Baseball Hitting - Baseball Article Summaries

Hitting Styles - Continued - Player Photos - Single L (length=1458)
OK, I squandered some weekend time looking for photos of hitters. Try the link below and see: 1. Gary Sheffield. The ball is visible to th ...

Hitting Styles - Single L (length=3132)
There are many successful hitting styles, and I think the hitter's physique and natural abilities probably affect the choice. So I don't hav ...

Afraid of getting hit by ball! Please Help! - Coach Scott (B) (length=3744)
I don't know what level of play you are at. If you're at Little League Majors or below, you really haven't too much to worry about. From 12 ...

LATE SWING - Kenneth Bean (length=1197)
Hi Thure Our "diaper-ballers" down here don't hit pitching until they are seven to seven and ahalf. Don't be too concerned. Soft toss wi ...

The Gorilla Grip - Kenneth Bean (length=2543)
Hi Jeff The gorrila grip is a term that came to mind years ago, when I was watching kids try to get a REAL STRONG GRIP on a bat. They wo ...

strike zone? what do YOU think? - Kenneth Bean (length=2152)
Hi guys In Major League Baseball, the owners have decided that it is entertainment rather than a competitive sport. It is sort of like our ...

9 Year Old Hitting Help - Randy Dykstra (length=3226)
You've already received a lot a great advice... let me add a couple things... I agree completely with using a pitching machine and velocit ...

Batting Tees - Randy Dykstra (length=1260)
.... My question to the group is do you think a batting tees help kids who face real pitchers in a game or should I just practice pitching m ...

Hitting a Moving Object - Coach Bob (length=2241)
Paul, I wouldn't worry about it, unless you see an OBVIOUS flaw. I have heard and read so much on hitting (hands, position power, hip rotati ...

Hitting - Coach Bob (length=4392)
We all have opinions, and theories, and it is clear that we wish ALL to espouse them - and have them accepted by our peers. But fine-tuning ...

Some Thoughts Regarding Ball Movement - Coach Bob (length=2350)
Scott: I would like to preface my comments with two caveats: (1) although I pitched at several levels, it was a long, long time ago, and ( ...

Switch Hitters - Single L (length=1897)
Yes, I think so. I wish someone had told me to try switch hitting. I grew up hitting lefty exclusively. According to my father, this is beca ...

Taking the First Pitch - Splitter (length=2436)
Have to weigh in again on this one, there are some good arguments out there. For an experienced hitter, say the high school level, they sh ...

fear of getting hit by pitch - Kenneth Bean (length=1226)
Hi Al Splitter has it right. A lot of good stuff is erased from the board before we get to see it. Many of us don't get to sit down every ...

hitting problems - Coach Scott (B) (length=5109)
I had a couple of kids on my AAA level team (8 yrs to 12yrs) who had that problem, including my own daughter. She couldn't buy a hit. ...

BP - Another Point of View - TJ (length=1614)
Contrary to you opinion, "Bips', other wise know as batting practice, is not detrimental to a hitter when performed in a batting cage. Perio ...

The Sweep - Dave Kreiss (length=4699)
Your pleased with the contact but not how he is driving the ball. Had the exact same symptoms and problem at the end of this season when I p ...

Bat speed - Chip (length=1308)
Bear: Regarding your comment/measurement of bat speed, it is my understanding that square/effective hitting contact requires a bat speed ...

Who teaches "Keep your shoulder in there" - Chip (length=454)
Most kids use their front shoulder and arms to generate power -- i.e., "pulling" or "sweeping the bat through the zone. Keeping the front sh ...

"If you can hit a rock you can hit a baseball" - Kathy (length=1127)
Hi Single L, Great story, but it could have easily had a different ending. What if you had believed your son's coach when he was 9? Wher ...

Balance Hitting Drills, Some alternatives for you Seadog - Bear (length=941)
Hi There are four other alternative 'drills' for hitters 'balence' that I like (& I have used), than the dowel concept: a) Balance Be ...

Baseball Hitting - Randy Dykstra (length=603)
Solo Hitter is one of the best Training aids I have ever purchased.... and a few of you know, I like my toys!! About the only training dev ...

Bat Selection for 14 year old - Randy Dykstra (length=980)
Bat Selection for 14 year old I agree with SingleL and Cbonk... As an 8th grader I would recommend getting ready for HS (unless there is n ...

