Has anyone heard of this hitting drill....

Henry Aaron batted "cross handed" until he played in the Minor Leagues. Edgar Martinez - DH, Mariners and I discussed this drill. Personally, this drill can improve the wrist strength.

The "high" tee is the best drill. It develops "back spin".

Bob

Let me just say generously that 99% of drills and instruction in hitting is backwards, or destructive.

SultanofSwat posted:

Let me just say generously that 99% of drills and instruction in hitting is backwards, or destructive.

I would agree.  

Robrod posted:

SultanofSwat posted:

Let me just say generously that 99% of drills and instruction in hitting is backwards, or destructive.

I would agree.  There is no value in this particular drill...    I just tell my son, listen, say yes sir, do the drill and if you get something out of it, fine.  If not, erase it from your mind as fast as you can.

Look, I don't get the drill either.  But, wouldn't it be better, maybe, if he asked the purpose of the drill so he can better understand what they are trying to accomplish?  Your son is taking lessons or otherwise getting instruction from someone.  Not sure why you would want to encourage him to basically lie to/deceive that person.  If he asks and you guys don't like the answer or lack of, then you have learned more about the person giving instruction and can go forward with that information.  If it is a HS coach scenario where the player doesn't have a choice, maybe asking the question will get the coach to think more about what he is instructing.  

I agree with cabbage. I really worked hard with my son to politely engage his coach/trainer on helping him understand the intent of the drill that at the time when it made no sense to him...OK for full disclosure it was as a result of many and sometimes heated and almost always frustrating discussions in the father/son baseball training sessions.

cabbagedad posted:

Robrod posted:

SultanofSwat posted:

 

Look, I don't get the drill either.  But, wouldn't it be better, maybe, if he asked the purpose of the drill so he can better understand what they are trying to accomplish?  Your son is taking lessons or otherwise getting instruction from someone.  Not sure why you would want to encourage him to basically lie to/deceive that person.  If he asks and you guys don't like the answer or lack of, then you have learned more about the person giving instruction and can go forward with that information.  If it is a HS coach scenario where the player doesn't have a choice, maybe asking the question will get the coach to think more about what he is instructing.  

I think that is totally dependent on the coach and the approach of the kid. I know this obvious but hitting is such a hot button topic that I was always hesitant to advise my son to enter that conversation without a pretty good idea of the coaches openness to it.

It is the baseball version of politics and seldom does much good from discussing it...especially with an authority figure he may not agree with.

old_school posted:

cabbagedad posted:

Robrod posted:

SultanofSwat posted:

 

Look, I don't get the drill either.  But, wouldn't it be better, maybe, if he asked the purpose of the drill so he can better understand what they are trying to accomplish?  Your son is taking lessons or otherwise getting instruction from someone.  Not sure why you would want to encourage him to basically lie to/deceive that person.  If he asks and you guys don't like the answer or lack of, then you have learned more about the person giving instruction and can go forward with that information.  If it is a HS coach scenario where the player doesn't have a choice, maybe asking the question will get the coach to think more about what he is instructing.  

I think that is totally dependent on the coach and the approach of the kid. I know this obvious but hitting is such a hot button topic that I was always hesitant to advise my son to enter that conversation without a pretty good idea of the coaches openness to it.

It is the baseball version of politics and seldom does much good from discussing it...especially with an authority figure he may not agree with.

He doesn't know I'm here discussing this.. I was simply curious about a drill I had never heard of.  

I've always told my son to engage with people if something sounds odd. If you're paying the coach for lessons, I don't think it's unreasonable to question his methods. If he's going to get combative about that, it's probably the wrong coach. But hey! it's your money and that's just my 2 cents.

I'm a high school coach and I also do private hitting lessons.  I've done so for a very long time.  I don't understand the rational for this drill.  However, and I can't speak for all coaches, I want my players and hitters to have an open dialogue with me.  I want questions and have never understood the premise of having players do something because I'm the coach so do it.  Wouldn't it make sense to bring a player along while understanding the "whys" of what you coach?  In that way, the build upon what they learn.  Just tonight, my hitters were talking about the next phase for some of them and they are so excited knowing that they are going to build upon what they have already learned.  I'd suggest that you mention to your son to open up a dialogue with this coach.  Do it in a respectful manner and with the intent to learn.  In that way, I think that the coach will be thrilled to have a student of the game playing for him.