Hitting

"swing hard in case you hit it"

Approach ~ Have a plan and have a routine.   We want a pitch to move the runner,  or "our pitch" we know we can drive into a gap...which will move runners.   Step into the box with a routine, try and keep it short, sweet, and yours.  Something that helps you lock into that focused, prepared and confident hitter.  We need to learn the pitchers habits.  Maybe you have faced them multiple times, still watch every pitch you can, starting with warm ups.  What's working for them that day?   What is their out pitch?   Are they landing most first pitch strikes?  This is what the talk in the dugout should be, along with what pitches you've seen!   I also encourage hitters to always be timing their  stride while in the dugout, nothing to wild and noticeable, just landing that front foot on time.  An entire dugout of hitters lined up with helmets on expecting to get up, all landing that stride on time, in sync, that's the stuff hitting coaches dream about!  In the on deck circle,  continue that timing stride but add the bat path now.  Go through the  paths you expect to use.  Your pitch, situational pitch, pitchers pitch.  Be on time to that contact point, visualize success with each of those pitches.   Hitting is all about being on time to the contact point.  A pitchers goal is to throw off timing, and hit a spot you can't square up.  With a little preparation, we can at least step into the box confident in timing, and with a plan,  which narrows down what pitch and contact point we are looking for.

Grip ~ So now we've got a plan, you're  gonna be on time, and there is a hitter behind you just waiting to get their chance.  Deep breath, blow it out and just relax, because tight is slow.   Get the handle out from deep in  your palms, it's slow and will increase the chances of a rollover.   The handle should be across the pads of the hand opposite of your big knuckles.   Knuckles should be lined up in a way that is comfortable and allows you to relax the forearms and wrist.  There's a point during slot that the handle is going to turn, in order to become palm up/palm down at contact.  This loose relaxed grip will lead to increased bat speed and snap at contact.  Tense hands lead to a tense body, and that's slow.   

Stance ~ Now your walk up song is playing, you've  got your sign from coach, you know the situation and what your plan is.   Continue relaxed! Hopefully you get a moment while the pitcher gets a sign, or whatever else is in their pre-pitch routine to get your feet set.  Rest your bat handle around the shoulders, elbow pointed down rested near our side, and on your heals is ok at this point ...relax.  If a pitcher is rushing you or quick pitching you get a time out from the ump to get set, just make sure he acknowledges it.  Although a hand up is pretty universal for "time out", the ump has to call it.   I like to build from a neutral stance, maybe adjusting in the box if we are forced by the pitcher beating us, or maybe for a particular situation.  I've seen an open stance work plenty of times, by elite hitters, but it goes against my concept of efficient power, directional with the ball flight.   I feel like body movement/energy going in and out is working against the energy we want going forward.  So if you still choose to, at least land in line.  There can still be some linear movement, and the extra rotational power/energy can still be utilized to hit the ball hard, I just don't feel it's the most efficient way, when you consider where the swing is starting and going.   If the open stance is just to get better view of the pitcher, why not just turn your head a little more??  Anyways, back to a neutral stance.   The athletic stance, usually found when you jump and land (athletically) is where your feet and legs are most strong and balanced to take a shove.  Another example is the "linebacker stance" relating to where you're strongest to attack and hit something hard, not get hit.  The feet are gonna be just outside the shoulders, with our knees inside/within our feet.  At this point our shoulders are level and balanced 50/50 on our front and back foot,  still relaxed on our heels.

     Once the pitcher gets on the rubber and is ready, it's time to begin the rhythm, the dance, one of the most important things...timing.  The timing will vary and when we begin is the best way to adjust our initial timing.  Not speeding up things, or being forced to "shorten up", that's a defensive approach, and we are on offense.  Our timing with the pitcher should be pretty close by this  point with the preparation we've done in the dugout and on deck box.   Begin to get into the ready position by changing the angle of the shoulders, front just below the back, but still in line with the pitcher.  You'll begin to feel the back shoulder/scapula get involved.  Then our knees will go over our feet, this will get the weight just barely off our heels and start to get the legs involved.  Next, all in a fluid motion, shoulders over your knee's creating some hip hinge and getting the core and glutes involved.  Chin over the toes will complete the hip hinge, getting us over our body.  Then the hands move  behind the ear, like a cellphone in the back hand, Our elbows are still pointing down creating about a 45 degree angle with our arms and should continue through the load this way, and into contact, as well.    Our timing begins and depends on getting to this "Ready Position".  We want to be in rhythm with the pitcher.  Our timing preparation will allow this process to be as fluid as possible leading into our load,  the less we get "locked" in the ready ,position,  the more efficient we can be with our load and weight transfer.   