Batting Grip - Kathy (length=659)
Hi Gerald, Thanks, I forgot to add the part about lining up the middle knuckles. That also goes with keeping your wrists close together. I ...

Hey HB, Here''s Bear's Pro's & Cons of top hand release - Bear (length=668)
I have heard the debate before, just not in your typical LL circles. Wow, I just can't imagine that LL conversation. What happene ...

Hitting Plane - Bear (length=654)
Some quick thoughts. I have used two models in clinics and one on one. The batting trainer product is a replicated concept f ...

Hitting Question - Kathy (length=407)
I believe that growth spurts will throw a childs hitting, pitching, etc. off kilter for a while. I think it has more to do with the brain ha ...

In other words, a weak defensive, punch and no judy struggling and rusty hitter. - Bear (length=813)
A strategic and situational hitting technique most predominate in Fastpitch and Amateur Youth Baseball with bases less than 90ft. A fe ...

PLEASE help me wit 12yo "stepping in the bucket"!! - Coach Scott (length=833)
I have a youngster on my fall-ball team who was hit by a pitch 4 months ago, and ever since, bails out to the point where he's almost parall ...

Sorry JT & KM....but - Bear (length=938)
Say KM, Never, ever makes contact? I would make time for this 'opportunity' if the child has (in Bear's terms), a $Hit House or ...

Sounds like Your Boys Load and Flow is Rusty ....or Stuck - Bear (length=1860)
Hi Roger, Ouch. The problem as I read it Roger is two fold. a. It's your kid b. His 'load and flow' mechanism is getting stu ...

Switch hitting - Bear (length=873)
Switch Hitting vs RH. - Not many 'sucessful' SH in the bigs. e.g. Was Mickey Mantle a sucessful hitter on the left side ? Tbd ? e.g. ...

Switch hitting - Gordon (length=778)
Yes, I work with kids almost daily. Switch-hitting takes practice, and patience. Start with the batting stance , Next get his stride foot mo ...

Switch hitting - Randy Dykstra (length=972)
I'm in a little different situation. My son throws and does most things RH, but ever since he first picked up a bat he swung LH and no way ...

THANX TO ALL FOR... - Coach Scott (length=833)
...for taking the time to respond my dilema. With only 3 weeks left in the season, I don't foresee a turn-around but I'll remain posi ...

Trigger forward instead of back "Bear" - Roger (length=590)
Bear, My son has developed a bad habit of bringing his hands forward a little and stopping and then swinging from there which is totally d ...

hitting down - Kelvin May (length=397)
My son who is nine years old has started hitting down slightly on the ball like he is chopping wood. I have been tossing him balls underhand ...

hitting down - Walter Kiriaka (length=1078)
I would like all my kids to have this problem, because I donot see this as a problem. He has a favoured inside out swing and hitting down on ...

hitting to all fields - tomc (length=1152)
Mike, I noticed that you said your son is *always* behind on the ball. This tells me that he is not only hitting the pitch on the
no-stride... I need some help here - Kathy (length=1868)
Hi David, I can see some merits to using the no stride approach with a struggling hitter. We've used it on our team with a player who woul ...

video tapping BP - Kathy (length=1228)
Hi David, It's strange you should ask that - I just videotaped my son earlier today for the first time. He was using his Solohitte ...

"If you can hit a rock you can hit a baseball" - Roger (length=1248)
Bear, Jon and others HELP!!! This one should get some interesting comments. I coach with a guy that insists that 90% of hitting is God-giv ...

"If you can hit a rock you can hit a baseball" - Tony (length=1905)
I work with kids and I can say that an attitude like that is not a good one to have. First of all, it is a given that some kids develop fast ...

9 Year Old Hitting Help - A. Miller (length=2963)
Oriole33, Thanks for responding. Here's my answers to your questions .... Focus - He seems to be focused on the pitcher. In fact, he may ...

9 Year Old Hitting Help - Chet (length=1074)
Frank: My son is also 9 and has had the same problems. I used to think it was weather related because most of his complaints were in the c ...

9 Year Old Hitting Help - Chris Jarvis (length=663)
If this child does not wear a batting glove, I would suggest it. Also, you might try a 16 oz. or 18 oz. bat, he may be swinging outside and ...

9 Year Old Hitting Help - Coach Pond (length=814)
I have a U9 boy in his first year facing other kids pitching. We use the "soft" balls for games. During hitting practice I like to use tenni ...

