day, he can always look back with pride on this season -- as opposed to remembering it as a time when even 13 HR's wasn't enough to please some people.

The truth is that whether or not your son continues on in baseball will be a function more of whether he enjoys himself now, than of whether he swings like Pujols now. Hopefully he is enjoying the heck out of himself after a year like this one! Darned if I'd let anyone lay a big turd on that.

The only thing anyone needs to say to this kid is, congratulations on a great year, many happy returns!

ok Innocent bystander.

Here is my advice. Callaway, take his favorite hitter, whoever that may be. Now Emulate that swing from the stance/ start to completion.

Can you show me a big league swing from start to finsih like this one.

The secret is doing what the great ones do.