What are your thoughts and advice? How do you encourage your ball player without pressuring him? You see him putting in all this time and effort, but still see him struggling. Also any advice on how to minimize a slump and get the player out of it quicker?
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Swing at the 1st fast ball. Do not think!,
Bob
Not enough specifics to go on here. Typically, it's strictly a mental issue. Hitter's often don't recognize this and think that something is wrong mechanically. So they try to change some things mechanically, which will often not make it better, if not worse. And the batter getting pressure from the outside or from one's self also typically doesn't help.
Hitter's can use a little time off and a distraction from baseball and hitting so that they're not thinking about it at all. Then come back with a fresh mind and get back to the basics in terms of their hitting mechanics, being patient and applying a good batting approach at the plate.
"I ain't in no slump, I'm just not hitting" - Yogi Berra
TRUMAN- Being a little more specific my brother is a freshman on varsity and has 4 games so far and generated no hits. He has started every game and has done great on 1st base fielding wise and even pitched very well in the 2 innings he has been on the mound. He was hitting great in the varsity scrimmages and played on 16U and 17U this fall and did awesome. Now he can't get a hit to save his life, I am worried he may be too hard on himself. He has been hitting before school and finishing up lunch early to go hit again for the remainder of his lunch. I am worried it is going to get worse due to the fact that he is so focused on it and he is only gonna face better competition in the upcoming weeks. I can totally see how he maybe over doing it and making it worse. I have only ever been a football player and have no idea what I can say to him to make him realize he is more then capable of hitting the ball.
BigHurt posted:TRUMAN- Being a little more specific my brother is a freshman on varsity and has 4 games so far and generated no hits. He has started every game and has done great on 1st base fielding wise and even pitched very well in the 2 innings he has been on the mound. He was hitting great in the varsity scrimmages and played on 16U and 17U this fall and did awesome. Now he can't get a hit to save his life, I am worried he may be too hard on himself. He has been hitting before school and finishing up lunch early to go hit again for the remainder of his lunch. I am worried it is going to get worse due to the fact that he is so focused on it and he is only gonna face better competition in the upcoming weeks. I can totally see how he maybe over doing it and making it worse. I have only ever been a football player and have no idea what I can say to him to make him realize he is more then capable of hitting the ball.
From what your saying, it sounds like he's pressing too hard. A hitter needs to be relaxed, focused and confident when at the plate. From what you indicate, he's a good hitter. If he hasn't learned it yet, he needs to learn how to "flush it". . . meaning that what's happened in the past (e.g. not getting a hit in the last 4 games) should be flushed out of his mind and be only in the present, applying good hitting approach at the plate. And he should know by know that since baseball is a game of failure, what happened in the last 4 games doesn't matter as he may bat .800 in the next 4 games and the law of averages catch up.
And remember. . . playing on the varsity team, he's a "freshman" playing against young men quite a bit more mature than he. If he's in the top of the order, he's may not be getting the pitches he can drive as easily as if he was in the bottom of the order. He needs to be patient and look specifically for the pitches he can hit.
If he's a guy and learns quick and is very coachable, he'll learn how to deal with these more mature players.
PS: My son was a starting freshman of a HS varsity team, so I do understand many of the issues your brother is facing. My son wound up having the 2nd best BA of the team at the end of his freshman year. He was patient and was keen on not trying to over do it by trying to impress anyone. And he did go through some short term slumps. . . and still does as he begins his 4th year of pro ball.
Truman posted:BigHurt posted:TRUMAN- Being a little more specific my brother is a freshman on varsity and has 4 games so far and generated no hits. He has started every game and has done great on 1st base fielding wise and even pitched very well in the 2 innings he has been on the mound. He was hitting great in the varsity scrimmages and played on 16U and 17U this fall and did awesome. Now he can't get a hit to save his life, I am worried he may be too hard on himself. He has been hitting before school and finishing up lunch early to go hit again for the remainder of his lunch. I am worried it is going to get worse due to the fact that he is so focused on it and he is only gonna face better competition in the upcoming weeks. I can totally see how he maybe over doing it and making it worse. I have only ever been a football player and have no idea what I can say to him to make him realize he is more then capable of hitting the ball.