9 Year Old Hitting Help - Jerry Hart (length=505)
I can recommend an outstanding book for teaching hitting to kids. It's "You Can Teach Hitting" by Dusty Baker. You can learn a lot from Ted ...

9 Year Old Hitting Help - Oriole33 (length=513)
A tennis ball gives little feedback to the hitter. Hit it at the end, middle, or handle of the bat and there's no vibration. When your son h ...

9 Year Old Hitting Help - Oriole33 (length=3188)
A. Miller, I'm going to assume he's a good athlete for his age since he was asked to tryout for a U11 traveling team. If so, he probably h ...

9 Year Old Hitting Help - Oriole33 (length=615)
Yes. I've seen this many times. But first, would you answer these questions? While your son is at bat: - Is he focused on the pitcher or ...

9 Year Old Hitting Help - Steve (length=1193)
Amen to the comments made above, and let me add a few: I coach a 9 year old tournament team, and I have a couple of players who get into the ...

Additional Thoughts - Coach Tony (length=1468)
Coach Sam mentioned a "two-strike approach" at the plate. I am unsure if he means only when a batter has two-strikes or all of the time. I a ...

Average Hitting Distance For A 13 Year Old..... - Kathy (length=723)
I'm not sure that I agree with your theory. I believe that hitting mechanics, timing, bat speed, and the speed of the pitch play a much bigg ...

Baseball Hitting - Richard Todd (length=821)
Who says you're supposed to stride forward??? You should sit back on the ball. Power comes more from pivot foot triggering the hips which ...

Bat Position - Jon (length=1131)
The major variation in the way successful hitters go to the plate involves stance. For what it's worth, I teach that it really doesn't matte ...

Bat Selection - Dave (length=1025)
The most common mistake that youth players make is to choose a bat that is too heavy for them! They must constantly be reminded that power c ...

Bat Selection - Jerry Hart (length=1399)
I coach both Senior League(13-15) and Little League(10-12). The only barrel size approved for LL is 2 1/4 in. dia. while the 2 1/2, 2 5/8 an ...

Bat Selection - Randy Dykstra (length=639)
Great Table! Nice Idea. However, I hope no one uses this as absolute. For example, I see a 4'9'' kid 91 pounds has a 31 inch bat recommen ...

Bat Speed - Bear (length=891)
At Minimum Every other Day Methods. At Maximum Five Days out of Seven (Motivate with Tony Gwen swings 300 quality strokes per session) ...

Bat Speed - Bear (length=1391)
Hi Dan, At least somebody reads this stuff. Good Question though. Which Program can I market to you ? Would you be interested in ...

Bat Speed - Coach Ron (length=303)
Whats you favorite drill or exercise to increase bat speed? My son hits well but does not generate enough bat speed to hit the ball deep ...

Bat Speed - Dan Temko (length=1029)
Thanks, but $300+ is more than I'd like to spend for a measurement tool. Your "best" method is the one that makes the most sense. Brian is 1 ...

Bat Speed - Gerald Wyatt (length=897)
Most kids in their pre teens or early teens lack bat speed because they haven't developed sufficient strength. Any type of exercise that dev ...

Bat Speed - Jon Toner (length=891)
Agreed! I give all my kids "homework" after each practice, based on what I see as what they need work on. I've had catcher's get in their ...

Batting Grip - Keeping It Simple - Bear (length=718)
Hi, a) Have player place the bat on the ground, having the handle between the legs. b) Have player bend over and grab batBatting Grip - Coach Tony (length=318)
I am glad you responded, that was just what I was looking for. An understanding of many various ways it is taught. I too have heard both the ...

Batting Lineup -- you be the coach - Gary Owens (length=972)
Good question. I'm anxious to see what others think as well. Here's my shot at it: 1. RH hitter with speed 2. LH hitter with speed 3 ...

Batting Stance with Elbow Up or Down - Ron Bing (length=1464)
Paul, I have to disagree with your explanation of the "chicken wing". It is not the result of the rear elbow being elevated at the time of t ...

Batting Tees - Bob (length=366)
I've got an almost 11 year old boy who has played 3 years of baseball. He is a pretty good player but still struggles at the plate. For his ...

Batting Tees - Oriole33 (length=494)
What does "struggling" mean, in this case? Can't make contact? Doesn't swing? Swings at bad pitches? Pops up? Late? Lunges? Scared of the ba ...

