About hitting.......

I think many forget ( or never knew) what 17-25 guys showing up for baseball that haven't swung a bat in 9 months is like.

That is why I use my tee drill with an objective at first.

I know baseball is not golf but when you put them both on a tee good players should be able to hit it up the middle.

I once though baseball tee work was mind numbing but with some objective that requires a certain mechanic ...CHP ...then it is quite amusing and useful.

I do use a model and I admit it has changed quite a bit. That means that my ojectives have changed somewhat. There is a neddd for an efficient swing but also for an efficient exchange of understandable info that fits your group.

My point is.....three weeks til first game and 9 months from swinging a bat is a challenge even with the great athletes that we have now.

As a coach in this situation, you must operationalize(Steves term)something that is easy, visable, repeatable in the fewest reps that complies with the hitting absolutes...yes there are some IMHO..

Come game day..only a few tips..posture I like

Know the count....don't adopt a "negative ..lay off high FB and CB" rather in hitters counts look for a FB in a certain location preferably one ball outside of middle and a little down. Expect it, set your load for it, and swing if it is there. Anything middle and in turn and hit...all others take

wouldn't it be tough to be looking for something middle-away, and then adjust to the inside pitch? you have to be quicker and out ahead of the inside pitch more, and if you're waiting for the outside pitch (letting it get a little deeper), I'd think it would be problematic to adjust to the inside pitch.

shouldn't you look inside and then be able to wait a little longer for an outside pitch?

quote:

shouldn't you look inside and then be able to wait a little longer for an outside pitch?

For me it is better to load the shoulders to hit away and turn and fire on the inside ball. Using inside/ outside tees the kids looking away when we call in kill the ball.

The waiting later deal doesn't totally cut it.

Bat plane transition from more vertical to horizontal gets the bat square to the away pitch. Julio Frank is an extreme example. It is about an inside / out swing path...getting the hands inside the ball.

One way is to set a ball on a tee with the seams facing backwards and vertical.

Try to hit the inside seam to get the feel. Now bat out of the 45 slot and then plane transition and see which way you can hit the inside seam best

quote:

As a coach in this situation, you must operationalize(Steves term)something that is easy, visable, repeatable in the fewest reps that complies with the hitting absolutes...yes there are some IMHO..

exactly what most coaches realize and face each season. Good point.

BlueDog

Wayback and I are ready to rekindle hitting discussion. Would you care to join?

I'll start: Rotational hitting is the answer for hitters who have strong lower bodies and come forward by turning when uncoiling.

Shep

Can I play, too? I must be a really good hitting coach, my son is a pitcher.

Just to add a bit on nothing...
Some hitters "gear" middle, middle, middle...
1. Looking for a pitch up the middle to drive up the middle, the inside and outside pitches become smaller adjustments.
2. Look slider, it is between a fastball and a change or curve. The faster and slower pitches become less of an adjustment.
3. Look middle zone in height. The higher pitch and lower pitch are just a little adjustment.

That above, is probably why my son is a pitcher?

Glad to have you back here too baseballpapa.

Maybe we can all spend some time over Thanksgiving Holidays here in the Hitting Forum.

That will be good for all involved. Maybe we can lighten up the atmosphere here a little.

Have A Most Excellent Evening! peace, Shep

Shep:

quote:

I'll start: Rotational hitting is the answer for hitters who have strong lower bodies and come forward by turning when uncoiling.

Now I like the Linear swing ( Griffey, Bond's ).
But really don't see the differance.
I believe you see the Rotational factor with the batter's like Pujal's with there strong core and lower body strength.
Drop knee style.
But to me, You just see when a player has a good stroke.
EH

Please accept this belated response EH.

I agree with Pujols being our posterboard example of the drop knee-d, strong lowerbody core as shining example of a Rotational hitter.

Those sling-shot linear examples are also good when they were younger but I believe each have edged a little towards the rotational approach in their waning years close to retirement. When Bonds and Griffey were younger, they both were no-doubt linear hitters with whip-like uncoiling techniques. Great examples! Shep

Why look for a certain pitch location and/or speed?.........Why not just recognize the pitch and make a decision?

Pitch recognition is the key. The vision training aspects of hitting is a red hot topic everywhere I turn now-a-days. Good to see you back BlueDog. Hope all is well. Shep

quote:

The vision training aspects of hitting is a red hot topic everywhere I turn now-a-days.