From what your saying, it sounds like he's pressing too hard. A hitter needs to be relaxed, focused and confident when at the plate. From what you indicate, he's a good hitter. If he hasn't learned it yet, he needs to learn how to "flush it". . . meaning that what's happened in the past (e.g. not getting a hit in the last 4 games) should be flushed out of his mind and be only in the present, applying good hitting approach at the plate. And he should know by know that since baseball is a game of failure, what happened in the last 4 games doesn't matter as he may bat .800 in the next 4 games and the law of averages catch up.
And remember. . . playing on the varsity team, he's a "freshman" playing against young men quite a bit more mature than he. If he's in the top of the order, he's may not be getting the pitches he can drive as easily as if he was in the bottom of the order. He needs to be patient and look specifically for the pitches he can hit.
If he's a guy and learns quick and is very coachable, he'll learn how to death with these more mature players.
Thank you this makes a lot of sense, he has always seemed very confident at the plate up until now. Stepping up his IQ is what the coaches are working on with him for the physical abilities are there. I will remind him to just move forward and look towards the next AB and not the past ones. Thanks for the insight!
Tell him to adopt this concept which ties into Truman's flush it out idea. Tell him after everything he does he has 3.5 before he moves on. When he fails or messes up he has 3 seconds to be mad at himself internally with good body posture / expressions. If he wants to cuss himself then he can cuss himself as long as it's in his head. But he only has 3 seconds because after 3 seconds it's time to get back to work.
After he does something good then he has 5 seconds to enjoy it internally. I have no problem with a big smile or high fiving a team mate but don't make it a spectacle. You only get 5 seconds to enjoy your success because after that it's time to get back to work. You get more time for success because it's more fun to enjoy success than to kick yourself after failure. But end of the day no matter what you do life doesn't stop just because you screwed up or did something great - it will continue on and you either need to continue with it or get left behind.
Yeah getting out and going back to the dugout sucks and it seems like 3 seconds isn't enough time to be upset but you still have a job to do. That job is to be a great team mate while your buddies are hitting. Take your 3 seconds and be ticked off but get back in the game to support your buddies so your team can win. Now will this get him out of his slump - who knows? But it can help keep them from starting.
Also, this is easier said than done. I wish I could say I follow this as well as I should but it does work when you put effort into it. It helps you become a mentally stronger person.
Hope that helps and hope your brother gets to hitting but don't let it become a monster that feeds on itself.
this is exactly why we teach our hitters to not focus on HITS. They cannot control that. If they could, then every player would hit 1.000....but they can't. We focus on hitting the ball hard. If he is doing that, then he is fine.
If he isn't hitting the ball hard, it is most likely poor pitch selection. Tell him to hit the first fastball he sees.
Coach2709, good idea on having a short flushing time to express one's frustration AND to express joy for the successes. It's good to keep a level head in controlling those emotions (but NOT easy) for as you say . . . "you still have a job to do" either at the next at bat or the next defensive play.
Coach2709- I will suggest the 3/5 sec outlook to him. I really like that and think he can get a lot of use from it, if he is willing to stick to it. He is still very positive and encourages his teammates to the fullest, I think he feels more like he is letting his teammates down by not producing.
REDBIRD5- That is the second time I heard that in this chat. I don't pretend to know baseball, but I am going to put that bug in his ear to hit the first fastball he sees. He started off the first game making poor contact with the ball and lately he is hitting it hard, just right at someone every time.
Bob, Truman, BBallman and coach are spot on.
Don't think. Just hit the first fast ball. What's past is the past.
I remember when my son went through such a slump just before he tried out for JV (8th grade). He was hitting the ball hard, but it always right at a defensive player. He was also going through a growth spurt so his timing was a little off. In time he relaxed and the hits began to come.
FOXDAD- We were just talking yesterday how my brother looks like he is getting taller and he is still to hit a major growth spurt, I didn't even think about it as it relates to timing. Not saying it as a excuse, but that never even crossed my mind.