Batting Tees - Tim Wilmering (length=436)
I thouroughly agree that tees are a useful tool. They are the only way that a child can get in a large number of reps to develop muscle m ...

Bear's Batting Lineup, Coaching A Line-Up Card, Maximizing a Players Contribution Opportunity - Bear (length=1886)
Hi Darrell, I enjoyed your 1st game line up as much as the time it took, and the process you went through to find your right a ...

Bear, Extension Q - seadog (length=790)
Paul, I use a double T a great deal in practice.Put one ball on the rear T and one ball on the front T about 6-8inches away and hane your ...

Best Bat for LL - Jerry Hart (length=674)
I tell my parents that if their kids live and breathe baseball, they have played several years and probably will continue on to competitive ...

Best Bat for LL - Randy Dykstra (length=2642)
What a question! And one of the subjects I'll stand on a soapbox for. The best bat is... a bat a kid is comfortable with and can swing ef ...

Beware the two strike drill. - Bear (length=489)
I also like the use of the two strike drill, but not as a 'defensive' P&J drill, but as a 'agressive in the strike zone'. I am a ...

Bunting Technique - Coach Shawn (length=1374)
I am an assistant coach for a Peewee 8 team (machine pitch). When bunting I teach the following technique: 1. Move up in the batters box. ...

Bunting Technique - Kelly L. (length=601)
I teach bunting in this way: 1. when trying to execute a regular bunt (not a suprise), I have them start (right-hander) with the right foo ...

Confused as heck about hitting--URGENT!!!!! - Jeff T (length=688)
Sounds perplexing, as our catcher was having a similar problem, but ALL the time. Turns out he'd been hitting too many wiffle-golf balls in ...

Define What a Hitter Is ! ...Bear's Magic to Win 125 games ! - Bear (length=1444)
There are three types of Baseball Hitters, all with characteristics and attributes that several styles of coaches like to see and ...

Dominant eye - Tom Magedanz (length=3719)
The idea of eye dominance as it relates to hitting the other way has been on my mind lately, and I'd be interested in opinions on the relati ...

FEAR OF A PITCHED BALL - PLEASE HELP!! - Coach Pond (length=613)
I would have him hitting off a Tee and doing soft toss with heavy emphasis on the stride towards the pitcher. This should help create the mu ...

FEAR OF A PITCHED BALL - PLEASE HELP!! - Oriole33 (length=481)
Here's something that's worked well for me in the past. You'll need some type of practice screen (NOT A PRACTIVE BALL-RETURN NET!). Kneel be ...

FEAR OF A PITCHED BALL - PLEASE HELP!! - Rick Ryals (length=2395)
I like this idea and employed a very similar technique to fix my own son who is now leading in hits, runs scored, and stolen bases, (the lat ...

FEAR OF A PITCHED BALL - PLEASE HELP!! - TJBear (length=1574)
Hi Zoli, Great Question. How does a Mom or Dad help the child overcome the fear of a pitched baseball ? First off, it is nice to hear this ...

FEAR OF A PITCHED BALL - PLEASE HELP!! - Viper (length=880)
Hello. I am 13, and I used to be the same way. Getting Hit by baseballs is not fun by any means of course, But The older he gets, the more a ...

FEAR OF A PITCHED BALL - PLEASE HELP!! - Wayne (length=722)
When I was coaching at that level one of the first things I would do is teach kids how to avoid getting hit. I got this as a suggestion from ...

FEAR OF A PITCHED BALL - PLEASE HELP!! - Zoli (length=1072)
I am managing a 9-10 year old team that my son is on. I would have to say that my son is an average to below average skilled player, maybe b ...

Fear of Being Hit - Coach Bob (length=328)
The best remedy is to teach them how to avoid getting hit, i.e., ducking and rolling. If you play ball, you WILL eventually be hit by the pi ...

Fear of a Pitched Ball - Craig (length=452)
Dear Mom, Most of the exercises listed by others, below, are good ones. In addition, I would suggest that you encourage your son to becom ...

Fear of a Pitched Ball - Jon H. (length=1606)
Getting hit in the chest or face is not only scary but dangerous -- these are the two places that when hit cause the most serious injuries i ...

