how do you be aggressive at the plate while trying to stay relaxed?
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I have had a problem with this for awhile. I always thought being aggressive was swinging extra hard and trying to kill the ball.
Staying relaxed it somewhat easy. Everyone has their own way of being relaxed. You can take a couple deep breaths, visualize before you get up to the plate that you are going to get a hit, etc.
I consider being aggressive to be to hit early in the count and don't let the pitcher get up 0-2 1-2 on you. If that first pitch is a fastball down that pipe, send it right back up the box. Don't settle for the perfect pitch unless the pitcher is very wild. So being aggressive is more about the count whereas being relaxed is more about your physical state.
Staying relaxed it somewhat easy. Everyone has their own way of being relaxed. You can take a couple deep breaths, visualize before you get up to the plate that you are going to get a hit, etc.
I consider being aggressive to be to hit early in the count and don't let the pitcher get up 0-2 1-2 on you. If that first pitch is a fastball down that pipe, send it right back up the box. Don't settle for the perfect pitch unless the pitcher is very wild. So being aggressive is more about the count whereas being relaxed is more about your physical state.
Great post.
Always considered being aggressive at the plate as a mental approach.
Being relaxed to me is both physical ( not muscling up, tightening up,etc) and mental ( having a plan, not getting nervous about the situation,etc).
Early in the count I preach patience (let the pitcher make a mistake by throwing you a good pitch versus chasing the low outside strike). If behind in the count with 2 strikes, I stress not being shy and being aggressive. Don't let the ump decide your fate.
Appleseed says it better.
Being relaxed to me is both physical ( not muscling up, tightening up,etc) and mental ( having a plan, not getting nervous about the situation,etc).
Early in the count I preach patience (let the pitcher make a mistake by throwing you a good pitch versus chasing the low outside strike). If behind in the count with 2 strikes, I stress not being shy and being aggressive. Don't let the ump decide your fate.
Appleseed says it better.
man, just don't over think. sure, you want to go up to the plate with a plan in your hands, but that plan has to be to hit the baseball solid somewhere. if i ever tell anything to myself in the box, it's "loose hands"; nothing more, nothing less. anything else will basically get the mind not where it should be. if you see a pitch you like, you're gonna swing at it. it's good to be "aggressive" and air that bat out on the first sweet juicy pitch you see.
My son’s instructor sits him down at the kitchen table once in a while before we go downstairs for a lesson. He talks about the psychological aspects of hitting and then incorporates it when we go downstairs.
A couple of weeks back he gave an example using one of his son’s university at-bats as an example of how emotion crept in from the first pitch and built through the entire at bat to create a strike out. Emotion and pressure are the enemy. He urges that you should focus on your process between pitches. If you felt you had a flaw in your process during the previous pitch (for example, you felt off balance with your swing) then make the adjustment. At my son’s age, anxiety creeps in when he is forced into a situation where he must be more aggressive (eg. behind in the count and has to consider a marginal pitch). That anxiety emotion can creep in and have him start into his swing process early.
We associate aggression with going after perimeter pitches moreso than a violent swing. Being quick to the ball dictates this. The swing is always violent. Right now they’re working on the best way to get his hands to handle inside/middle/outside and legs up/down. He’s getting decent at getting his hands out quick but still above the bat head taking pitches in these different locations.
My son has always been willing to swing early in the count. If it’s a hittable pitch, he applies the process.
Besides the loose grip, there are a number of catchwords that my son has for various stages of his swing. He can isolate what went wrong on his last swing quite well because of this. In a way, that’s a form of stress relief right there. He knows exactly what went wrong – he adjusts.
There are times where his instructor has him hit soft toss for quite a while without saying anything about what he sees in my son’s mechanics. He asks my son to describe how he was feeling on each swing or what was going through his mind before the pitch.
There is another little trick this guy suggested to use at the end of last summer. Although I’m sure a lot of young players have basically hit golf-ball size whiffles with a broomstick at some time – I don’t see this tool around very much at a baseball field. His suggestion if you are not making good contact is to become proficient enough to hit 10 for 10 line drives (it takes my son 2 or 3 sets to do this now). He has a swift stik in his bag and usually before a game does this. There is a psychological part to this ritual that relieves stress and instils confidence in his process.
A couple of weeks back he gave an example using one of his son’s university at-bats as an example of how emotion crept in from the first pitch and built through the entire at bat to create a strike out. Emotion and pressure are the enemy. He urges that you should focus on your process between pitches. If you felt you had a flaw in your process during the previous pitch (for example, you felt off balance with your swing) then make the adjustment. At my son’s age, anxiety creeps in when he is forced into a situation where he must be more aggressive (eg. behind in the count and has to consider a marginal pitch). That anxiety emotion can creep in and have him start into his swing process early.
We associate aggression with going after perimeter pitches moreso than a violent swing. Being quick to the ball dictates this. The swing is always violent. Right now they’re working on the best way to get his hands to handle inside/middle/outside and legs up/down. He’s getting decent at getting his hands out quick but still above the bat head taking pitches in these different locations.