BigHurt posted:Coach2709- I will suggest the 3/5 sec outlook to him. I really like that and think he can get a lot of use from it, if he is willing to stick to it. He is still very positive and encourages his teammates to the fullest, I think he feels more like he is letting his teammates down by not producing.
REDBIRD5- That is the second time I heard that in this chat. I don't pretend to know baseball, but I am going to put that bug in his ear to hit the first fastball he sees. He started off the first game making poor contact with the ball and lately he is hitting it hard, just right at someone every time.
Sounds like he's fine. Just keep hitting the ball hard. They'll start falling in.
BigHurt posted:He started off the first game making poor contact with the ball and lately he is hitting it hard, just right at someone every time.
THAT'S baseball, my friend! If one is hitting it hard, what more can one ask? Eventually those hard hits will get through and often for multiple bases. :-)
redbird5 posted:this is exactly why we teach our hitters to not focus on HITS. They cannot control that. If they could, then every player would hit 1.000....but they can't. We focus on hitting the ball hard. If he is doing that, then he is fine.
If he isn't hitting the ball hard, it is most likely poor pitch selection. Tell him to hit the first fastball he sees.
I agree with this 1000%. The ball off the bat tells you tons of information that you can use. Focus on hitting it hard and the easiest pitch to hit hard is a fastball. Look early in the count for that fastball and don't be afraid to use the opposite field.
redbird5 posted:If he isn't hitting the ball hard, it is most likely poor pitch selection. Tell him to hit the first fastball he sees.
worth a repost
Guess it is settled he is gonna attack the first fastball he sees! lol
Remember right handed hitters like the ball "up". Above the waist. Eye to brain. They see the "full" ball. Track the HR from right handed MLB hitters - high % above the waist.
Bob <www.goodwillseries.org>
Consultant - Thanks will check the site out forsure! Read a article saying the hardest thing to do out of all sports is to hit a baseball. I am so grateful for all this information.
Lots of great advice from those who know, id wonder though, would it hurt to take a day or two off from hitting to kind of reset? Just curious what you most of you think. OP said he was hitting every morning and during lunch.
It depends on the objective of the BP. Each swing should have a purpose.
Last night on the Baseball channel I watched Rod Carew discuss hitting.
He watched infielders and OF move their feet and he reacted to the situation.
:Confidence and bat control" It can be learned!
Bob
Isn’t it strange how the best players never worry about being in a slump or get too excited about being on a hitting rampage? It almost always seems to be the “marginal” players who don’t have a great deal of understanding about the game and/or don’t have a great deal of confidence in their place in the game.
The best players just keep trying to do what made them the best. Of course there are stories about how this player changed his bat, batting stance, or even began eating quinoa at every meal. 
Stats4Gnats posted:Isn’t it strange how the best players never worry about being in a slump or get too excited about being on a hitting rampage? It almost always seems to be the “marginal” players who don’t have a great deal of understanding about the game and/or don’t have a great deal of confidence in their place in the game.
The best players just keep trying to do what made them the best. Of course there are stories about how this player changed his bat, batting stance, or even began eating quinoa at every meal.
That has not been my experience AT ALL. Guys like Cal Ripken would change his batting stance if he went "0 fer". A lot of the great players were very motivated by the "results" rather than the "process". Heck, Rod Carew changed his stance between pitches. I know many MLBers who knew exactly what a 1 for 3 day did to their BA. I've spoken with several MLB hitters who were obsessed with the results.
I think what blurs those memories is that there are guys like Steve Springer encouraging hitters to focus solely on the process, which is controllable.
It also depends on the individual, the resources around him and the "issue". I think I've tried just about everything with my players over the years.
I agree it is often mental but even then, a competitive player always wants to "work through it". So, I find that isolating one mechanic focus/tweek in the cage can give them that distraction while allowing them to think they are actively attacking the problem. That mechanic focus may or may not have anything to do with the original circumstance but it usually gives the player the right mindset to quickly break through.