Fear of a Pitched Ball - Jon Toner (length=678)
One of the things that I do with kids who are a little gun-shy is get them in the batter's box (with helmet and cup) and throw tennis balls ...

Fear of a Pitched Ball - Paul Faubert (length=820)
How is he when fielding? Since you didn't point out that he is also afraid when fielding, ask him why he gets in front of line shots, but ba ...

Fear of a Pitched Ball - Roger (length=819)
My approach on this seems to be quite different than the other responses. What I would do is show your son how to turn back and down so that ...

Fear of a Pitched Ball - Steve Martin (length=814)
There are some great ideas here. I'd also suggest you tell your son that he is not alone. EVERYBODY experiences some fear when they are batt ...

Fear of a Pitched Ball - Wayne (length=790)
There are some things we just can't do for our kids and one of them is fear of the ball. I assume you have tried talking etc. One thing I us ...

Getting High, Mr. Lau, Good Bless Dick Hardman & 'Extension' - Bear (length=2840)
Hi TM, Good point of view. He's mine take. Schmidt's always worked on his hitting, everywhere. Mike talked about it from the locker r ...

HELP! Son not - Kathy (length=1713)
My son had a problem with this for the first few weeks of the season last year. He was 9 at the time and was playing up on a select team for ...

HELP! Son not - Randy Dykstra (length=491)
Coach C.... During practice put a bat behind his heels.... If he steps back He'll hit it and possibly roll and fall.... if nothing else he ...

HELP! Son not - coach c (length=555)
my 11 year old son's hitting has gone away.the last two years he was in kid pinch.has probably been hit about thirty times.he will stand in ...

Help Hitting - Bear (length=1801)
Hi Ted. Good Luck with your stroke. It's nice to hear the teenagers write about their mechanics of their swing. There is a couple of dri ...

Help Hitting - Dave (length=1581)
Three things from the ground up: 1.) Check your stride. You should be taking a short 3-6" stride depending on your size. You could even use ...

Hitting Drills Overload vs Underload Balls & OL/UL Bats - Bear (length=873)
Hey Paul, Not to rain on this threads parade here, But I thought best to spend a few (redundant) words on the assortment of ...

Hitting Drills for 7-8 Year Olds - Jon Hoelter (length=725)
If you have enough fathers to help, I would set up the following stations and have lots of repetition: 1. Stride drill - making sure the ...

Hitting Drills for 7-8 Year Olds - Tim (length=495)
I found a good way to teach players to hit "down" on the ball using tee's is to to set up two tee's one behind the other. Put a tennis ball ...

Hitting Instruction - Bear (length=716)
Opinion's on the best hitting are just that. Least us forget history and tradition here's what my memory is: (I may need help if I butchered ...

Hitting Question -- High Finish - Kathy (length=554)
Hi Tom, I'm sure that there is no "right" way to finish a swing, but I am inclined to agree with you. I prefer a finish with the < ...

Hitting Question -- High Finish - Tom Magedanz (length=1284)
I'm interested in opinions about why many coaches recommend a high finish, high follow-through for hitters. Is this to promote extension aft ...

Hitting off a Tee - Darrell (length=597)
Great Idea!!!!! I coach a traveling U12 tournament team. My team hits off of the tee every practice. For batting practices with a coa ...

Hitting off a Tee - Darrell (length=838)
Paul, pardon me for jumping in. Robert, Just like I said that my kids pitch all winter long into that canvass tarp, my kids hit all wi ...

Hitting off a Tee - Gerald Wyatt (length=416)
I'm a big believer in the T. Many kids think that the batting T is for 5&6 yr. olds just starting out. Some people think they need something ...

Hitting off a Tee - Gerald Wyatt (length=570)
My 7 yr. old thinks that I'm jiving him when I tell him Major League Players use the T. So I pointed out to him last summer something that p ...

Hitting off a Tee - Jon Toner (length=305)
One of the most impressive displays I've seen in REAR SOFT TOSS. Coach gets behind the player and tosses the ball forward while the batter h ...

Hitting off a Tee - Steve Martin (length=405)
A few years ago, our league in Northern NY (home of the two-week summer!) was fortunate enough to get the Watertown Indians (Single A NY-Pen ...

Hitting off a Tee - tomc (length=900)
I like to use a T for working with players that have a great golf swing. We set up the T with a 5 gallon bucket on some bricks to raise the ...

