Hitting too many ground balls

Without seeing him in person or a video it would be hard for anyone to give you a definitive answer but...

Is he making a conscious effort to not drop his back shoulder? If so - it is just about impossible to not hit the ball into the ground. Every single successful hitter drops their back shoulder to some degree.

The best recommendation I can make is to find a local instructor with a resume of turning out successful hitters.  

When you say ground balls are they bouncing right in front of the plate or 1-3 hops to the SS/2b? 

1. "Rotational linear hitter" that's not possible.

2. Have you ever seen a MLB hitter not drop their back shoulder?

3. When you hit BP, do the balls go over the L screen?  Why not?

Golfman - Ground balls to left side getting eaten up in the grass.

Rob - the instructor part I believe was the problem

Sulton - your right

He was taught to be a Rotational hitter and he still swings like that on deck today.

Until he hooked up with a "high touted instructor" who happened to coach his summer team last year, and trained every kid to have the exact same swing, stance and approach. He's since been kicked out of this program and others.

I do plan on taking a video of him to confirm.

Just wanted to hear your opinions if you believe that this could be his problem.

My thoughts:

Assuming he is RH hitter, sounds like he is coming around the ball. 

I would not consciously focus on dipping the back shoulder.

I would get a tee and a bucket of balls.  Work on getting hands inside the ball and hitting everything to the right side.  Challenge him with the inside location, to hit right side.  Also, level the swing out so he's hitting line drives to the back right of the tunnel.  Keep beating balls until it works its way out.  Good luck. 

Ps:  I think you are in my area.  Hitting instructor start with "S?" 

cant do too much in season unless you make drastic changes. After season of over, dont touch a bat for 2 months. Then do some soft toss, tell him there are no mechanics involved, just swing naturally, what ever comes. 

There is no rotation or linear swing. There is a short pro swing, almost armbar swing, and a full armbar swing. 

Who has time to take 2 months off. If he's serious player he ll go straight into Summer ball. Look for another good hitting coach in area, and hopefully by next HS season he ll be better. Too many people expect players to go to a few lessons and all is well. Takes awhile to change bad habits and  work on muscle memory. Kids will eventually "feel" he's hitting wrong. Look for teacher who will teach kid not just tell him. Good players can tell u what they r doing wrong and how to change it once they understand how hitting works. Get him on video and review.good luck

Golfman - Yeah you know him.

I do think your advice is excellent. He is a strong pull hitter anyway and he now is pressing and anxious.

Playball - Agreed. He goes right to his summer travel team. He then joins a fall team for select PG tournaments. Then add in a showcase or 2.

Video will be key for now

I'm with Golfman, get to work on the t....mark a ball with a dot or use the logo or whatever....set that part of the ball facing him, maybe slightly toward his back foot, have him focus on hitting the "marked" spot, keeping the hands inside the ball...no need to over think it a this point and this is easy to work on in-season.......definitely DO NOT take a couple of months off

Is he swinging like Springer of the Astros?

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/0...rst-major-league-hit

Bob

Ok.  I got it.  I am very familiar with the program your kid was in.  And while that coach can be an obnoxious, arrogant, fargin icehole, he is a pretty good hitting instructor.  He worked with my kid's team.  You could do A LOT worse. 

Your kid has a good base to work from.  A little tweak here and there will get him on track.  It is a matter of finding the time during compressed HS season to pound balls on his own -- keeping the "hands inside."  Good luck. 

Do you know Ralph Garr, Braves scout in Houston and former National league batting champion.

At our Area Code tryouts at Texas A&M, I asked Ralph who was his hitting instructor.

Ralph said "Henry Aaron". I told Ralph that I played one exhibition game against Aaron and what did Henry tell you.

He said "Ralph figure it out for yourself"!!!

The player is his best "hitting instructor". Use the helmet earhole drill, that I previously mentioned from Mr. T. Hunter of the Tigers. You may learn that the pitcher is throwing a "sinker" and a slight movement forward and off the plate in the batters box is all that is needed.

Bob

<www.goodwillseries.org>

Lefthook - yes I really like that.As Golfman said as well.

He is really good at keeping his hands in and has good bat speed, although needs to get back to focusing on hitting up the middle and away.

Bob - Springer a very good comparison on his struggles.

Had the exact same hit Tuesday that he just missed beating out. Wish he had Springer's speed

Love the earhole drill advice as well.

Thought about the movement in the box.Especially with the slower pitchers in high school.

Thanks for the tips guys! I have no doubt he'll come around.

Good hitters always do! As Bob has mentioned.

Seems like the instructor hasn't been challenging him with pitch location and has only taught him to hit middle and pull. It also has to do with pitch and location recognition. Does your son wear contacts? If so he may need to change them.

my kid has periods when he hits a few too many grounders and the usual culprit is him pulling his head up to see where he hit the ball to.  A couple of cage sessions with the T, back toss, front toss, and some happy gilmores concentrating on keeping the head down usually turns the grounders into line drives.