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110 replies

See it to hit it.

B BaseballCoach10+ posts
Much has been cussed and discussed in these forums about the most effective mechanical approach to hitting and even to some extent, the mental approach. Although I don't post much anymore, I am a regular lurker and read as much as possible.

Even with some of the success I've had teaching it over the years, I don't claim to be an expert on hitting and the discussions here are generally quite thought provoking and keep me contiually asking myself questions about whether this technique or that technique will help my players. I enjoy this experimentation process and while some things work for me and some don't, I appreciate everyone's input and have benefited many times.

Anyway, the reason for my post is to find out more info on the "vision" part of hitting.....you know, being able to see it and track it better. How many of you emphasize with drills or mental cues this important element?

How much emphasis do you put on it?

How much time do you spend on it?

Do you feel you've seen a marked improvement?

I realize this has been discussed occasionally in the past, but wanted to see if we could get a more in depth look at this part of hitting by dicussing it in its own thread.

I feel like this an area that I don't spend enough time on and would appreciate any comments that anybody wants to throw out.
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H hsballcoach100+ posts
Great topic choice. I read an article about 3 years ago that really discussed the trend of vision training at the professional and collegiate level. Since that time we have incorporated a number of drills into our hitting stations that utilize vision training. Does it make a difference. I can't really answer that other than I feel that it can't hurt and could only help. Therefor I feel that it is valuable and as you said very overlooked. The best swing in the world will not help you hit a ball if you can not see it and recognize it. On the opposite side some ugly swings have produced many a hit because the hitter simply had good vision and hand-eye coordination. The hardest part is getting the kids to stay focused on some of the drills because they don't always involve hitting. Once they buy into it they are fine.
T txdad06100+ posts
IMO vision is number 1, you can cross your legs and switch your hands on the bat, if you track the ball you can still hit it. You can have perfect form in the box but if you close your eyes you will never hit the ball. That's why there are no blind hitters in MLB. Vision is the key, you should spend just as much time on training your vision as you would on developing your swing.

I have spent years throwing taped plastic golf balls to my son, which he hits with a broom stick, he calls out the color as soon as he determines the color. I pitch coins on home plate during soft toss, as soon he hits the ball he yells out the coin, this keeps him from pulling his head out.
S swingbuster1,000+ posts
Just my opinion...your eyes see what your brain is imagining. If your subconsciece is holding thoughts of self protection ( I hope the ball doesn't hit me) then it is hard to pick the ball up with intent to hit it early. Many kids play " mental dodge ball" and then think hit.

The success of vision training may have to do with training the brain to think see it hit it and reduce the stray thoughts of I hope it doesn't hit me.
Last edited by swingbuster
T txdad06100+ posts
the topic was see it to hit it, I am not sure at what age that changes, from t-ball to MLB the one thing that is constant is you have to see the baseball to hit the baseball.

I know the level of the teaching varies from kid to kid and age to age but vision should be taught at the very first stage, then you can get into the fundamentals of the swing after proper vision has been established.
TRhitTRhit10,000+ posts
txdad

Every kid has a distinct appitude

Every age group means different things-- what my son was doing as a 17 year old senior was not the same as what he was doing in LL

We tend paint with a broad brush when it comes to instruction-- I think distinctions have to be made for each age group and each player-- you cannot generalize--this is why I do not like the internet teaching stuff-- baseball is a one on one situation not a general situation
BlueDogBlueDog1,000+ posts
"....he calls out the color as soon as he determines the color."
".......as soon he hits the ball he yells out the coin......."

This promotes using improper vision........Pitch recognition is location and speed.....You need depth perception to do this.......To recognize color and/or which coin utilizes focal vision......Not what you want to use when recognizing pitch location and speed.....No depth perception in focal vision......
Last edited by BlueDog
T txdad06100+ posts
seems as if bluedog has a bone to pick with me. Hey dog if i put a colored stripe on the ball and my son yells out the color as soon as it is recognized, he mush see the ball, he must pick up the spinning tape and he must hit the ball, this makes him try to call out the color right out of the pitchers hand. PICK UP THE SPIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
BlueDogBlueDog1,000+ posts
Txdad, no bone to pick....Just trying to help, that's all......