Hitting the curve ball - Doug (length=1041)
First and foremost, any coach who teaches or allows a 12 yr. old to throw a curve is either singularly or some combination of the following: ...

Hitting the curve ball - Joe (length=589)
My 12 yr old son is batting around .600 this year in about 60 at bats, 95% of his hits came from fastballs. If anyone has some advice we wou ...

Hitting the curve ball - Jon (length=1062)
Picking up a curve is tough for a 12-y-o because they don't see many. I would suggest: 1. Take curve ball BP practice. 2. Avoid swingin ...

Hitting the curve ball - Tim (length=495)
I found a good way to teach players to hit "down" on the ball using tee's is to to set up two tee's one behind the other. Put a tennis ball ...

I'm a Little Confused...Again - Paul Faubert (length=2764)
You guys have thrown me for a loop on this one. I think JT was just suggesting that the advent of these "super bats" has forced kids to lear ...

Is winning enough? - JN (length=636)
Thanks for the insight. To clear a couple things up we have two or more coaches (being loud) I stand corrected, all at the same time. I am j ...

Just Curious - Ty Cobb Batting Grip......Say What??? - Bear (length=670)
The Geritol of youth use to be: What else ? The Breakfast of Champions, the hard way: ...... sans Jersey, cherios w/ bud, & a ...

Just Curious - Ty Cobb Batting Grip - Bear (length=3552)
Hi Tom, I think you are OTB. I can recall the Burns documentary. I enjoyed every piece of the documentary, the exception bein ...

Just Curious - Ty Cobb Batting Grip - Bear (length=246)
Richie B, Slap bunting is: a) A hitting technique. b) A punch hitting technique sans judy. c) A form of 'pepper'. d) An agg ...

Just Curious - Ty Cobb Batting Grip - Bear (length=2767)
Hi Tom, What were Bear's thoughts about: Where did the ol'timers of today pass their information to about that best resembled the ...

Leadoff Hitter.....all ground outs. - Jeff T (length=442)
As Bear put it, "are they loud outs?" Also, is he constantly pulling the ball (all 6-3 if RH). My son has been in the same boat, but part of ...

Leadoff Hitter.....all ground outs. - Scott R (length=668)
Need some help since I'm (and my coaches) are scratching our heads to figure this out.... Leadoff hitter has been at bat 24 times with ...

Lineing up knuckles - Coach Scott (length=1226)
I posted a very similar question about a month ago because I had always thought the proper alignment was middle to big... Lo & behold, I r ...

Not hitting in games - Al McCormick (length=1237)
---Reposted for archive--- Obviously the standard answers are 1) Coaches are hitting the bat during practice, and 2) pitching machines gen ...

Offspeed Hitting Drills - Bob Benson (length=919)
I have seen this used for the past three springs at legion level, but should work for younger kids. Buy red, white and blue wiffle balls ...

Offspeed Hitting Drills - Bob Benson (length=1127)
Ron, I agree with you. The two-ball toss is standard as part of pre-game warm ups just prior to getting in the cage. Another is to put a ...

Offspeed Hitting Drills - Darrell (length=331)
Bob, Dave Hudgens just completed a two tape series called "Conquering the Curveball" I just finished viewing them (about 1/2 hour ago ...

Opposite Hand Hitting - Bear (length=2287)
Great Question. I bleed with your parental concern and the success for you boy. Decent switch hitters are uncommon, yet valuable t ...

Overcoming fear at the plate - Coach Bob (length=366)
Paul's advice (below) is excellent. The best remedy is to teach them how to avoid getting hit, i.e., ducking and rolling. If you play ball, ...

Overcoming fear at the plate - Joe Zander (length=3195)
Overcoming fear at the plate requires a practice plan. Each pre-season I normally follow this specific practice regime. The first two prac ...

Overcoming fear at the plate - Matt Gandy (length=321)
I coach a 9 &10 year old baseball team. I have a kid on my team that was an excellent hitter last year. In that league he hit off of a pitch ...

Overcoming fear at the plate - Paul Faubert (length=911)
We just had a whole string of advice on how to avoid being hit by pitches. The best advice I can give you is to teach the kid the proper way ...

Overkill - Coach Molly (length=577)
Hey Kev We have had success with players like this by working with a tee and soft toss drills, getting them to first keep their head on ...

Overkill - Jeff T (length=445)
Had the same problem with one of our 12's. It is only his 2nd year playing, and he is a big, strong kid, but tried killing everything. We to ...

