Thoughts on a drill

For obvious reasons, rapid-fire target-shooting drills are very useful in ice hockey and law-enforcement.

Why do you think they'd be useful for baseball hitters?

As far as the rapid fire part is concerned, I'm often asking my bp-tossers to do the opposite--slow down the pace.

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I understand your question about rapid-fire. That's not an essential component of the drill other than helping with some rhythm. The point really is more about calibration of the swing to put the ball where defenders aren't. Ideally start with soft toss everyone through with one toss per bucket once or twice then move to front toss, then move to the mound/or bp distance/velo. Calibration rather than a blooped single as the result of a miss.

I really like your idea, as an additional thought, be sure to "pitch" the ball in different locations. That should be part of the trigger on where to try hit it. for instance an outside pitch, drive to hole inbetween 2nd /1st, pulling that pitch to try to hit inbetween ss/ 3rd will probably result in a GB to SS. Really like the drill 

Part of the thinking here comes from shooting pool. You've heard the phrase "aim big, miss big vs. aim small miss small". The hitter needs to picture the exact spot on the ball to put it where they want it.

Baseball is not pool.  Let me ask you this:  Lefthanded batter at the plate, nobody out. Batter knows his job is to hit a ball to the right side and move the runner over.  He's gonna hit a ball in the 3-4 hole no matter what.  Pitcher pounds the outside corner.  What's going to happen in this situation?

Honestly, I think there are too many variables to get the results to what you're looking for.  One is pitch speed (high velo vs low velo; off speed; breaking); two is location and timing to recognize; three is positioning of the fielders.  Since you can't control these in game situations I think aiming to hit buckets is pretty moot.  In golf you have a round stationary object getting hit by a flat moving object.  Baseball you have round moving object trying to hit another round moving object.  The difference between a topped ground ball to a hard hit to a fly out to a pop out is fractions of an inch.  Aiming to hit preset buckets just isn't really going to get what you're looking for in terms of the timing involved to hit two round objects squarely.  

I do like the visual aspect of focusing on hitting specific parts of the ball because now you're working on the fraction of inches between hard hit versus a miss.  

I guess to sum it up I look at it like this - golf is only played about 10% using power.  Once you hit your drive it's all about touch in setting the ball onto the greens to put.  Even then in driving there has to be some aspect of touch so you take hazards out of the way.  Baseball is played with more power due the variables you cannot control.  So you're better off (IMO) looking to hit it hard and let the chips fall where they may versus trying to hit specific spots.  Although there is still that "touch" element where you want to drive an outside pitch the other way and inside pitch to pull - still it's more about power than finesse.

Lastly, if you can get players to improve on this then I'm all for it.  At the end of the day if it helps someone then it's done it's job.

The drill sounds fine, but the rapid fire part is destructive.

Coach, certainly agree that the number of variables is vastly different from golf or pool.  I figure if pitchers can have many pitches and a variable speed velo, why not train batters to do the same. I have all to often, watched a whole team get up there with a only two tools; Grip and rip or bunt. I would suggest a third. The Change-up swing. Too many players don't know how to hit for average and especially in High School so very few have the ability to really hit for power. How often have you seen a checked (nearly stationary bat) pop the ball in the gap for a bloop single. Not to confuse matters further with another sport but when you can hit a three pointer in basketball and make the other team play the whole court it opens up the game. Conversely if you keep the outfield honest with both the deep ball and the intentional blooper, good things happen. 

Just Thinkin.

You may desire to study the Japan HS Baseball programs for hitting instruction or you can send me an e-mail.

Bob

<rwilliams@goodwillseries.org>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_H7laEqCXE

I'm not a fan of it as described.  I don't think you hit for percentage.  I believe you hit the ball as hard as possible and the percentages will take care of themselves.  You cannot guide or aim the ball.  You simply hit it where it is pitched.

Comparing it to billiards is invalid because the baseballs are moving, billiard balls are not.

If you've every cruised the north pacific you know that sometimes the billiard balls do move.