My son has always been willing to swing early in the count. If it’s a hittable pitch, he applies the process.
Besides the loose grip, there are a number of catchwords that my son has for various stages of his swing. He can isolate what went wrong on his last swing quite well because of this. In a way, that’s a form of stress relief right there. He knows exactly what went wrong – he adjusts.
There are times where his instructor has him hit soft toss for quite a while without saying anything about what he sees in my son’s mechanics. He asks my son to describe how he was feeling on each swing or what was going through his mind before the pitch.
There is another little trick this guy suggested to use at the end of last summer. Although I’m sure a lot of young players have basically hit golf-ball size whiffles with a broomstick at some time – I don’t see this tool around very much at a baseball field. His suggestion if you are not making good contact is to become proficient enough to hit 10 for 10 line drives (it takes my son 2 or 3 sets to do this now). He has a swift stik in his bag and usually before a game does this. There is a psychological part to this ritual that relieves stress and instils confidence in his process.
quote:If behind in the count with 2 strikes, I stress not being shy and being aggressive. Don't let the ump decide your fate.
Not to go off topic, but this is something that I've been contemplating for years. And it could be a product of watching a lot of Major League Baseball over the years (where K's are increasing and increasing). But, why would one's mental approach on a 2 strike count be "Don't go down looking." As a current player, this strategy doesn't work for me. If I think this I tend to chase pitches outside of the zone. Instead, I think..."still has to be a strike." Especially even at the upper HS level ball, not many pitchers will make a great pitch with 2 strikes. Thoughts? The reason I attatch this to MLB K numbers is maybe I'm influenced that striking out is okay-even though it only happened 5 times last season...
MidAtlanticBaseball,
I know where you are coming from in that you don't want to be so anxious that you will swing at anything and chase really bad pitches.
Your point that it "still has to be a strike" is valid...but raises the question "A strike to whom?"
The hitters perceived strike or the umps?
We all know who wins that argument. If it is close enough to get rung up on, it's close enough to at least try to foul off.
Can't be stupidly aggressive and chase everything but you can't be so selective that you won't at least try to foul off a pitch a couple inches off the plate. Pitchers can and will still make mistakes with 2 strikes...as a hitter you've got to survive long enough to get that mistake to hit. If the pitcher doesn't mess up and you strike out, it happens so tip your hat and get him next time.
My viewpoint is that an at bat is the hitters to control and I prefer not to let an ump dictate the outcome if at all possible. The pitcher may actually end up being the one that controls the at bat but thats baseball. JMO..
I know where you are coming from in that you don't want to be so anxious that you will swing at anything and chase really bad pitches.
Your point that it "still has to be a strike" is valid...but raises the question "A strike to whom?"
The hitters perceived strike or the umps?
We all know who wins that argument. If it is close enough to get rung up on, it's close enough to at least try to foul off.
Can't be stupidly aggressive and chase everything but you can't be so selective that you won't at least try to foul off a pitch a couple inches off the plate. Pitchers can and will still make mistakes with 2 strikes...as a hitter you've got to survive long enough to get that mistake to hit. If the pitcher doesn't mess up and you strike out, it happens so tip your hat and get him next time.
My viewpoint is that an at bat is the hitters to control and I prefer not to let an ump dictate the outcome if at all possible. The pitcher may actually end up being the one that controls the at bat but thats baseball. JMO..
quote:Originally posted by a.axum581:
how do you be aggressive at the plate while trying to stay relaxed?
If you are asking, you don't yet have enough game experience and haven't taken near enough practice swings. A "Master" of the bat, the Martial Arts, the Ballet, has practiced 15-20 years to become proficient and can perform in a relaxed, aggressive mode, in his/her sleep. It like most things you become good at, are leaned skills ..... Practice, practice and practice some more.
Being aggressive is being a picky hitter. Only swing at your pitch unless the situation says otherwise, not only will you hit bombs but you will also slash your strikeouts tremendously.
Being aggressive is a mind set. It isn't about swinging at the first pitch. It's about having a plan to punish the pitcher should they do certain things. For example, if you know the history of a pitcher and you know whether they pitch forward or backward (defined as when they throw their breaking pitches) you can sit on pitches, look for areas to drive the ball and then execute your plan. For me, the opposite is someone who walks to the plate and then forgets their plan. For example, seeing a changeup but looking dead red and then swinging at a pitch not in your plan and popping that pitch up. We liked to pitch backwards or throw 3,4,and 5 breaking pitches on the first pitch for a strike so that they are behind in the count. We also like to throw change ups in 2-0 counts. Remember that aggressive is no substitute for discipline. We took advantage of those hitters who believed agreessive meant to take a hack at that first pitch or those that looked to absolutly turn on 2-0 fastballs to drive them out of the park. (Gap to gap is always a good idea!) JMHO!