Shep, it's always been a red-hot topic with me.....

I never could understand how you can recognize the pitch properly when your looking for a particular pitch......Unless your taking anything other than what you are looking for....And, I preach to never take a pitch you can hit.....Never!

I agree and disagree

When your ahead in the count you have the luxury of looking for a pitch in a particular zone to drive out of park onto Waverland

If you want to be a punch and Jude hitter you can never let a hittable pitch pass and just take what the pitchers will give you and be known as a contact hitter.

Wonder which one Piniella wants in Chicago on a windy day? Shep

Shep, you have it wrong, but, you're not alone.....

Try to throw a pitch by Bonds when he wants to hit.......It don't matter where it is.....IMO, he's no punch and judy hitter......

In our prior banter I do recall your stance on every swing being a HR swing, however, some pitches have a trajectory not tailored for lift and rip. A FB 95 MPH on the outside edge is a line-drive or groundball for the average major league hitter. Every hittable pitch cannot be driven out of the park, it's inconceivable. Shep

Great hitters learn to hit all pitch locations......Even two inches off the ground.....

Recognize it and hit it.....

Taking pitchers deep in the count and looking for YOUR PITCH is teaching mediocrity.....

Get up there and hit the first hittable pitch....Just like Bonds does.....And Ruth....And Mantle......And Williams.....

Or, you can wear a tu-tu and take hittable pitches.....Then, scream at the ump when he punches you out....Just don't ruffle the tu-tu....

Bonds may be an exception to the rule with his compact and short swing against a super-powerful lower rotation. Shep

quote:

......however, some pitches have a trajectory not tailored for lift and rip.

Shep, good hitters decide the swing plane, not the pitcher or the pitch.....

I'm going to need a tu-tu after this draft is over-LOL

The hitter's plane does have to make adjustments during the tracking of baseball to bat though.

quote:

Bonds may be an exception to the rule with his compact and short swing against a super-powerful lower rotation.

Shep, I know many who would argue that lower rotation is not the key......

I, for one, would....

I used to change my plane through hand-eye adjustments during arrival of baseball

The center my friend the center is the key. You and I have already established that a while back here. Your right on point BlueDog!

quote:

The hitter's plane does have to make adjustments during the tracking of baseball to bat though.

Good hitters do this with technique.....And, they decide the swing plane, not the pitcher or pitch....

Shep, 99.9% don't know where the center is....

Much less how to use it.....

I agree. If a hitter allows the pitcher to determine the swingplane, to me this hitter is too one-dimensional and needs to extend his horizons to the game of adjustments and technique. Great hitters do not limit themselves by creating a one zone swingplane. You're exactly right. Shep

quote:

I used to change my plane through hand-eye adjustments during arrival of baseball

One way to do it....But, it's slow.....Hitters can use quickness....

BlueDog, From my limited instruction with others this past summer, I agree. Hitters need to be educated on the importance of the center.
That 99.9 % estimate of the uneducated is prolly right, no joke. Sad but true! Shep

Quickness is key and I have noticed that adjustments in swingplane during arrival can cause some reaching on sliders or pitches moving away from hitter.

This is kinda like noise cancelling headsets............


Working great.

quote:

.....adjustments in swingplane during arrival can cause some reaching on sliders or pitches moving away from hitter.

Shep, what do you mean by this?

Quickness and reaching are seperate. I kinda ran the two thoughts together. What I should have said was swing level plane adjustment through hand-eye coordination can cause the hitter to occasionally reach if the pitch has plus slider or two-seamer. Does that help out my run-ons?

I always scout out the pitchers' breaking balls to see the dip as well as horizontal break away to determine whether to lay off or swing if the pitch starts middle out. If the pitcher has plus breaking pitches, a disciplined hitter will lay off if the pitch starts middle out in directional position of ball as it leaves the pitcher's throwing hand.

BlueDog,

gotta go for now see ya tomorrow after church EST-Shep

You should do this in the chat room.

FO,
Let it go??
Are you upset that no one is talking about the Big 12 this year
in the BCS picture.
Are you feeling left out.
Well we need to spread the love around.

Go Big 12.
There do you feel better now. EH

Chatroom will be fine Mr Smith. Fun ain't it? RS