Divine mindsets to improve your hitting and game!
P.R.E.Y. for Baseball Mindsets
Prepare, Recognize, Execute, and Yell
P- Prepare,
1.) Perfect practice makes perfect. Practicing bad habits, unfocused practicing, or not enough practice gets you nowhere fast.
2.) Practice on the field. Whenever you enter the white lines of the field, practice like it’s game-time and scouts are in the stands.
R. - Recognize in the dugout and then on deck,
Recognize what the pitcher is doing while you are in the dugout.
1.) Arm slot?
2.) Out pitch?
3.) Where is he working the plate and where is the umpire calling pitches? Is the umpire calling pitches off the plate on a regular basis? Is he a high-ball or low-ball umpire? Or is he both, with a big zone?
4. When on deck, how many outs are there? Where are your runners on base? Do you hit to the right side with one out and a runner on third, or swing for a long hard sac fly? If there aren’t any outs, are you ready to bunt?
E. - Execute,
1.) First and foremost, you are a team player in a team sport! Execute the bunt or the situation that is called for when you approach the plate.
2.) Hitting for consistency- As you walk to the batter’s box you should be thinking, “BRING IT!”
3.) As the pitcher goes into his wind up, you, with relaxed hands, slide, load, ready-to-explode. Make sure your front foot is planted in time for explosion; you have loose hands back, ready to drive them forward while feeling strong-- chest out, shoulders tall, keep from dropping your top hand.
a. You see the ball out of his hand well because you watched in the dugout to see where his arm slot is.
b. You see the rotation of the ball. Fast ball? Curve? Pick up the angle and location of the ball as it approaches the plate.
c. Where in the zone is it? Inside? Pull your hands in. Outside third of the plate, hit it away.
d. As the balls reaches, with relaxed hands and strong posture, you are loaded and ready to release the fury on a fast ball, recognize the curve or change-up, and go with it up the middle or opposite field.
e. Lay off balls above the hands or below knees unless you have two strikes. In that case, fight off pitches until he makes a mistake.
4.) My #1 rule. DO NOT GO DOWN LOOKING at strike three. Only lay off if it's in the dirt or over your hands; otherwise you are in swing mode to execute the at-bat.
Y. - Yell,
When I say yell, I don't mean yell at the other team as they pitch or attempt to bat. Yell for your pitcher or for your batter.
POSITIVE ATTITUDES AND ENERGY WIN GAMES!!!!!!
A team with energy stays focused and is on their toes-- alert to react to a ball hit to them on defense or quick to hit a fast ball to the gap on offense. Excitement heightens the senses. Negativity slows them down. Remember-- it's a team sport. Help the team keep their energy up. If a player has a bad AB, so what! Pick them up. Two out of every three at-bats, they’re headed back to the bench. They need a boost to keep out the negative energy. If there is an error, so what! Pick them up and tell them that you have their back. You will see improvements immediately on defense and in your offense!!! Go get ‘em, most of all HAVE FUN along the way and don't forget to P.R.E.Y.
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