Hitting

If they are throwing it hard then your foot will be down not long after the pitchers' foot. You will begin your move before total pitch recognition.

You can steer the ball with the feet on BP from behind an L-Screen sometimes, but not against 80 plus. Just not enough time. I think the coach should communicate the reason better but can't say I disagree ..sorry. Good luck

daniel,
Ideally, the stride is always in the same direction. That doesn't mean you can't let the ball get deeper on an outside pitch and still drive it the other way. If the pitcher is painting the corner with less than two strikes you may want to take the pitch. There is a reason Tom Glavine lived on and a bit off the outside corner for so many seasons. If he paints it with two strikes you need to get the bat on the ball.

The other case is where a pitcher has established a pattern of throwing outside and virtually never coming in over the plate. In that case you may want to preset stepping in slightly or simply move closer to the plate.

If you are good enough to recognize the pitch type, location and speed and still have time to take a good stride, then you ought to be in the big leagues. But most people cannot do that. I know I was taught to stride before the pitcher had released the ball when I was young, and it helped by progress tremendously as a young hiiter. I think if you realy could stride towards the ball on every pitch, than like CAdad said, Tom Glavine would be ought of a job, because every outside pitch he threw would be just as easily hit as the ones down the middle. And it is very smart to take pitches on the corners with less than two strikes, because chances are the pitcher isn't going to hit that location two times in a row, and you'll get a more hittable pitch. But I can back you up on one thing. I think you are implying that the coach wants you to land your stride foot early, which is not always correct. There is a huge difference in starting early and landing early. I have seen many major leagues players on video that hold there feet in the air when the ball is out of the pitchers hand. It is easy to see in players with leg kicks like Manny Ramirez, A-Rod, and Carlos Delgado. Some people have said that slow feet make quick hands, and I agree to a point. It takes time to load your hips, inward turn, etc. in the stride, and that is why people start early.

Its not how good you are; its how well you play - scout

I also think when you are learning the right way to twist/torque the body to power the swingyou have to make sure you get the front foot down soon enough.This is way to early to recognize and go with the pitch.When you watch video of the pros,you will see the front foot come down slightly differently in many because thay are so incredibly quick.The foot will land closer to the plate and less open for outside location as compared to inside in some Hank Aaron is a good example,but even in that case it is not a conscious adjustment that is controlling the swing timing,rather it is the result of body motion adjustments that are made from the center (hips/torso) out related to the timing of coiling/uncoiling of the body.

http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/batspeed/coiling/coiling.htm

the visuals are nice in this link.the explanation is not quite right.

2 Points:

1. You need to stride in the same spot every time. You will not be able to adjust your stride as the ball is in flight.

2. You should still be able to get full plate coverage by striding at the pitcher. Even if the P paints the outside corner, you should be able to hit the ball to the opposite field. Make contact deeper in the hitting zone.

I've always stepped to where the ball is, so if its outside i step there and drive it to opposite field. At hitting camps i've been to they taught to step before the pitch is release, and wait for the outside pitch to take it there. I tried this and I was able to pull the ball with great power every time, but I couldnt go opposite field at all. So I just step with the pitch and have never had a problem with it.

That might work hitting against 62 mph fastballs but when you see anything above 80 mph and mix in a CU and a CB, there is no way in the world you will have any success doing that.

Hi Daniel
Common sense will tell you what to do when you see a pitch out of the zone, who problaby will hit the corner, go with that pitch. If you try to pull an outside ball, 2 things can be happen: #1- you will struck-out #2- you will hit the ball to right-centerfield fly out(except if you have power will go furhter for homerun or extra bases) You mentioned Mr Gwynn, that's what made him a good hitting player, to hit the ball to a gap wheres the ball was..My advice is to hit the ball where is locate... inside pull the ball, outside go with the ball. Good luck