Team hitting

I'd spend a lot of time individually with players doing tee work and teaching the fundamental mechanics ONE STEP AT A TIME.

Don't make them eat the elephant all at once break it down and teach one step at a time over the course of several practices depending on how much time you have.

Assuming your talking now til it's warm enough to play (not a Southern state team) you've got a lot to do in a short period of time indoors.

Good luck!

Definitely.

Explain that each may choose to have different "style" but the hitting absolutes should be the same for all. If you haven't digested any hitting information, I would suggest the best book on hitting ever written: The Science of Hitting - Ted Williams.

Also, The Hitting Edge by Tom Robson is a great book. It is overlooked by many but he talks a great deal about the mental aspects of hitting as well as mechanics.

Teach the kids the basics (absolutes) and take some video! Analyze their swings. Most coaches aren't good enough to pick apart a swing without the aid of frame by frame video. IMHO, it is probably the most valuable tool for a coach/instructor.

make them all a "click stick"

quote:

Originally posted by d8:
make them all a "click stick"

What is a click stick and what is its purpose? Thanks

I am looking for the "store bought" version so that I can paste the link, but you can make one for a few buck and parts from the local hardware store. It's primary purpose it to help keep the hands inside the ball.

http://www.hittingworld.com/Clap_Bat_p/cla-100.htm

But we make one with a dowell rod, athletic tape, and 3 washers that will slide up and down the dowell rod.

Hand the stick to the kid and tell him to make the bat click out in front of his front hip and let him go.

quote:

Originally posted by d8:
I am looking for the "store bought" version so that I can paste the link, but you can make one for a few buck and parts from the local hardware store. It's primary purpose it to help keep the hands inside the ball.

Ok thanks, made something similiar years ago with a 1/2" steel pipe with a ball bearing inside of it.

Muhl Tech makes a click bat as well that you can hit baseballs/tennis balls etc. with. It's a good tool. We use it every day. I like it because we can actually hit baseball plus the barrel is small so you have to be focus on being on path with the ball. http://muhltech.com/muhl_training_bat.html

I don't like the fact that manufacturers say it should click out front or at contact. If you have any bat speed at all the ball/washer will click before contact. I tell my guys they should hear it click close to their ear/shoulder. If they hear it click behind them, they are dropping the barrel (I call it emptying the barrel) before they get it to the hitting zone. I tell my guys to think of the barrel as if it is full of water. You want to take as much water to the hitting zone as you can. If you hear it click behind you (drop / empty the barrel) The only result is a true upper cut swing. Basically you are the direct inverse of the "wood chopper" type swing - your bat will be on path for a very short time.

I agree you must get the bat on the path of the ball which may be a SLIGHT upper cut to match the path of the ball, but if the barrel gets below the hands too soon the upward path of the bat will be way too much. I believe the barrel must be pulled on line from the shoulder (shaft to shoulder position) then work to the proper path from there. The clicker bats definitely reinforce this thinking.

Just my two pennies.

I am really looking for cues and drills, not so much different equipment. I want philosphys and the way you get in there and teach your teams how to hit

quote:

o

I totally understand.

I feel you have to find ways to get them to "feel" the correct path long before you just setup some drills. Heck some just need to learn how to hold a bat correctly. Some of these items will help them start to develop the feel of a proper swing. Once they have that almost any hitting drill will be productive.

Some drills I like:

Angle Drill. Have them stand at a 45 degree angle from the pitcher. Have the pitcher throw the ball right down the middle as if the hitting is standing regular. Have the hitter work on letting the ball get deep and drive it right back at the pitcher. If the path is right they should have no problem hitting it back at the pitcher.

Any tee work. I work with my guys on inside and outside tee work. The swings should be very similar regardless of the location. Comes down to where you hit the ball in the hitting zone.

This are just a couple drills I think are vital. There are many others and I'm sure their are people out their much smarter that I am.

Again, just my two pennies. I don't claim to be an expert by any means, I just know what I've picked up and has been successful with us.

Check the hitting section, a litlle ways down there was a thread "some great hitting drills" Conner Powers I believe. One drill in particular has worked very well for me the last couple of weeks, from HS players down to my 9/10 yr olds. It was the drill where he concntrates on hitting the inside seem using a tee.

quote:

Originally posted by patriots1980:
how would you teach the high school level baseball swing to make below average baseball players serviceable?

It's unrealistic. It won't work. Not enough times or reps to make a difference. In fact, with the season looming, it will be counterproductive because it will harm their confidence. The message you'll be sending is: we've got to change/improve your swings because they're not good enough.

Instead, accept that you have a bunch of hackers, and do everything you can to optimize. Especially: do everything you can to build both their confidence, and a simple philosophy at the plate.

Team hitting philosophy for below average high school baseball players: 1. We don't chase high pitches. 2. We take a hard hack at every hittable pitch that isn't upstairs. 3. You may fool me with curveballs, but you ain't beating me repeatedly with fastballs.