Spin has nothing to do with it.....Two things you wanna recognize, location and speed......Don't confuse this with trying to figure out curve ball, fastball, slider, etc....There's no time for that, anyway......Only location and speed......And, it's also not a conscious effort to do so....More of a subconscious thing.....The brain does this without caring what kind of spin is on the ball.....It all happens so quick that the brain says swing or don't swing.......It doesn't say fastball low and away......Or, hanging breaking ball down the middle.....There's only time for swing or don't swing.....

MLB hitters rarely know what kind of pitch they just hit out of the park.....Their brain said swing now, and they did......Announcer: What kind of pitch was it?....Player: I'm not sure, something inside..... noidea

You gotta see the whole picture, not just the ball.....The brain needs a background to judge the speed of the pitch.....
Last edited by BlueDog
BlueDogBlueDog1,000+ posts
"..... It was for concentration,......"

To concentrate on what?.....Great hitters totally clear their mind of all thoughts when they're in the box.....The eyes need to be relaxed and looking straight ahead....In the direction of the ball, but not right at it....

Definition of concentration: To think of absolutely nothing when it's absolutely necessary.....
F FormerObserver1,000+ posts
quote:
MLB hitters rarely know what kind of pitch they just hit out of the park.....



So, how come our sons come home and say,

"Took on the outside over the RF fence"

"Hit a hanging curve ball"

"It was a fastball right down the middle"

"It was low and inside"

"I could've hit that pitch out to RF, but I didn't get the bathead around"

"It was a slider"

"It was a curve ball"

"It was down and in"

"It was belt high"

"It was two balls off the plate"

"Only got one fastball tonight"

quote:
shows me that you have either forgotten or have never faced good (or ANY) pitching in your life. The spin on the slider and the tumble action on a splitter are things that most any hitter can pick up and are important to do so.


So, BD there's a professional baseball scout that makes his living judging young ball players ability to do just that.

And here's a rank amateur that knows the same thing.

So, Bluedog, you don't know your A S S from a hole in the ground.
BlueDogBlueDog1,000+ posts
FormerWhateverYouAre, I'm really not interested in what your son says about pitches.....Again, I've probably heard them all at one time, or another....Everybody's son is a star.....

Now, when they ask Reggie Jackson what pitch he hit out in a World Series game and he says he's not sure, he just hit it, well, that gets my attention and gets me to thinking and researching..... biglaugh
F FormerObserver1,000+ posts
Here was the pile that smelled.

quote:
MLB hitters rarely know what kind of pitch they just hit out of the park.....


You wanna scoop that up?

Always notice the dogs checkin the quality of the smell.

When you raise your hind leg, do you stick it straight out, or straight back.

quote:
Now that I've got your attention, you can start thinking and researching on that.
Last edited by FormerObserver
BlueDogBlueDog1,000+ posts
You see BoringObserver, I will actually discuss things with Scout....Even though, he sometimws twists things around.....Every now and then I get a pearl to use from him.....

On the other hand, you, being the boringknownothing you are, can't possibly throw any useful information into a discussion.....So, I just use you as entertainment value....... tater
B bbscout1,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by BlueDog:
quote:
It is not something that can be taught by an instructor


That is exactly why all the colors and numbers being called out in hitting drills is nonsense.....Pitch recognition is location and speed.....And, this can and should definitely be taught.....


Mr Jefferies taught Greg, who played 14 years in the big leagues and made about 34 million. Greg still thinks the numbers drill helped him, and that was after he gained the 14 years of major league experience. Don't be so quick to call something nonsense unless you have experienced it firsthand.
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