How to be a DH?

It is very simple--JUST HIT !!!!

I can tell you how to be an EH??

Sitdown, this is going to take awhile??

hehe EH

My son is a true freshmen on a junior college team.The coach gives the sophs first chance at a position.So first few games my son was DH.
Not to talk about just my son , but I have not a lot of outside exp, but he has worked hard on his hitting for several years. When he DH first few games he did well.Coach realized he needed to be in field, hasnt DH since first of season.
As I learn the college game, coach gives most kids opportunity, take any morsel you get and go with it. Cant get hung up on psychology of why aren't I in the field. Just go mash the ball.
Make it so the coach cant live without you in the line up, anyway you can.My son has been a full time starter ever since, playing 2nd and LF. Seems to be alternating, so others can play as well. is my son a OF, not really. Does he care? not really.hes in the line up, does he care about that? you bet cha.

ILVBB,

Most people who have played a lot understand that the mind is the great separator. Not so much things like knowledge or intelligence, but more like eliminating the clutter. It’s not the easiest thing to correct.

Hitting is very much a mental thing. Maybe deep down it's bothering your son that he is a DH?

Maybe it's no more than a comfort thing. It might not be comfortable to just DH if he is used to playing all the time. We use to have our DH run between innings to stay loose. It seemed to relax him and work.

If it is a comfort or mental thing, it would be much like any hitter in a slump. All it will take is a hit or two to get comfortable and get the mind working correctly.

I have found that most often if it is a physical problem causing a slump, it involves vision or tightness in one way or another. Not many hitters change their swing mechanics all of a sudden, but it only takes a small detail to change their vision or ability to track. All one has to do is tense up, i.e. grit the teeth, in order to make the muscles tight and the vision a bit distorted, even if you don’t really feel it. It doesn’t take much to throw a player off. Unfortunately, sometimes players make big adjustments when they are not necessary to get back in the groove. That often tends to cause more problems.

Anyway, it’s hard to tell when it’s right in front of you, let alone over the internet.

Actually the advice you gave him is very good. Only he should look at each individual "at bat" as a new day.

Best of luck to your son.

great post PG.As usual.

I think the atretching running is good as it can be a lot of sitting and your muscles could be getting tight.

ILVBB - good question.

Maybe the question should be is how to be a better first baseman. Everyone in baseball (including the average 80 year old grandmother) underrates the first base position. When I think of first base, I think of JT Snow. Your son can be a better hitter than JT Snow imho but maybe not be as good defensively. Maybe concentrate on taking hundreds/thousands of extra ground balls at first. Have guys purposely throw him balls in the dirt and learn to dig them out even if he is the DH for that game. A great first baseman raises the fielding percentage of the entire team. By focusing on his defense, he will take the pressure off of his offense which is already outstanding imho. Show his team he is willing to sell-out on defense and the DH questions will become moot. I believe defense can fuel his hitting and lead his team to victory. I also belive by focusing on defense, he will not be able to worry about whether or not he is actually playing in the field. I do believe that Yogi Berra figured out baseball many years ago. 90% of it is half mental.

PGStaff:

Over the past 3 games, 2 in the field he was 4-8 with 3-2b and 4 rbi. Then as DH he had an "O"fer. I don't think it is mechanical. The weekend before it was similar, he started the season 7-11 playing the field and then 1-5 as a DH.

I think it is a "comfort thing" which was the reason for the question. For someone that has played in the field all his life, being a DH is like having a "new position" hence the question.

ClevelandDad:

My question was regarding being a DH. It is not the same as going out to the field, you sit on the bench most of the game and have to be prepared to be ready 4-5 times over a 3-hour period.

To prosume that he is being asked to DH rather than play the field due to defensive weakness is normal.

My son has always been a very good defensive player. He has yet to make an error this year (7 of 10 games)and has prevented many errant throws from being errors. Last season in over 400 chances he made 5 errors. This is not a matter of losing a position but rather learning a new position.

I was looking for help in the area of:

1. keeping focused while sitting on the bench.

2. keeping your head clear of negative thoughts as you wait for your next turn at bat (when you are used to keeping your focus for defense).

3. staying loose, maintaining enough tension to react yet loose enough to swing, when you are used to being on the field.

4. the line between being a teammate on the bench while maintaining readiness to do your job.

Being a DH is fundementally different when one has learned the game being in the field. Some may gravitate to it, others may need to make adjustments. My question was looking for help as he makes an adjustment to a roll that is new for him.

We as parents are our kids support, teachers, mentors, friends and confidants. We entrust them to the game, their coaches and team mates. However as parents we are the ones that generally know them best and are the ones that will be there to point them in the right direction when help is needed. To be effective, I am doing what I can to ask for help and to be open to the wisdom and experience of those that have come before me.

ILBB,

its late tonight but tomorrow evening Ill give my son a ring and ask what he did in those first few games where he was the DH.Ill let you know if he has any ideas.

ILVBB,
I think what's happening to your son is common --- at least it was with my son. With him it was very obvious to me. With him it wasn't a mechanical flaw but a mental flaw. It was the "dead time" between plate appearances. He had too much time to "think" about his LAST plate appearance and his NEXT plate appearance and the pressure to perform would build. This allows his mind to take control of his body --- and that in my opinion is a very bad thing in hitting. As TRHit says --- "JUST HIT" --- well that is much easier said than done. Maybe having something other than his next at bat to focus on between innings would help. iPod music, "cheerleader", or maybe just deeper conversations with another person on the bench during the time his teammates are on the field will reduce his time to "dwell". I strongly suggest he read the Mental Keys of Hitting by H A Dorfman. This would help him at least control the WAY he thinks. DH is a very tough position to play. Even having 1 great at bat doesn't eliminate the "DH slump" because that previous at bat only increases the expectations in the next at bat. I caution trying to solve a mental problem with a mechanical fix unless the instructor understands it's a pure mental "problem". To me that can amplify the problem if you aren't careful.
Fungo

My son was brought up to varsity this year to be the DH. It definitely is a hard position. If you’re O’fer, you feel you haven’t done your job, which only puts more pressure on each consecutive AB. If you’re playing in the field and you happen to go O’fer at the plate, you can make up for it with a great defensive play or solid defensive game.

Our coach preaches that the DH is a starting position just like any other varsity position. To help keep the DH involved in the game, he has the DH warm up the opposite fielder between innings, i.e. first base dugout warms up F7 and third base dugout warms up F9. That gives the DH a good sprint between innings. Also, my son catches warm-up bullpens between innings when necessary. This not only keeps him loose, it is simply one more thing to keep him feeling that he is contributing to the overall team effort.

I’ve told my son not to worry about stats or hits per se; the coach picked him to be the DH for a reason. Just go up each time with the idea of having a “good AB,” which can mean putting a solid stroke on the ball (it will go where it will go), working the count, moving runners over, etc. Even a strikeout can be a “good AB” for the team if you can foul off some pitches and make the pitcher work. In the end, the stats will take care of themselves over the course of the season if you have a series of “good AB’s.”