Freddy- I think that is good advice. Would you implement any drills in to your cage work if there was a problem you were helping try to fix. I guess I first need to know, do you do any drill work during the season?

If I could figure out how to private message on this site, I'd give you my cell no. and we could talk.

Like most coaches, some seasons I've found myself with sub-par hitters. When that happens, my sub-pars almost always have a better season than the other teams in our league who are in the same boat. It's not from doing drills (though I like drills).

True story: Many years ago, my (then) 12yrold son invited his excellent travel team to his b'day party. We set up a pitching machine in the back lot. Of course, they wanted to turn it up to 80mph or whatever. Hardly any contact. My (then) 50 yr-old overweight unathletic sister in law asked to give it a try. With the ugliest swing imaginable--a short hack-- she put quite a few balls in play.

Of course that's not like hitting live pitching. But there's a lesson here. She had no expectations or negative thoughts. A very short "swing".

The good news: Your sub-par HS team will not usually face the other teams' ace pitchers. If you were coaching HS football or HS girls' softball, you'd face their best QB or pitcher regardless.

It's realistic that insanely confident hackers can have least some good days vs. second-tier pitching.

It's fair to say that your team will see fewer curveballs than the elite teams. And those that you see will tend to be of lower quality.

This is what I'd tell a team of sub-par HS hackers:-

Soft: "You're HS kids. I don't expect you to read curveballs like a pro. I don't expect you to hit curveballs like a pro. Does everybody understand that? [pause].

LOUD: "So here's our game plan. We're going to work our tails off to lay off high pitches. Let me repeat that:..... Second, we're going to work our tails off to look dead red for a fastball on every single darned pitch. Does everybody get that?? OK. Third, and this is really important, as a team, we are going to be willing to look darned stupid on curveballs--even three in row sometimes--so we can be 100% ready to take hard hacks at every fastball we can reach that isn't high."

With that approach, in a hypothetical game, you'll have 5-10 at bats where guys look pathetic on curveballs; but you'll have a chance to put some balls in play hard, and even... win some games.

And then, potentially, it becomes an upward spiral where, un-consciously and without trying to do it, some players start improving their reads and selectivity.

Here is my opinion on the subject. I have spent many years with sub par HS hitters. This is my 12th year as a head coach and for the first 8 years I only had 4 players that could go on to the college level. Yes the click stick stuff works, and yes video, and basic mechanics work because I have seen it work. Yes teach them to sit dead red and don't miss the fastball. However the number one thing that has worked for me is execution and quality outs. Runner at 2nd 0 or 1 outs hit a ball to the right side of the infield. Runner at 3rd base 0 or 1 out infield back hit a GB up the middle. In field up look for something you can get in the air. Executions takes pressure off the players because they do not have to hit a liner in the right center alley with a runner on 2nd. All they need to do is ground out the the 2nd baseman. Get them to buy in to succeeding as a team and not worrying about personal success or their skill level. You get them to understand the how important a sac bunt is and moving the runner over then you will see a lot different player.

I totally agree. You don't have time as a high school coach to break them down and rebuild them especially in one season.

Team ball and team execution goes a long way!

I agree with all these guys. But i believe the number one thing you have to do is like freddy said "make them think they are a whole lot better than what they are".

Look for every opportunity for them to succeed and tell them how great it was. Make them think they are invincible. You'll get beat by great pitchers, but you will handle teams of the same talent.

And i couldn't agree more with swinging at good pitches. A "drill" we do is in BP, our kids get only 5 swings or 10 or whatever. They might miss all 5, but they will start being more disciplined.

Emphasize the approach on Zero/One strike counts and 2 strikes. Tell them to look for perfect pitches early in the count. Get the bat going on the same plane as the ball and you hit it hard every time.

Be good at other stuff. Beat teams on the bases. Working the dog out of your pitching staff. Play fundamental defense. You can still have a successful year.

The coach that had the program before our staff took over had a big group of bad hitters. He took the shortcut/band-aid approach. His idea – since no one could hit, he would have everyone bunt in just about every situation and try to manufacture runs. Then, he figured he would wait until better hitters showed up in his program. Needless to say, he failed miserably. And one of the worst problems was the fact that they had several undeveloped underclassmen along side the bad seniors. With the approach this coach took, the underclassmen basically lost a whole year of development because all they were allowed to do, most often, was bunt.

Look, I think there are some great tidbits in all of the posts on this thread. But we are HS coaches.
We aren’t coaching mens leagues, shopping for the best players. Our job is to teach all of our players how to play baseball as well as each individual is capable. Yes, if you have some bad seniors that you have to play for whatever reason, it may make sense to take a really simplified approach with these guys. But otherwise, take the time to teach your players how to hit properly. Include basic mechanics and a solid mental approach. Include learning how to work pitch counts. Develop a consistent language in your program. Over time, it will pay off. You teach a bad hitter just as you would teach a good hitter. The difference is that the bad hitter will show more improvement in a shorter period of time.

