Oppo hitting instruction

The main reason most kids pull balls into the dugout, is that their hands are too far in 'front' of their body (toward the plate), so they end up slicing the bat across the front hip (toward the pitcher).

Here is Posey as he coils inward and strides forward.  Notice the hand position - not too far, and not too close.

Pitching tip - when pitcher son sees these hitters (they hit into the 'dugout') he throws them two fastballs inside for a quick 0-2 count.

So, I'm not sure hitting balls oppo is the cure (this may cause another problem - dragging the bat head).  Dead pull hitters need to learn how to hit inside pitches inside the lines.

Stafford, are you talking about hitting inside or outside pitches? Pulling outside pitches results in too many hard ground balls to short. (I know too well from son's personal experience. )   If it's inside pitches, obviously Sultan just covered above.

Set up a screen about 10-12' in front. Underhand flip balls to the outside part of the plate & make him drive it the other way or back into the net. Do this prior to any live throwing BP session. 

The following may help:

Set up a screen approximately in line with second baseman for right-handed hitter (obviously, in line with SS for a lefty) and front toss. The hitter takes hit normal stance/stride in the box and the intention is for him to not release the barrel too soon and hit it back at the screen. 

Before doing any type of toss or throwing to hit get out the tee.  Find a cage and set down a home plate that will not move.  Then put a Tee down that can be moved easily.  Work on ABC locations to show him the swing changes very little based on location and start working muscle memory on where bat head should be on contact in a controlled setting.

I always tell my guys how the ball comes off the bat can tell you almost everything you need to know about your swing if it's good or bad.  Let him see the ball come off the bat from the outside C position and how it flies in the cage.  Once you do this and get comfortable with it then you can move to front toss and everything above.

It's about teaching hitters to hit the baseball where it is pitched. Yes you are going to hook around pitches. Every hitter does. It's just not intentional. It's understanding why you hooked around a pitch. It's understanding that you actually hooked around a pitch. When you can ask a kid "What just happened?" "I don't know." "I just missed it." or "I saw fastball and got a cu and hooked around it." Now that is a hitter that understands what "HE" did and what "HE needs to do.

I have found that working on going the other way if not properly "Taught" takes one problem and creates other problems. Now the kid's barrel drags and he can't turn on anything. He is so focused on "going the other way" he can't hit.

Instead of working on going the other way work on "hitting period." Never work exclusively on pulling the ball, going up the middle, or going the other way. Work the art of hitting which is being on time. Being on time means being early, late, and right on time.

As far as drills, work on timing drills. When to launch to be early, late, on time. What you will find is kids will want to change their mechanics to "reach" an outside pitch, get inside of an inside pitch. Instead of working on the proper timing they will attempt to change their mechanics to get the intended results you are asking for. Keep your swing your swing. It's more about when you swing not how you swing. If a kid has solid swing mechanics he should be able to consistently drive the baseball to all fields "when you put him in a controlled environment that tells him where the ball is going to be."

Controlled Environment: T-Drills T set up outside, middle, inside.

Front Toss - Ok lets go backside. Ok lets pull the ball. Ok take it back up the middle.

BP- OK I'm going to work you away lets work on going backside.

Now you take him out of the controlled environment and what happens? Is it about recognizing pitch location? Is it also about timing? The very first thing a kid has to develop is proper swing mechanics that allow him to have success. Now he has to incorporate the ability to recognize pitch location and incorporate the timing process into that. So don't work on going backside. Work on hitting. JMO