Certainly, sometimes this "mechanic" is not a mechanic per se but a specific mental approach - i.e. the "hit the first good fastball" approach mentioned earlier.
I believe, and I may be wrong on this, that a slump happens for a reason. Find the reason and fix it if you can. Sometimes you can find it and fix it, sometimes you cant. I had a jv coach tell me last year, "Man our whole teams been in a slump the last 4 games it seems like." Talking to him more they had faced by far the best pitching in those games. That reason is hard to fix.
A lot of people confuse going 0 fer a few games in a row with a slump. Or confuse going 3 for 4 with being hot. Xan Barksdale has a great quote on his emails. "Batting averages are like bikinis. They show a lot but not everything!" We have a quality at bat scoring system we use to make lineups out instead of batting averages. So many points for a hard ground ball or a weak chili dipper over the 1st base man's head. This way we can look at who is hitting the ball hard consistently. How often does a kid go 0 Fer and drill the ball 3 times, and a kid go 2 for 4 with weak ground balls or flares? It happens a pretty good bit.
There's a saying in basketball, "If you're hot, shoot. If you're not, shoot until you are." The same applies to baseball. It's just worded differently. "Believe in yourself. Hack away." The worst thing a hitter in a slump can do is get overly selective at the plate.
This is a story I used to tell my players about slumps to make them laugh. The experience occurred in a college summer league doubleheader.
In forty games I might strike out 6-8 times. In the first game of a doubleheader I struck out four times. It was just one of those days. I was also facing a lefty I had a mental block with. He owned me. I went about 0-20 off him before getting a hit. Then he picked me off.
Between games I ran down to the cage and took some BP. In my first two at bats I crushed the ball ... on one hop at the 2b ... 4-6-3 DP. The third time up I crushed the ball at the 1b holding the runner. -3 DP unassisted.
We won both games so the coach was loose. Before my fourth AB he approached me in the on deck circle. He ripped the bat out of my hand. He said without a bat I could only make one out. In the fourth at bat I drilled a ball down the line. It hit inside first and popped right up to the 1B.
i was responsible for eleven outs that day. What I learned is the only thing a hitter can control is how hard he hits the ball. He can't control where it goes and the end result.
Couple of things you can take to the bank and become a millionaire with
1. If you could pinpoint what causes a slump then you're smarter than 99% of the people out there. Maybe you're tired / hurt and you fall into bad mechanics OR you start thinking too much OR you face some great pitchers OR you face some terrible pitchers - who knows? So many things can cause a slump.
2. If you could pinpoint what gets you out of a slump then you're smarter than 99% of the people out there. Change in mechanics OR taking a break OR changing your approach - who knows? So many things can end a slump.
3. If you can figure a way to use a small sample size to determine / understand long term trends. Here's a great question to ask younger players learning the game - which is better: a guy who is 0-4 with a deep flyout in the gap and 3 hard hit grounders OR the guy who's 4-4 as a RH hitter and all four hits were duckfarts over the firstbaseman head?
For winning just THAT game I'll take the 4 - 4 duckfarts because they may have lead to runs getting scored but in terms of what I want for an entire season I want the 0 - 4 guy up there. The odds over the long haul are in favor of the guy who hits it hard being more successful than the other guy.
I don't like the word "slump". What he's experiencing is the normal evolution of a baseball season.
In many instances, when hitters reach that part of a season they have recently been on such a hot streak that every ball they've hit at the plate has been hit hard. Most are hits, the others are hard outs. The ball looks huge and a hitter feels as if he can hit ANYTHING that's thrown his way.
This is where discipline comes in. Because when you're feeling that way, at some point you begin to stop tracking the ball. At first it's fine as the hitter is so hot he could probably close his eyes and crush the ball. But after awhile, it doesn't work anymore.
Now there are times where a small mechanical difference in the swing can cause an issue also. But that's why you should have video readily available so that you can compare swings. ALWAYS get video of yourself when you are swinging great so you can check yourself later if things start to slide.
So when you are struggling with "seeing" the ball, it's best to work on drills that help you see the ball better. Just taking BP will eventually help you, but doing so without a specific purpose will take longer.
