Can some help explain to me what it means when a Coach statesto a batter, "Take you hands to the ball"
Is that suppose to help the hitter make contact with the ball?
Thanks!
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I teach, "take the sweetspot to the ball". I have heard this before, but I have no idea what the instructor is trying to convey. I guess someone that uses that que would have to answer that one. Have you asked the Coach?
I always thought that it was their way of explaining the short, compact swing. In other words, the hands go straight forward, not a circular type motion.
Others that I've heard, that I thought meant the same:
1. keeping your hands inside the ball
2. take the knob of the bat to the ball
3. front hand is like a tennis backhand.. or throwing a frisbee
4. throw the bat at the ball
I may be wrong, but I thought these were trying to get the point across of the short swing, as opposed to a looping, sweeping swing.
Others that I've heard, that I thought meant the same:
1. keeping your hands inside the ball
2. take the knob of the bat to the ball
3. front hand is like a tennis backhand.. or throwing a frisbee
4. throw the bat at the ball
I may be wrong, but I thought these were trying to get the point across of the short swing, as opposed to a looping, sweeping swing.
You might want to try a different cue. I like take your back shoulder to the ball or hit it with your back shoulder. Hands to the ball can definitely lead to getting the hands to far away from your body or the hands pushing the bat, as opposed to whipping it.
In the end.
Hands don't hit the ball.
Knob doesn't hit the ball.
Front side doesn't hit the ball.
Bat head hits the bat,
Get the bat head to the ball.
Hands don't hit the ball.
Knob doesn't hit the ball.
Front side doesn't hit the ball.
Bat head hits the bat,
Get the bat head to the ball.
I always say 'hands to the ball'.
Where the hands go the bat will follow.
Make sure that in your mind's eye you are trying to make contact right in front of your body.
When you turn your hips into the swing, you'll find that you are making contact just in front of the plate or at the front of the plate.
Where the hands go the bat will follow.
Make sure that in your mind's eye you are trying to make contact right in front of your body.
When you turn your hips into the swing, you'll find that you are making contact just in front of the plate or at the front of the plate.
Maybe that is why "hand/eye coordination" is a pre-requisite to being a successful hitter. The first skill in hitting has got to be to make contact, i.e. "Hands to the ball". After that there are all sorts of mechanical and coordination issues that result in hitting effectively such as taking an outside pitch the other way, or learning to "read the curveball". Understanding that power comes from the lower half, and understanding how to use your legs and core. Understanding how to load, to not load prematurely. To understand the pro's (if any) and con's of a "dead bat" swing.
All these are important aspects (but not complete) of successful hitting.
Hands to the ball is a very basic cue. Where the hands go is where the bat will be. As a player swings a bat over an extended period of time the bat becomes an extension of his hands, and if he is good the "Sweet part" of the bat specifically becomes the extension of his hands.
Hands to the ball ultimately results in "sweet spot" to the ball.
Hands to the ball is not the same as "quick hands" which is more of a description of the route you take to get your "hands to the ball". Do you take a direct path, or a circular path? Do you extend prematurely and have bat drag?
"Quick hands" are the result of taking a linear path to the ball. This does not mean that you have a linear swing, it means you have "quick hands". The rest of a hitters body need to be in the game as well, the Legs, the core, the hips, the wrists the forearms etc. Power is generated by coordinating all these muscle groups together to maximize all your body’s energy into the spot on the bat as it meets the ball. They do all not move the same, be it a linear, or rotational direction, to achieve the optimal swing path.
I am not sure that with a 2 strike count and a fastball outside 5" off the plate (assuming you don't want to get rung up looking), you want to be hitting the ball out in front of the plate. This would more than likely result in a weak groundball to a shortstop. I have heard that a pitch outside should be taken the opposite way. To do this with power you need to let the ball get a little "deeper" which means equal to the front edge of the plate or an inch or four deeper. To effectively hit a ball that you let get a little deeper you had better have "quick hands".
All these are important aspects (but not complete) of successful hitting.
Hands to the ball is a very basic cue. Where the hands go is where the bat will be. As a player swings a bat over an extended period of time the bat becomes an extension of his hands, and if he is good the "Sweet part" of the bat specifically becomes the extension of his hands.
Hands to the ball ultimately results in "sweet spot" to the ball.
Hands to the ball is not the same as "quick hands" which is more of a description of the route you take to get your "hands to the ball". Do you take a direct path, or a circular path? Do you extend prematurely and have bat drag?
"Quick hands" are the result of taking a linear path to the ball. This does not mean that you have a linear swing, it means you have "quick hands". The rest of a hitters body need to be in the game as well, the Legs, the core, the hips, the wrists the forearms etc. Power is generated by coordinating all these muscle groups together to maximize all your body’s energy into the spot on the bat as it meets the ball. They do all not move the same, be it a linear, or rotational direction, to achieve the optimal swing path.
I am not sure that with a 2 strike count and a fastball outside 5" off the plate (assuming you don't want to get rung up looking), you want to be hitting the ball out in front of the plate. This would more than likely result in a weak groundball to a shortstop. I have heard that a pitch outside should be taken the opposite way. To do this with power you need to let the ball get a little "deeper" which means equal to the front edge of the plate or an inch or four deeper. To effectively hit a ball that you let get a little deeper you had better have "quick hands".