Load ~ We want to continue to be compact to contact.  You'll want to feel the load in the legs,  hips and the shoulders when beginning this weight transfer.  We want to load "into" the load rather than back to the load.  The hands won't move back, but act as more of a pivot point to create a "teeter-totter" effect with our elbows and shoulders .  If we let our hands fall too far behind, there's a chance our elbows begin to lock, and we "cast " out leading to us wrapping around the ball... wrist rollover and you groundout.   Twisting the bat behind you too much with our load can lead to this, as well, therefore I like a pretty simple load that includes the legs, hips and shoulders.  

     We will feel the load begin in our feet, shifting more weight to the back one.  Keeping the front foot planted and simply lifting to the ball of your foot creates a quick efficient load, while adding  lift to the front foot can allow a little more weight transfer, but takes more time.  The front shoulder will drop a little lower with the teeter-totter movement.     As you move into the load position, you will feel your shoulder blade/scapula become activated.  Your armpit will open and..... your elbow is up!!Just like your Dad used to say!!  "Elbow up!".   This allows the knob of the bat to point towards the catcher.  We are loading up, "into our load",  you will transfer  weight back, but keep your knees inside your feet.  You want to be light enough on your front foot to lift it, putting the weight mostly on the rear, but counterbalancing with your body over your feet.  "Compact to contact"

Stride ~ This is another big part of timing and the other half of the weight transfer.  Landing balanced on our front foot helps body control and balance while our lower half is setting up for contact.  We are still thinking about that rhythm and dance with the pitcher.  We need to be on time, if not, being early is always easier to make adjustments with.  Landing in a controlled position allows for the best adjustments. We want our front foot to land at about a 45 degree angle, giving our hips chance to open and separate from the hands in the load.   We want to gain about 1-2 cleats width distance forward with our stride.  Landing on the ball of your foot  creates the split second for your heel to slam, giving you the that last precise adjustability to be on time.   In regards to the rhythm and dance with the pitcher, I see 2 different "beats" to your dance.  For firm pitches like  fastball, rise ball,  it's a "1-2" count, or dance step from load to stride.   For off speed use a "1 'and' 2" rythym.  Landing  your stride controlled and balanced will help you make those small adjustments to be on time to the ball.  Once we've slam the heel, we want to "post up" on that front leg.  We don't want the front knee locked, we want our leg at its strongest post/catupult position.  From the slot position to contact,  our upper half should move less than our stride.  Our shoulders are at about a level position, beginning to transition to where the back will become lower than the front.  This will allow our slot elbow to clear the hip with proper hip hinge keeping the body over the feet.  we are now in the "Launch Position".

Slot ~ We have now landed on the pad of our front foot, which is at about a 45 degree angle.  Our front leg is posted up strong, but not locked.  hips engaging with belly button still neutral, shoulders pretty level, hands near ear, back elbow is just a little up., arms at a 90 degree  angle.  We are compact ready to get to contact.  The movement of getting the bat on plane with the ball  and keeping our hands/barrel  inside  the ball, is the concept here.  It begins the bats path and is referred to as "slot".  From our load, we want first movement, as we slam our front heel, to be the back elbow coming forward towards your side.  How high will depend on the elevation of the pitch, and remember, we want to finish the swing higher than the pitch, but also have the barrel below the hands at contact.   With the elbow slamming forward, creating some momentum into our swing, we want the wrists to allow the bat to fall back  almost to a flat position, getting on plane with the ball.  This is where that relaxed grip comes into use, your grip starts to become palm up and palm down at this point.  Our shoulders are now shifting to front side higher than the back, keeping 90 degrees in the elbows/arms and letting the knob begin to point towards 2nd baseman position, if you're a righty and shortstop for lefties. This  allows us to attack the inside of the ball, and avoid casting out, which can lead to your barrel wrapping around the ball with ground outs to shortstop.  During our load we had a little more weight on the back foot, but still over our feet with knees between the feet.  We're now gonna begin using more of that weight transfer.  With the slot motion, we want to swing our hips forward, with the elbow, as it reaches your side, getting all the energy in your lower half firing.  As the slot elbow crosses the hip, we want to feel the belly button snap from pointing forward to the contact point.  This will be a little further with an inside pitch and a little less as the pitch location moves outside.   It's just a different way to feel your hips fire and have an indicator.  Here is where the back foot releases.  It  will rotate with your hips "pivoting" to about on top of your big toe area. while pushing forward in a  "knee to knee" motion.  Remember to  stay  posted up on your front leg and ready to get the barrel to contact now.  This is the point of our swing we have until going from "yes" to a "no", although most times we pick up the pitch much earlier and have already made a decision.  So on that note, every single pitch get to that slot point, make it part of your routine.  If you don't swing, continue to  track the pitch all the way into the catchers glove.  Learn from every pitch and continue to dial in your timing.  

