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Hitting Down Instruction - Help

G Golfman2510,000+ posts
Ok, I have been mulling this for two weeks now. A while back I attended a clinic with a hitting instructor who has a solid reputation in our area. Several of his students when on to very high levels. I agree with 95% of what he said.

But there was one section in which he spoke about "hitting down on the ball to create backspin." I cringed a little bit. The drill he used was a tee drill in which the player took a direct path to the ball and would hit it off the tee to the back of the tunnel. Importantly, he would not use his lower half -- just focus on the hands. I cringed some more.

10 minuites later he was talking about matching the swing plane to the pitch. I think it is impossible to do both -- swing down and match the planes.

So I have been trying to reconcile the two concepts. I watched videos of some of his students. They don't really swing down. Like most hitters, they adjust their axis which causes the swing plane to level out.

Anybody have any idea what he was talking about and how to reconcile the swing down for backspin with matching the plane of the pitch?

Now here is my dilema. These concepts will likely be adopted by my kid's team. I am not sure I want my kid "swinging down." I am good with everything else. I just don't see how the swing down concept and drill will benefit my kid. Any suggestions for what to do? Thanks in advance.
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SultanofSwatSultanofSwat10,000+ posts
quote:
"hitting down on the ball to create backspin


This is another thing taught by everyone, but used by nobody (good).

Ted Williams describes the correct swing plane.



quote:
The drill he used was a tee drill in which the player took a direct path to the ball and would hit it off the tee to the back of the tunnel.


Well, at least it didn't go immediately to the ground. Smile You should be trying to hit the ball just over the L-screen (20-30 degrees), so you at least return the ball to the height of the pitcher's hand.
Last edited by SultanofSwat
Low FinishLow Finish500+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by Golfman25:
Ok, I have been mulling this for two weeks now. A while back I attended a clinic with a hitting instructor who has a solid reputation in our area. Several of his students when on to very high levels. I agree with 95% of what he said.

But there was one section in which he spoke about "hitting down on the ball to create backspin." I cringed a little bit. The drill he used was a tee drill in which the player took a direct path to the ball and would hit it off the tee to the back of the tunnel. Importantly, he would not use his lower half -- just focus on the hands. I cringed some more.

10 minuites later he was talking about matching the swing plane to the pitch. I think it is impossible to do both -- swing down and match the planes.

So I have been trying to reconcile the two concepts. I watched videos of some of his students. They don't really swing down. Like most hitters, they adjust their axis which causes the swing plane to level out.

Anybody have any idea what he was talking about and how to reconcile the swing down for backspin with matching the plane of the pitch?

Now here is my dilema. These concepts will likely be adopted by my kid's team. I am not sure I want my kid "swinging down." I am good with everything else. I just don't see how the swing down concept and drill will benefit my kid. Any suggestions for what to do? Thanks in advance.


Good hitters start down, and then let the body turn the bat into the proper swing plane. That's what he was talking about with "matching the plane". In terms of "swing down for backspin", I have no idea what he could possibly be talking about. It's more of a mental thing.

I have a friend who believes that MLB hitters attempt to throw the bat straight down at the ball, but the tilt of the shoulders and the torso rotation cause the bat to move into the plane of the pitch.
RT Rob T5,000+ posts
My son was on a travel team that went to see a hitting "coach" for a couple of sessions.

I try to stay out of the way and keep my mouth closed when my son is practicing - especially with someone who is actually getting paid to do the coaching.

However....

I watched him line up the team at tees and have them take cuts where the object was to hit down on the ball to create backspin and.... the goal was to hit the ball into the bottom of the net (3 feet in front of them). My son was looking at him like the guy was speaking Mandarin.

After biting my tongue for a few minutes I approached the instructor and asked him what he was trying to accomplish.

"Getting them to put backspin on the ball so it goes further", he said.

So I then pointed out that since he was teaching the players to hit the ball into the ground, I didn't think he was going to get the results he was seeking.

Oddly, he didn't agree.
G Golfman2510,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by Low Finish:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Golfman25:
Good hitters start down, and then let the body turn the bat into the proper swing plane. That's what he was talking about with "matching the plane". In terms of "swing down for backspin", I have no idea what he could possibly be talking about. It's more of a mental thing.

I have a friend who believes that MLB hitters attempt to throw the bat straight down at the ball, but the tilt of the shoulders and the torso rotation cause the bat to move into the plane of the pitch.


Thanks guys. I guess that is what he was talking about. It is really the only way I can reconcile the to concepts. I am just concerned about a drill which really hammers home the "swing down" idea.
Low FinishLow Finish500+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by Nicholas25:
Do we make too much of a deal about swing plane? Doesn't the pitch determine a lo of it? Now, a guy dropping down/rotating open too soon, causing him to get under the ball and hit "can of corns" is one thing, but again, doesn't the pitch almost dictate the plane?


Pushers have "down through" swing planes. The pitch determines it to some degree. Most MLB hitters attempt to match the plane of the pitch. That's what the goal should be.

Swing plane is highly important for squaring the ball.
C cabbagedadHSBaseballWeb member since 2011
quote:
Originally posted by Nicholas25:
Do we make too much of a deal about swing plane? Doesn't the pitch determine a lo of it? Now, a guy dropping down/rotating open too soon, causing him to get under the ball and hit "can of corns" is one thing, but again, doesn't the pitch almost dictate the plane?


Nicholas,
Yes, absolutely, pitch location has an impact on swing plane. I don't think that it is wrong to strive to achieve a certain plane but also understand that a hitter's reaction to certain pitch types and locations may alter that plane. For example, check out Pablo Sandoval's three HR's in the WS game... three swings, all different planes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=598doV_g1gU

Some more thoughts on swing plane...
Backspin allows the ball to carry. The vast majority of HR's hit have backspin as opposed to topspin. I have listened to many a major league hitter and college hitting instructor talk about the importance of backspin.
Now, combine that notion with the illustration of Ted Williams' swing plane. It has been my experience that, if you try to convey this "slightly up" swing plane to a young hitter, the result is usually a swing that is too upright. And this results in a lot of balls hit with topspin or worse, rolled over choppers. However, if you teach/speak in terms of "level swing plane", the young hitter's eye will most often naturally follow the plane of the pitch.
Low FinishLow Finish500+ posts
I agree that telling someone to swing "slightly up" often leads to a really ugly swing plane (20 degrees or more) on every pitch. I believe in teaching hitters to swing level to the ball. But, I don't discuss swing plane usually. It's a function of other things.

As for the high tee drill, I believe it's extremely useful, but the hitter in the video is doing it incorrectly.

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