How possible is it-

We had 3 kids hit them at 13. It was mainly fast pitching vs bat speed and great swing mechanics. I'd set the goal of good consistent mechanics and solid contact rather than a HR goal. The HRs will come, in time,once the other goal is acheived Good luck.

Yeah I agree about the mechanics and I thought it would be possible.

But you know I learned a few years ago I can't set Zack's goals-he has to set them himself. I can encourage and make suggestions but that is about it.

You know he is 13 going on 30.

Yeah, that sounds about right.

These kids are top-notch hitters - with very good bat speed. I haven't seen many HRs hit, and none by the average LLer moving up to the big field for the first time, unless the kid was also a dedicated hitter who had good mechanics. It's funny, the field looked pretty huge the first time we had the kids play on it. After a full season on it, it doesn't look that huge anymore. Plus some kids grow quite a bit between 12 and 13.

If Zack's goal is the HRs, and he works at his mechanics to acheive it, then it will be a good thing whether he actually hits one or not.

quote:

Originally posted by ZacksDad:
This is one of his 3 goals for the year and while I encourage him that it is possible noone in the league hit one last year.

I wouldn't suggest that he dwell on hitting it over the fence. It could possibly screw up his mechanics. Let the HR be the byproduct of a solid swing instead. But yes, it's possible.

What are the other two goals?

Beezer-his other 2 goals are to develop a better arm and to improve his running speed (which I would think are tremendously important playing CF).

Tonight will be his first night of "professional" instruction. And apparently he doesn't have the best mechanics because the instructor said that he was surprised at how hard Zack hit the ball based on what he saw on video. So hopefully this will help his mechanics. Unfortunately he has only had me and I really don't know anything.

300' at 13YO isn't likely, but does happen occasionally. As the other poster said, Zack needs to focus on his mechanics & let the ball fly where it will.

In DFW area, I saw several boys hit 300' plus at the age of 13. Not uncommon here. Unbelieveable talent around these parts.

Dan

You said "top notch hitters" with very good bat speed. What kind of bat speed were the hitters acheiving?

ZacksDad-

If it is his goal and he works at it, I would say he's got a shot. My Zack is almost 12 and has hit a couple 270' shots recently, one hitting the top of a 12 ft. fence. He's been working on his mechanics and watching the release and it has made a huge difference. Depends on his size too, gotta have the power behind the swing.

At that age the batting average is more important than HR.s

JMO

Fortunately he has you!
And you know enough to:
1:Know baseball is his love!
2:Know you really don't know anything about the game.
3:Know you need to have someone with the knowledge and experience help him and you are doing that!
That's what counts,not everybodys a bb guru

ZacksDad,

No-one's measured their bat speed, I just know the kids get the bat through the zone noticeably faster than the other kids. You know it when you see it. Economy of swing, no wasted movement, proper bat size & weight all have an effect. Some other kids have these big looping wasteful swings lumbering through the zone like a cement truck. Every once in a while they can do some damage, but much more often they really struggle. And, to echo TRhit's point, the kids who hit the HRs were also the 3 high average kids on the team.

There's alot of growth variance in that age group.
I've seen 5'8" 165lb 11 year olds hit the ball pretty far.
I think its best to judge them on quality and quantity of contact and not so much on pure distance. The growth thing will even out over time.
Rollerman

ZacksDad - How did his lesson go?

To elaborate on my previous post; my son (13u this year) played on many larger fields last season, hit 15 - 20 HR, one of the top BA, OBP, Slug % players on his team. But whenever they played on a field with a short (200' - 235') fence, you know what happened? They all tried to kill it and the swings were horrendous and so were the results. Like I said before, tell him to ignore the fence and rather, have him set a goal to lead his team in more productive areas (BA, OBP, etc). That way he'll be pleasantly surprised when he does connects with a beautiful swing and the ball lands beyond the fence!

It is possible -- depending on size, strength and bat speed -- in my oldest's 13 year old year he hit a dozen ball over 300 ft. fences -- several in the 340 ft. range -- but he was 6'1, 160 lbs -- using a 32/23.5 big barrel bat. We always tried to emphasize a solid swing -- line drives, high average -- and the homers happen by accident.

brew4crew-my son uses the same size bat. He is about 5'7" and 140.

Beezer-it went good but apparently we have lots to correct and I wonder what will end up happening to Zack. What I mean by this is as previously stated I know very little about baseball. Basically over the years I have told him to watch the ball hit the bat and swing hard. So his "natural" swing is something he has developed over the years. Keep in mind he is a good hitter (not travel or showcase ball but he was the #3 hitter on our all-star team which went to state) and currently can hit the ball about 290'. In the words of the coach last night "we are starting to put humpty dumpty back together again" which to me sounds like Zack does a lot "wrong"-even though his instructor says he hits the ball hard. I just wonder what this will do to him. Any thoughts?

But Zack likes the coach-and I like him. He seems to be a genuine guy and a straight shooter. He is booked until Feb 9th but said that he would get Zack back in before then even if he has to change something around with his schedule. That tells me a lot about the guy and sounds like he thinks Zack has some real potential.

quote:

Originally posted by ZacksDad:
In the words of the coach last night "we are starting to put humpty dumpty back together again" which to me sounds like Zack does a lot "wrong"-even though his instructor says he hits the ball hard. I just wonder what this will do to him. Any thoughts?