Overload drills - tomc (length=1098)
I can help with question number 2. We work hard with our hitters in developing a "quiet front foot". I have noticed, especially in
Pitching Strategies - Bear (length=4871)
JT Asks +"What do you see as many a pitcher's weakness + coming into the pros?? + Probably the "fear" of pitching inside. What + becomes a b ...

Pre-game; Cage versus on-field - Coach Stark (length=449)
If your complex is like ours (cage inside the park facility) my 12 & U team does both. I have my assistant coach take 3 kids at a time to ...

Pro-Cut--its pretty good! - Jeff T (length=690)
We bought the pro-cut, 8 oz version, and tried it out, yesterday. Yup, Dec 16 and 58 degrees in the NC mountains! We did some soft-toss and ...

Say ???? & Joel - Bear (length=2142)
Thank- you gentleman, ........For your kind gestures & wake up call. I just want to share with you information obtained just< ...

Scared of Ball - Coach Sam (length=1418)
You didn't mention if he had been nailed by a pitch or not, but lets hope he has because its natural for a kid to be a little ball shy after ...

See the ball, hit the ball - Ron Bing (length=626)
I'd add one other point to Single L's post. The purpose you have the batter focus on the pitcher's cap, or the pitchers eyes, etc., is becau ...

Senior League Bat: Which new one's best?? - Jeff T. (length=665)
We are considering purchasing a Sr. League (full barrel, -7 or -8), 30 inch bat for my 10-U AAU team. I am wondering about anyone's experien ...

Senior League Bat: Which new one's best?? - Player (length=488)
I personally think AL bats are sorta heavy and give you a slow swing BUT give you about the same with a W bat at moderate swing, I usually t ...

Senior League Bat: Which new one's best?? - Randy Dykstra (length=665)
My son (age 10 5'2" 100 lbs) used the SL-1 TPX 30-23 ..... It cracked and split on him this summer however it was still under warranty. Anot ...

Senior League Bat: Which new one's best?? - Sandi (length=942)
My husband justbought my 12 year old son an Easton Senior League, C405, 7 oz, 2 3/4, 31 in, bat, he is hitting farther into the outfield and ...

Speed at the Batting Cages - 9 Yr Old - Coach Pond (length=383)
I've coached in that age range for 3 of the last 4 years and I would say that the Average 9-10 year old pitcher is about mid 40's. I would u ...

Sports Tech -Increasing Bat Speed - Or Mo Jo Ma Red Fibers Need to Dance- Or Color My Fibers White - Bear (length=1090)
I didn't punch this acorn, Jack. Batspeed is determined by many factors, including, but not limited to, mechanics, fiber distribut ...

Stride vs. No Stride Approach to Hitting - Bear (length=900)
Hi George, I concur. Although I am not a big fan of Denny's method to teach advanced hitting skills to excellent HS, college & Pro Hitte ...

Stride vs. No Stride Approach to Hitting - George Klein (length=501)
There are many philosophies regarding hitting. I believe every hitter just needs to be comfortable and confident in their own approach. If y ...

Stride vs. No Stride Approach to Hitting - Jack Mankin (length=3426)
Subject: Power source of the great hitter. "Weight transfer" is helpful in developing energy for pushing the shotput. We transfer our wei ...

Stride vs. No Stride Approach to Hitting - Jerry Hart (length=748)
I don't know anything about the Doyle approach to hitting but why should ignorance prevent me from expressing an opinion? It doesn't seem to ...

Stride vs. No Stride Approach to Hitting - Jim Orr (length=1036)
I'm with Jerry on this one also, I have no idea what the Doyle System is but why should that stop me or any one else from giving an opinion. ...

Stride vs. No Stride Approach to Hitting - Jon Toner (length=522)
If a kid is struggling on the most basic concepts of hitting, I demonstrate the stride and explain its value, but if it is too much for him ...

Stride vs. No Stride Approach to Hitting - Jon Toner (length=481)
Jim, Tim Neahring of the Red Sox has an identical problem. With him, it has manifested itself with back trouble (hence his time on the DL ...

Stride vs. No Stride Approach to Hitting - Larry (length=759)
The Doyle method (Doyle is not only a teach oif this method of hitting but he also owns and operates the doyle school of baseball) I know t ...