Going back to the purpose of the drill it's not to teach them to just poke the ball but to give them some context about the range of motion needed to put the ball in play. If like in golf, the harder you swing, very often the worse the results. And that is with a stationary object. How much more so should players take a little off their Maximum effort swing to focus more on contact and putting the ball in play. Now also, It's agreed that just like in golf, those who excel at the highest levels develop the skill to hit with maximum effort. As with many final games I have witnessed, our high school lost their run towards a state title because they couldn't put the ball in play because nearly everyone got up to bat seemingly thinking I need to hit the ball out of the park rather than I need to put it where "they ain't". Just like I would not expect a pitcher to throw 40 mph just to throw a strike, my goal in the drill is to move their thinking to taking 10-20% effort off to ensure making solid contact. When they can see on the field really how little effort it takes to hit it where "they ain't" now they won't always be swinging out of their shoes. Additionally, it would be a fun, fast paced drill filled with competition that teaches something of value instead of more of the same old, same old that can make practice a bit monotonous. 

We can agree to disagree. 

Taking 10-20% off your swing IS poking.  That's not how baseball is played at the higher levels nor is it a way to train hitters.  Hitters do not "place" the ball "where they ain't" because s a smart opposing coach will move the OF in and now "where they ain't" becomes "where they are". 

Also, decent hitters don't "swing out of their shoes". 

Balance and a load are important, with a rapid fire drill I would be afraid that these would suffer and possibly no lower half at all.

Redbird5 I totally respect you thoughts on this, all your success speaks for itself. Thanks for chiming in.

The Dr. I understand that there are several key factors in hitting and I would probably scrap the rapid fire aspect. I honestly threw that in as an effort to keep the drill moving along while others watched. But I think the competition element of this would keep the team engaged. Just like an effective change up you would want the batter to still look he's making a full swing. Again this is just one more club in the bag. (can you tell I want to get out and play some golf?)

We have a local team (state champs last year) that is know for the fake bunt and slash swing. They are very effective with it. The philosophy behind this drill take a bit of a cue from them. Now certainly the corners are not crashing but the hitter is not fully loaded in that case either. 

I had the good fortune to attend a spring training game between The Rays and Red Sox. Will Myers ruled the day hitting. Fact is, he didn't hit the ball out of the park but he didn't look like he was trying to kill it either. He reminded me of the pro golfers I have played with who's swing is seemingly effortless. 

Here again, players would need to be trained when to take the club out of the bag. Never on a 3-0 or 3-1 count but on an 0-2 etc.

I understand what you are saying with regards to a smooth swing and I agree with that part.  The swing is still violent but they aren't jumping out of their shoes.  And, to speak to your analogy in golf, pro golfers have learned how to optimized their swing.  While their swing may seem effortless, they are still generating far more clubhead speed than amateurs.

Slash bunt is totally different.  The reason it is effective is that it is used in a usual bunt situation and is most effective against a team who breaks early on a bunt.  The premise is to get the defense moving, get your runner moving and pound the ball into the ground in the middle of the field.

The reason I feel your drill would be ineffective in helping hitters is that when you try to "hit it where they ain't", the defense adjusts and now you are hitting it "where they are".  Then what do you do?

Bingo! Now you have the defense moving  and guessing rather than camping out deep waiting for the pop-up.

Hey, maybe it would just make practice a little more interesting too.

Also, given that HS baseball is often the end of the road for most, this might just give them a little more success in the short term. Those going on to play will have years to develop the pro swing of which you speak.

Sorry about being so tenacious about this but I am a bit of an inventor type who when he thinks he has a solution to a problem just can't give it up. Thanks again for you input!

Uhhhh...wouldn't they catch the same pop up with the "full swing" if they were playing shallow?  You only have 7 innings. 

This assumption is incorrect, IMO.  If they don't develop it before high school, they won't have the opportunity to develop it in college because they won't be recruited.

ahhh, mediocrity.  It's contagious.

I am not sure why there is this all or nothing thinking on this. I am not saying don't work on your pro swing at all. It's a drill that you could do once or twice a month or season just to open the eyes of some who think they have to come out of their shoes every time at bat.

Getting hitters on base is not mediocrity. Some would even call it success. Not everyone is made to hit for power. Think of this as maybe your sand wedge. You hope you don't need it but you have it when you do.

This is the problem .

BUT, I don't think your drill is the most effective way to change the habit.

Just you wait, it will be mere days before you see my buckets on the field when some MLB team is taking BP. 

This is not a swing mechanics issue, it's a mental issue.  The player must remove the thought of "results" (hitting the ball out of the park) in his process.

Secondly, I believe the only thought a hitter can have at the plate is "see the ball, hit the ball".  Inserting a direction in which to aim a pitched ball is too difficult at the HS varsity and above levels.  Golfers are able to do that as they have ample time before their shot to decide their course of action.