back side tall

Something I have done with my hitters is have them put their back foot on ramp/ box to help them create a downward angle. If you have a pitching mound available, that is also a good tool. This will force your backside tall and help you stay on top of the ball.

good luck

Bluuuuuueeedawg, where are you?

quote:

Originally posted by Hit it hard:
Something I have done with my hitters is have them put their back foot on ramp/ box to help them create a downward angle. If you have a pitching mound available, that is also a good tool. This will force your backside tall and help you stay on top of the ball.

This is questionable advice.

At a minimum, it's not what high-level hitters do.

quote:

Originally posted by Livinglegend34:
I noticed when hitting my backside is dropping. I am trying to keep my hands through ball, which is helping me alittle. Any ideas to help this so i wont pop up anymore?

How big of a stride are you taking? It could be that you are overstriding and sliding under the ball.

Also, dropping the back side isn't necessarily bad. It's what many high level hitters do.

LL, do you mean you are dropping your back shoulder & uppercutting?

quote:

Originally posted by thepainguy:

quote:

Originally posted by Hit it hard:
Something I have done with my hitters is have them put their back foot on ramp/ box to help them create a downward angle. If you have a pitching mound available, that is also a good tool. This will force your backside tall and help you stay on top of the ball.

This is questionable advice.

At a minimum, it's not what high-level hitters do.

Very true pain guy. I would agree that "upper level" hitters would not use my advice.

However, we are talking to a younger hitter who needs to learn to hit with some leverage.

Another thing that may be happening in his swing is that he is not "letting the ball get deep" The pop ups may be caused by hime reaching, which in turn causes his backside to drop.

I know Bluedog is out there somewhere. I'm guessing he'd bring something to the table about teaching kids the right way to swing from day one.

Where are you Bluuuuuue

Coming back someday?

ive been playing baseball for a while, but had a verrrrry long offseason since the middle of summer til now. I am uppercutting and complelty missing the ball. Im not sure about my stride length but it seems to be how ive always had it, just my backside is dipping down way to far.

Set up two tees. One at an appropriate position over the plate, about belt high, with the ball on it. The other about 18" behind the first, raised to the same height as the front tee.

If you drop the back shoulder & uppercut, the bat will strike the back tee. With a good, directly to & through the ball swing, the bat will not strike the back tee.

http://photos.imageevent.com/siggy/hitting/pro//PujolsAlbert1.gif

http://photos.imageevent.com/siggy/hitting/pro//DOrtiz2002MIN_Double_SView.gif

maybe focus on "how" you turn

quote:

Originally posted by Brn2Hit:
Great Drill Texan! He might also want to make sure that his front shoulder is not flying open prematurely.

I'm not so sure about the wisdom of either the drill or your advice about the front shoulder. Both seem to be rooted in the Linear school of hitting, which doesn't describe what high level hitters do.

A swing that is directly to & through the ball has nothing to do with linear or rotational hitting.

And even in rotational hitting the front shoulder can fly open too soon.

quote:

Originally posted by Texan:
A swing that is directly to & through the ball has nothing to do with linear or rotational hitting.

The problem with the drill you describe is that it will give you a completely level to a down-cut swing.

That is not what the best hitters do.

They only have a completely level swing on a ball at the letters. Very few of them could be described as having a down-cut swing.

in the Ortiz picture above, put the cursor on the spot where the point of impact is.

Guess about 18" behind that. Watch where the barrell comes through that area. (Then, skip the two tee drill)

Also, notice the rear shoulder.

quote:

Originally posted by wayback:
in the Ortiz picture above, put the cursor on the spot where the point of impact is. Guess about 18" behind that. Watch where the barrel comes through that area. (Then, skip the two tee drill)

By estimation, Ortiz would hit the second, rearward tee 6-9 inches below the top.

If you're teaching a homerun uppercut swing, then I guess so.

Not so with a line drive swing.

quote:

Originally posted by Texan:
If you're teaching a homerun uppercut swing, then I guess so. Not so with a line drive swing.

First, this is the swing plane that Ted Williams advocated. Because the ball crosses the plate at a downward angle, to get the best rebound off the bat you want to swing on a slight uppercut.

Second, if you want to lift the ball over the IF, rather than trying to punch it through, you need to hit the ball with a slight uppercut.

With good IFs, your odds are better if you try to lift the ball over the IF rather than trying to punch it through.

Ahh, but there was only one Ted Williams. And as I recall, even Ted didn't recommend that everyone adopt his swing.

And a line drive swing doesn't mean all grounders by any stretch of the imagination.