Understanding that this is just a part of the game, and not falling for the belief that you've forgotten how to hit is another thought to keep in your mind.
If he's hitting the ball hard and they're not falling, then he's closer to turning the corner than you think. They will start falling in soon enough. But don't worry, those hard hit "At Em" balls that he's hitting now will be balanced out with duckfarts later.
The game of baseball is very easy. Until you start using your mind. :-)
And tell your brother to track the pitch all the way into the catchers mitt. Do that EVERY time.
When my son struggles with seeing the ball he will at times go an entire at bat with just tracking and not swinging. He'll also track the ball fron the on deck circle and dugout. It will help to expedite him out of whatever down time he's in.
He's thinking way too much. I text my college son before every game to remind him, 'Don't Think Just Hit'. He is very intelligent and at times tries to turn every pitch and swing into a physics problem. Also, tell him to try to hit every pitch off of the pitcher's cap. That will help if he is opening up early and/or pulling his head off of pitches. It's normal to turn on inside pitches and trying to stay in the middle with help with the pitch on the outside corner and driving balls the opposite way.
All great info on here! I have read every post and feel confident that he will get out of it soon. Here is what I am gonna take from this moving forward.
1) Swing at the first fastball you see
2) Have a approach at the plate and be confident
3) The 3/5 rule Don't linger good or bad
4) As long as you're hitting the ball hard you'll be ok
5) Don't be overly selective/think too much
6) Don't try to change too much
7) Watch film from when he was crushing it. "The eye in the sky don't lie!"
8) Make sure you are seeing the ball all the way to the catchers glove
9) Be coachable
10) Don't overwork yourself sometimes a distraction maybe needed
Alright he has a game tomorrow night and Friday we will see if he can turn it around!
NYdad2017 posted:
I don't like the word "slump". What he's experiencing is the normal evolution of a baseball season. …
I was thinking much the same thing, but because almost everyone has a different definition of slump. Some players feel they’re in a slump when the go 5-10 with a HR and 6 RBIs while when others go 0-4 they go into a deep depression.
Has he been striking out a lot? Not making solid contact? Hitting it pretty good w/o results? Facing really good pitching?
BigHurt posted:All great info on here! I have read every post and feel confident that he will get out of it soon. Here is what I am gonna take from this moving forward.
1) Swing at the first fastball you see
2) Have a approach at the plate and be confident
3) The 3/5 rule Don't linger good or bad
4) As long as you're hitting the ball hard you'll be ok
5) Don't be overly selective/think too much
6) Don't try to change too much
7) Watch film from when he was crushing it. "The eye in the sky don't lie!"
8) Make sure you are seeing the ball all the way to the catchers glove
9) Be coachable
10) Don't overwork yourself sometimes a distraction maybe needed
Alright he has a game tomorrow night and Friday we will see if he can turn it around!
Just an additional thought when looking at a list like this, need to be REALLY careful about filling his mind with many things to think about.
And IF you're inclined to coach him in any way during games. . . resist from doing so, as he simply needs to focus on his game. :-) Let us know how it goes.
I follow, yea the list I took from this will be used as more of a reference for this and upcoming seasons. No need to worry about me coaching, I really don't know baseball being a ex football guy. I am the guy that sits at the top far right of the bleachers and trys to be a student of the game.
I know that I am late go the party but would also like to add trying to minimize head/eye movement.
Think of the eyes as a camera and to get a good photo, your camera should be still. If the camera is moving, a blurry picture is the result. This should help him recognize speed and spin a little better.
Hshuler- From your original post his first game he struck out, then hit a couple of pop flys and now he is hitting hard just right at guys. Trying to get him going and get on a roll by the time district comes. We have 6 pitchers in our district committed to top 25 D1 schools and a couple more committed to D1 schools not in the top 25. This being said I just want him to be in a good place by the time he faces better pitching.
Sounds like he's on that right track. I wouldn't be surprised if he got a couple or three knocks tomorrow.
Good luck and please keep us posted on progress!