Contact ~ You've made that decision "yes" and you're gonna move a runner!  Go with that feeling, once you've committed to the pitch, swing the bat.  Hesitation and pulling the bat back rarely goes your way.  So, your front heel slams, slot elbow and wrist have you on plane, shoulders are angled with the front a little higher, knob is pointed at 2nd(righty),  and hips are beginning to fire, pushing off the back foot.  At this point we're hopefully on time with the pitch, now we want to make contact based on where the pitch is located.  We are now dealing with the other way the pitcher is trying to beat us, location!  It's often recognized that our timing will vary from different pitches such as fast to change to drop to curve, but location will also play a factor.   Inside we need to attack sooner, just in front of the front foot, down the middle is on the front foot and outside is getting deeper into the zone about mid body giving you a little more time to track and attack. Let the low pitch get deeper in the zone, don't reach for it.  Being low, the pitch is already far away from the hands, let it travel to create a closer contact point.    Begin your initial timing and rhythm with the pitcher windup to begin with, leading to fine timing adjustments as we pick up what pitch is coming, and even finer adjustments to hit the ball in the proper area of the zone.   

    There are a few movements we want when getting to this contact point.  The swing is becoming more rotational now.  The hips firing and belly button snap are rotating our center section and bat barrel, but we also want to  have forward linear motion feeding all our energy the direction we're hitting the ball.  All relating to the idea of efficient  power through contact.  At this point we've created bat drag, keeping the barrel behind the hands, knob pointed at 2nd.  Our hips and shoulder will get us to the ball, along with using the wrist.  I think the wrist should create a hammering motion at the last moment to get the barrel to contact while continuing to be palm up palm up and palm down.   Let the barrel drop just below the hands, this will allow the bat path  to stay smooth and more natural to finish over the shoulder.  The angle will be perpendicular with your body after having hips hinged and over your feet.  Add more hip hinge to the low pitch, that you're gonna let get deep in the zone and less hip hinge to the high pitch, leading to less bat angle.  I like to see the back eye down the barrel at contact, "Watch contact".  We don't want to pull our head, which is usually the shoulders  fault, if not being off balanced and the feets' fault.  But, after contact our body will continue through towards the direction we're hitting the ball, but don't let keeping the eye on the ball restrict finishing your swing, it will  come off line with the barrel a little.  At this point, we want our lower half and upper half all in "Perfect harmony" at contact.  All that energy we've accumulated from our feet to our shoulders to our hands.  It's that moment of "POW" like in the comics books. 

    Our bat is on plane moving through the zone, not parallel with ground.  Why I say that is because we want to split the ball in half at contact,  and the perfect contact point  won't be the middle of the ball, cutting parallel with the ground.  We want to finish above contact, therefore, the point we hit the ball will  be just below the middle, imagining you were cutting it in half, the line would go upward matching our bat path, but still keeping 50/50 of the ball on each side.  Recognize what you should look like and feel like at contact.  You've got a routine to get into the box, also know your "pose" at contact. Look "pretty" at contact act.   But, just like a finish line, we need to get "through" it not "to" it.  We want to finish through the ball.

