Mental approach to game hitting

quote:

Originally posted by Mendozaline:
Just a quick question, looking for pointers. Kid has a great swing, has taken good instruction. Traditionally starts the season slow against live pitching in games. Has always come back to lead the team in hitting.

Same thing this year, 0-5 start. Hit some hard grounders right at folks, but now a mental head case.

Head to the cage, throw BP. He starts out ok, but not perfect (his assessment not mine). Stresses a little, gets worse. I start talking things other than hitting, girls, school, fishing etc. and he comes out of it and crushes the ball repeatedly.

My assessment was that he was thinking to much about the mechanics of hitting. This hand their, fire hips, blah blah blah.

My advice was "Listen kid, you've got the skills. You can hit. Great hands, power, you know the strike zone. Your body will respond. Just think about hitting the **** ball and forget all the other stuff. Get in the box, see the ball, hit the ball."

Any thoughts? Cues that might help? Drills? Cures? Pills? Anything besides a short rope and a tall chair???

Thanks!!

quote:

cmon baby give me a good pitch,,cmon give me mine give me mine,,anything else and your in trouble

quote:

Originally posted by BlueDog:
Only thing that matters is, can he crush the ball consistently?....Sounds like to me the answer is, no he can't......

I say he doesn't understand timing.......But, then, almost all amateur hitters don't.....

No matter what hitting theory they are taught, or hit with, it has to be timed correctly......

Timing starts with something that Tom has always stressed, pre-swing rhythmic activity......Hardly ever do you see an amateur hitter use it.......

quote:

Originally posted by BlueDog:
Every great hitter had rhythmic pre-swing activity with the hands, arms and wrists......

It's important to know about it.....Tom made me aware of it's importance......