Teaching hitting will vary for every player. Each has different strengths and weaknesses. Each responds to different cues, different approaches. It is your job to find the key to each and allow them to get the most out of themselves.

Some basic specifics...
We take a day (preferably a rain day) very early in the practice season as a hitting clinic day. We get all of the players familiar with our fundamentals and our language and start to introduce the mental approach with some situational quizzing...
What do you think about when you are on deck? In the box?
What location does a HS pitcher try to hit 80% of the time and why? Etc,...

We provide strong visuals for the less-than-two strike zone and the two strike zone.
Of course, we address the basics – grip, stance, plate coverage, load/stride, swing path, etc.

Then we reinforce things daily in practice.

Some basic drills we use...
tee work – inside/ outside
ball position & stance appropriate for inside and outside pitches. focus on line drive to proper location.

tee – hit a letter
specific visual focus on a spot on the ball slightly inside and centered

crossover tee drill for natural load
happy gilmore footwork where back foot crosses behind front to force an exagerated load

multi tee zone drill
hit two balls along level plane to keep bat in the zone longer

heavy ball –old basketballs or s****r balls partially deflated. on tee or soft toss. encourages strong hands thru to finish, level path or hitter will get feedback.


balance board - in regular athletic footwear, not spikes, take tee work standing on a 2x6.
full swing, finish balanced

slow motion first half tee drill
mechanics check – with coach observing, hitter goes from set to load to ball contact at sweetspot in super slow mo. lots of flaws get picked up here

front toss hit oppo
variation – mix inside/outside

front toss location recognition
hitter calls out "in" or "out", then hit accordingly

mix speeds – stay loaded
coach pitch from 40’ or 25’ with wiffle

bunt to targets

power contests
best ball, every ball counts, oppo only, s****r ball

mirror drill
check swing plane, balance, stance, etc. can be done standing still as well as swinging

zone focus
swing at less than two zone, two strike zone

hit & run
get the ball on the ground, right side if possible

coach pitch, give count/situation
likely pitch type, zone, responsibility, etc.

bullpen visual hitting
hitter stands in or behind pitchers bullpen to get extra looks at pitches. can add a verbal callout as soon as pitch is recognized (in/out, fast/slow)

line drive focus
tee, soft toss, front toss or coach pitch. objective is to drive ball thru tunnel or to a target that results in line drives.

I think cabbagedad has given some good advice. In a sense you answered your question when you asked it, how do you teach the high school swing to under developed players...you do just that. You teach it. Take time to help them. Put them in situations in practices and games where they can succeed. Look for something they can do well such as hit to opposite field and encourage it as a strength. Maybe they are just able to put the ball in play on a consistent basis and can be focused on moving baserunners. Just never give up on them as you would not expect them to give up on you.

With due respect to the hitting drills described, elements of which I may adopt, nevertheless it's important to refer to the exact situation described in the original post.

"a tough situation with very little natural previously developed talent...below average baseball players"

It's doubtful that these players previously had a passionate work ethic for the game.

It's doubtful that they've enjoyed previous success and confidence at the plate

It's doubtful that hitting lessons offered in a group setting just prior to the opening of the HS varsity season--with a very doubtful likelihood of intense practice at home--will have an impact.

Freddy,
I hear ya and I agree. I think you have posted some great suggestions and insightful observations for the OP. But I am assuming that he has, as most HS teams have, a mix of seniors and underclassmen. So while you have to come up with some philosophies that will help those seniors have some immediate success with limited abilities, you also have to start the development of the underclassmen and establish what your primary building blocks will be for your future teams. It can be a tough balancing act. Also, if you have a team of bad hitters, I don't think you can take the approach that they have to be "ready" by the start of the season. Sometimes, with a team like that, you have to measure success partially with how you finish as compared to how you started.
JMO.
Also, I should have mentioned in my previous post.. it was not my intention to suggest the OP adopt all of the drills, but to pick and choose based on the specific types of weaknesses his hitters are displaying. I was already way too long-winded, so I cut myself off.

I love this information all of it. I like the drill work and approaches that I am getting. I want this discussion to continue in this direction as well as add another question With all the info out there now about hitting how much have you changed they way you teach it to your team in last 10-15 years.

I don't think I have changed the way that I teach hitting vs what I teach. I will try new techniques and often go back to "old school" techniques if one way is not working for a particular player. I try to satay away from the cookie cutter, one style fits every hitter way of thinking.

Wish the youth coaches would go through some form of hitting training. They usu have no clue how to use the tees to develop players. They try coach pitch drills, or crank up the machines. They should be taught to recognize problems and a few drills for each one. It would help when we see them at 14.