quote:Originally posted by CoachB25:
Being aggressive is a mind set. It isn't about swinging at the first pitch. It's about having a plan to punish the pitcher should they do certain things. For example, if you know the history of a pitcher and you know whether they pitch forward or backward (defined as when they throw their breaking pitches) you can sit on pitches, look for areas to drive the ball and then execute your plan. For me, the opposite is someone who walks to the plate and then forgets their plan. For example, seeing a changeup but looking dead red and then swinging at a pitch not in your plan and popping that pitch up. We liked to pitch backwards or throw 3,4,and 5 breaking pitches on the first pitch for a strike so that they are behind in the count. We also like to throw change ups in 2-0 counts. Remember that aggressive is no substitute for discipline. We took advantage of those hitters who believed agreessive meant to take a hack at that first pitch or those that looked to absolutly turn on 2-0 fastballs to drive them out of the park. (Gap to gap is always a good idea!) JMHO!
Love your approach to pitching. To me being predictable is the worse thing a pitcher can do. Go up there thinking 1st pitch fastball against my pitchers and you'll have a long day. Dig in on a 2-0 and half the time you'll throw your bat into the outfield before the pitch gets there
Interesting 4 seamer, does this method lead to a lot of walks or does the reward justify the risk.
Kevins1, glad you asked. What it leads to is 6-10 pitch innings. It leads to few strikeouts, lots of groundballs and pop ups. Not unusual to get the first couple batters of an inning out in about 3 pitches. We're throwing strikes. If you take, you'll strike out looking. It's all about changing speeds. Hitters are never comfortable. Sometimes a guy will come up and rip a liner into right center and stand on second and watch the next to ground out to ss. I despise the straight up first pitch fastball approach. Everyone knows it. Everyone's looking for it. All you have to do is be unpredictable for about 2 innings, then you can start throwing more fastballs. We walk about 3 per 7 innings and strike out 3-4. My son has thrown 7 innings in 70 pitches several times.
kevins1, the whole idea is to have a pitcher and not a thrower. I believe in structured practices where everything is charted and everything is competitive. So, my pitchers have practiced this long before they enter a game and under some intense pressure. It would be the same in hitting. Yes, it is easy to say "be aggressive" and so I think a lot of coaches hide behind that saying without defining it. "Be aggressive" has to still require discipline. Otherwise, one could correlate "be aggressive" with "be stupid." Finally, when it comes to tournament play or state tournament play, you find that the teams that have pitching advance the furthest. See how smart I am. 
So, good pitching takes advantage of hitters that lack discipline. JMHO!
So, good pitching takes advantage of hitters that lack discipline. JMHO!
"One could correlate "be aggressive" with "be stupid."
-CoachB25
Agreed, being aggressive is all about waiting on pitchers to make a mistake or just to throw the ball where the hitter wants it. Even if the team is more advance at pitching it does not matter because sooner or later the pitcher will make a mistake or the catcher will call a bad pitch and the hitter will get a chance to hit the ball. If the hitter can resist the poor pitches and protect the plate with 2 strikes the batter will normally be able to get a pitch he likes its, all about being discipline at the plate.
"So, good pitching takes advantage of hitters that lack discipline."
-CoachB25
Once again I agree with Coach about the pitcher's goal, but it is a lot easier said than done, even for MLB pitchers.
-CoachB25
Agreed, being aggressive is all about waiting on pitchers to make a mistake or just to throw the ball where the hitter wants it. Even if the team is more advance at pitching it does not matter because sooner or later the pitcher will make a mistake or the catcher will call a bad pitch and the hitter will get a chance to hit the ball. If the hitter can resist the poor pitches and protect the plate with 2 strikes the batter will normally be able to get a pitch he likes its, all about being discipline at the plate.
"So, good pitching takes advantage of hitters that lack discipline."
-CoachB25
Once again I agree with Coach about the pitcher's goal, but it is a lot easier said than done, even for MLB pitchers.
kevins1, and that is the beauty of Coaching young men and or being a young player. It is a growing process. As a coach, when you see the hitting work pay off and you see the plate discipline translate into great at bats, you are so proud of your players. The kids know themselves that they are no longer swingers but ,instead, hitters.
One of my favorite bp sessions is to work on count specific hitting approach.
We call it 4-3-2-1. There are four rounds.
Round 1- 4 swings early in the count approach (0-0, 1-0.) Round 2- 3 swings behind in the count (0-2, 1-2.) Round 3- 2 swings ahead in the count (2-0, 3-1.) Round 4- 1 swing score the runner from third.
When working this drill make certain the pitcher is working based on the count. This drill gives good focus to a bp session and allows you to know when to be aggressive.
We call it 4-3-2-1. There are four rounds.
Round 1- 4 swings early in the count approach (0-0, 1-0.) Round 2- 3 swings behind in the count (0-2, 1-2.) Round 3- 2 swings ahead in the count (2-0, 3-1.) Round 4- 1 swing score the runner from third.
When working this drill make certain the pitcher is working based on the count. This drill gives good focus to a bp session and allows you to know when to be aggressive.
try developing a good consistent count hitting approach. this way you can anticipate and not guess, keeping you aggressively smart
