Anyone have any good hitting drills? My team has struggled greatly the last few games and we can't seem to get a bunch of hits. I have tried multiple things with our hitting in practice. The next step is to just play a wiffle ball game so they at least have some fun. lol
Any ideas? And I hate using pitching machines so please don't suggest that. lol
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Sometimes not hitting is as simple as just not hitting. Most unfortunate periods, I refuse to say the s word, are mental in nature and not because of some mechanical flaw. If the team was hitting before they will hit again if they get the mental side in order. If they are tense and pressing then it will prolong the period. Try and get them to loosen up and remember the success they have had. That's one difficulty with young players in an unfortunate period. If they do not have a history of success then they do not have that memory of success. They need to concentrate on their past successes not the recent struggles.
Are they hitting the ball over the L screen?
Moses and Coach;
One of the best hitting coaches Rudy Jamarillo introduce me to his drill in Arlington Stadium. He was working with Rusty Greer. Rudy sat in a chair 25' behind a "reverse" L screen and tossed underhanded to the hitter.
Objective is to gain quickness with the hands and reaction.
This drill includes my reversed helmet {looking thru the ear holes to the pitcher].
Focus only on the ball, nothing else.
Bob
in my opinion the answer is on the T...and go back to the baisics on it, stay inside, hit thru the ball, take it to up the middle and weak side power ally - finish your swing...have every kid make 50 good swings a day off the T - my son swears by it, he comes home after practice and often goes to do 100 swings off the T just because it works.
Chase Utley hits 100 balls 7 days a week off a T I am sure there are many others.
If I had to pick one go-to drill for a team of hitters that's a bit off, I'd do front toss away. It goes a long way in cleaning up small mechanical flaws and gives them the right frame of mind for being able to drive any pitch location.
When a whole team is consistently not producing, the practice approach needs to change. Get them into a lot of recognition drills and quick twitch soft toss drills (rapid fire soft toss). Building bat speed will increase confidence from my experience.
Moses and Coach;
One of the best hitting coaches Rudy Jamarillo introduce me to his drill in Arlington Stadium. He was working with Rusty Greer. Rudy sat in a chair 25' behind a "reverse" L screen and tossed underhanded to the hitter.
Objective is to gain quickness with the hands and reaction.
This drill includes my reversed helmet {looking thru the ear holes to the pitcher].
Focus only on the ball, nothing else.
Bob
This is GREAT to hear. I know of Rudy and what a great coach he is. I also use this specific drill to build a lot of confidence in my players. However, I get quite a bit closer... 10-12 feet away. In doing so, you can change up speeds and work corners more accurately. I also like to randomly bounce a ball off the ground and into the strike zone. It mimics the off speed pitch. The hitters will already stride based on repetitive habits, but it forces them to keep hands back and try and drive ball with stride already engaged.
Top three drills for me for extra BP:
Front toss from a short distance behind an L screen (as Consultant described!) - lets drive middle men!
Weakside toss (along 1st base line for righties, 3rd for lefties) to work on opposite field hitting (as I tell my RH sons - the hits there count just the same)
Back toss from behind catcher's box. Short, quick, line drive flips. Gotta watch the ball then get your hands moving as quick as possible to hit the ball fair.