Extension ~ You just squared up your pitch, maybe gonna move the runner multiple bases!  Don't be in a hurry to get out of the box. At contact we were palm up and palm down with our elbows still bent some.   This will allow the first move before  extension, "Push".  Push the barrel though the ball in a linear direction for about 1 ball width distance towards where the ball is going.  This will greatly decrease rollovers and continue your energy the direction the ball is going.   Then get BIG with extension.  Don't throw your back out reaching, we are just extending our arms and barrel almost locking out our elbow, helping the bat bath up and over our shoulder.    Without extension its tough to finish without rolling over and just simply not having the reach to get over the shoulder to finish the swing.  I hope I don't offend, but it looks like a T-rex would swing...(sorry T-rex)

Finish ~ Unless we're slapping, bunting, or pushing the ball, we need to finish our swing.  Don't cheat yourself of the  power you've created.   I believe having a predetermined finish point helps the swing stay on plain.  you need a point "A" and point "B".  Something as  little as recognizing you want to finish above the ball will decrease the chances of a rollover...not eliminate, but decrease!  Finishing your swing, pushing through the ball and properly directing extension  also helps to power the bat through the ball, not just TO  contact.  At Finish, show your back to the catcher,  get those hips to finish, complete the belly button snap, and finish with the bat up over your shoulder. 

Situational Hitting ~ Our goal as a hitter  is to move the runner.  Getting the right pitch, to hit the ball to the right spot will increase your success.  I will cover a few basic strategies, but know its not the only way.  And because of that I encourage and incorporate a day to learn what YOUR pitch is.  The  pitch you know you can drive through the infield.... and move runners.  Getting your pitch and attacking it should always be an option!  So again, these are not the only strategies, but I feel it will begin to help you  have a better plan in the box, creating much more confidence.  It will allow  narrowing down the size and portion of the zone you're covering.  Remember, as you become ahead in the count you can tighten up your zone or as you fall behind in a count, expand your zone.  

    So to begin with, when there is nobody on base, get your pitch.  But, know what pitches you'll likely get.  know the pitchers habits..  This can mean first pitch habits, if they're consistently up/down/in/out of zone, what they're out pitch is,  etc.  This will adjust what you're expecting and wanting to hit.  Other factors in determining what pitch to get is the defense.  See where they are playing you, or if someone is out of position leaving a hole in their defense somewhere, a drag bunt could even be an option.    Again, don't overthink it, get something to hit hard.  But I will say having a plan of where to hit the ball will bring much more success, than going into the box and thinking I hope I hit the ball.   Being prepared brings comfort, which leads to confidence, which creates consistent success! 

    Now there's a runner on first.   Small ball is always an option.  put down a sac bunt, maybe push to 2nd.  Mostly, we need to stay out of a double play situation.   Hard ground ball to middle infield, pitcher, or even first base is often the most likely scenario for the double play.  We won't count a line drive getting doubled up... that's the runners fault.  So something into right field is ideal, possibly moving the runner to 3rd with the long throw form right field to third.  But just getting something through the infield can be a goal.  This would lead to getting something up in the zone to lift over the infield, while avoiding low/middle and low/away which leads to the firm ground ball to the right side, setting up a double play.  As you're starting to see, there are a few factors influencing the plan.   Become a student of the game and see what the opponent is trying to do, and adjust your offense accordingly.  

    Let's put a runner on 2nd.   With less than two outs we can bunt, or get a ball behind the runner, to  the right side, forcing the defense to have to go to first.   This is a "station to station" mentality, one base at a time.    Another option is a deep fly ball to right allowing for the baserunner to tag up on the long throw.  To put the ball to the right side, we are looking for a pitch on the outside half.  Runners on 1st and 2nd combines the concept.  A ground ball allows the force at any bag, and possibly a double play.  So we are looking for something up in the zone to get through the infield.  And don't forget, getting your pitch is always an option!  

     Bases loaded, we must get the ball through the infield.  Looking for something up in the zone is ideal.  A fly ball to the outfield should score the runner from 3rd by tagging up.  1st and 3rd baserunners, same mentality as bases loaded.  There may be a pitch dedicated to stealing 2nd, to get that runner in scoring position.   Otherwise, focus on scoring that runner from 3rd. 

   Again, these are not the only ways to go about moving baserunners with your at bat, but hopefully some concepts to help you start creating a plan for when you get in the box.  I feel like it narrows down the pitch your looking for, creating a plan for your at bat, just focusing on where to hit it, not IF you hit it!