ZD - I wouldn't get too caught up in the Humpty Dumpty analogy. Many instructors have their own way of doing things. Ususally these various components of the swing are slight differences, sometimes they're drastic. My son has worked with 4 or 5 different hitting instructors over the years, not to mention input from a variety of coaches, and each one has taught him something different than the others.

My point? There's not a "right" way or a "wrong" way to hit. If Zack was doing something wrong, he wouldn't be hitting it 290' now would he? HOWEVER, the benefit to getting the instruction is to learn proper techniques so that they can be more consistant with the swing and eventually he'll learn situational aspects of hitting as well.

The best thing you can do with Zach is be positive. My son gets frustrated at times as well and I have to point out the positives of the lesson. One thing I'd suggest is that you video the lesson so he can watch it later and see what he's doing.

Beezer-thanks That is a great idea about video taping the lesson. I am pretty much positive all of the time. I just tell him to get up there and do what does and kill the ball.

quote:

Originally posted by ZacksDad:
Beezer-thanks That is a great idea about video taping the lesson.

It's so simple but it really helps. I do it for both his hitting and pitching workouts so he can see what the instructor was telling him compared to how he was executing.

ZacksDad,
The boy I mentioned above is now 15 and is 6'4", 185, and can handle a 33/30 -- but when he was younger -- 9-10,11 etc., I now know I had him using a bat that was too heavy for him. He could hit the ball a long way in batting practice but was just slightly above average in games. Then I began to learn more about bat speed, swing mechanics, the power of confidence, etc. and we dropped weight a couple of ounces -- and he went from an average travel hitter to an elite travel hitter in less than two seasons -- AND increased hit ability to hit the long ball. Since tehn I've watched probably 700 travel games (I have four boys who play travel ball) and I've noticed that MOST young players use bats that are just a bit too big for them. And typcially they say the same thing -- "But I can hit with it in practice!" Just my experience.

This past year our oldest son, who plays for the SF Giants organization, was fortunate enough to have Barry Bonds pull him over at Spring Training for a 30 min. hitting lesson. During that time he shared alot of wisdom with him, but the most interesting advice was to never think about HR numbers...it would mess up his approach. He said the HR's would come with a solid approach and swing. Willie Mays was standing behind the cage, nodding his head in agreement at everything he said.

PS. Our son didn't hit his first HR until he was 15.

quote:

...to have Barry Bonds pull him over at Spring Training for a 30 min. hitting lesson.

How cool is that!?

quote:

Originally posted by Callaway:

quote:

...to have Barry Bonds pull him over at Spring Training for a 30 min. hitting lesson.

How cool is that!?

I'd need smelling salts for my son.

I'd need them for me! My son would think it was cool but not be too star struck--me on the other hand would be stuttering and making a complete fool out of myself.

quote:

Originally posted by BBfam:
I'd need them for me! My son would think it was cool but not be too star struck--me on the other hand would be stuttering and making a complete fool out of myself.

Yeah, you're probably right.

Last year when my son played 12u he hit several over 300 foot fences and one his coach estimated at about 360. He also had several teammates that were consistently hitting them over 250 foot fences. Only thing was when we would be on a really small field they never could do it.

quote:

Originally posted by jack301974:
Last year when my son played 12u he hit several over 300 foot fences and one his coach estimated at about 360.

That's a SHOT! Who does he play for Jack?

He plays for a travel team from Warsaw, Indiana. I should add that he is 6' 195.

Zachs dad, A home run shoudl be his last thought.Singles,doubles and a good contact,alley finding hitter will get him alot further at this stage.Power will get to him,just give it time

You can only hit certain pitches for homeruns and you can get a single from any pitch in the strikezone.

Power is God given and not every player has tom of it. The great power hitters are consistently hitting the ball corectly so you need to make contact before you can hit a ball so many feet.

quote:

Originally posted by jack301974:
He plays for a travel team from Warsaw, Indiana. I should add that he is 6' 195.

My son's team is in a league with some IN teams and our WS will be over there.

quote:

Originally posted by BBfam:
I'd need them for me! My son would think it was cool but not be too star struck--me on the other hand would be stuttering and making a complete fool out of myself.

I am sitting here smiling just day dreaming about the possibility... if it actually happened to my son I don't think I would ever stop smiling... 30 minutes with Barry teaching hitting - with Willie Mays listening in - it doesn't get any better...

08Dad..
It was a very special moment. Our son said he was fine for the first 15 minutes and then got a little nervous towards the end when he started thinking about it. When it was over he immediately ran into the clubhouse and wrote down as much as he could remember. He checked those notes over and over last summer and finished the season with 20HR's and a Sept. call up.

When he was younger, we could never afford hitting lessons. Funny how he ended up getting a lesson from probably the best hitter in the game ... for free.

What a presence of mind for Dan to write it down - most players would have thought I will get to it later and then miss most of it.

I wish Barry would write a book - with the teachers he has had - and his own adaptations, it would be a must buy on my list...

TxMom, one of the greatest.


COngradulations to your son, and may he have a good season.

PS. Where will he most likely be this year? Because if he is with the grizzles down in Fresno, I will probaly catch a couple of games wathcing your son.

WOW TxMom!!!

Experiences like that inspire all of us on this board!!!

BB and WW at the same time, WOW !!!!. That son of yours must be in heaven !!!! Great story and thanks for sharing it with us here.

Shep