Stride vs. No Stride Approach to Hitting - Ron Sewell (length=1301)
I am also not familiar with this system of hitting. And like Jerry I would like to state my opinion. The purposes of the stride are to: 1. b ...

Stride vs. No Stride Approach to Hitting - Tim D. (length=356)
The Doyle no-stride approach is based on the very real problem of head movement when striding. The weight transfer is still taught as explai ...

Study - Randy Dykstra (length=710)
Be sure to check out the extra .JPG it shows two other charts. One chart is not quite so linear, and remember they only take 5 to 8 data poi ...

Switch hitting - Dave (length=495)
With regards to your question on switch hitting, my son is naturally right handed, he's 14, and I've been told that since he's batted from t ...

Switch hitting - Guy (length=688)
Greg, my son began the switch hitting when he was 9 yrs old. We spent the entire off season hitting everday for a year, using the tee, soft ...

Switch hitting - Randy Dykstra (length=760)
I have heard two opinions on switch hitting... (1) The youger you start the better "switch" hitter you become. (2) Hitting is just a ref ...

Tracking the Ball when Batting - Gary (length=496)
The first thing I tell my self is that they're just kids and they really do want to have fun. Sometimes they are missing the ball because th ...

Tracking the Ball when Batting - Joe Dickerson (length=1386)
Dear Coach: I have a nine year old playing competitive baseball. He hits against a pitching machine, about 33 mph, has good form but isn't ...

Tracking the Ball when Batting - Steve (length=504)
I'd try pitching golf whiffle balls to him. Try sitting about 15 feet in front of him, and pitching them with a good wrist action. The small ...

Who's on first? - Gary Owens (length=3982)
Randy, I must admit that a lot of the ideas for drills I use come from others on this message board. From them, I have learned that you n ...

You were doing fine until ... - Bear (length=1185)
Hey Rad, You were doing fine until the 'TRW' brain freez didn't stop the keyboard. Rad, although definite management material, kee ...

batting practice production - Coach Stark (length=371)
Besides doing the boring one at a time approach, does anybody do anything different in terms of b.p.? My teams always have broken d ...

swing problems - Tony (length=585)
You will see some change if you split the kids up into smaller groups to hit, and have a few knowledgeable assistants too work with each gro ...

11 yr old undercutting ball - Scorekeeper (length=2968)
Lots of questions pop into my mind right away. The 1st is, are you saying he does that in real AB's in games, taking BP or both? What lev ...

Batting Practice - Scorekeeper (length=3331)
Just to elaborate a tiny bit. One important part of soft toss is the position of the tosser. Proper position is at a 45 degree angle in fron ...

Batting Style Dilemma? - Scorekeeper (length=1355)
I'm assuming that when you said school, you were talking about HS. Have you tried to discuss this hitting thing with the school's coach? Not ...

Batting - Scorekeeper (length=4428)
5 years ago I said just about the same thing about my 11 YO hardhead. I saw the talent, but there was never that little spark that ignited t ...

COACHING HITTING - THE COACH (length=3133)
TIPS FROM THE COACH My son went to play baseball at a Jr. College after High School. I warned him to avoid letting college c ...

Contact hitting ??? - Scorekeeper (length=6505)
Contact hitting ??? - Scorekeeper (length=4734)
Couldn't resist having some fun with this one. Contact hitting ??? - Scorekeeper (length=4149)
Freaks aside, why would an "up" swing plane be more likely to top the ball than a "down" swing plane? I completely understand that the bal ...

Contact hitting ??? - Scorekeeper (length=2115)
Hey! I've said it before and I'll say it again, my doors are always open to anyone who wants to talk baseball. You'll have a place to sleep, ...

Contact hitting ??? - Scorekeeper (length=2095)
I still don't agree that the chances for good contact are better with more angle, but that's ok, its not earth shattering one way or the oth ...

Contact hitting ??? - Scorekeeper (length=8041)
That's why I said for the kids, its always best to teach the "most accepted" way to do things, not just in hitting, but pitching, fielding, ...

Contact hitting ??? - Scorekeeper (length=3281)
Was "Sammy Bonds" a Freudian slip? I know there all kinds of "ifs" about baseball. If Ted Williams wouldn't have lost 5 years or if he had ...

Correct swing path - Kenneth Bean (length=2206)
Hi Guys A final thought or two here provoked by some really good thoughts. A baseball thrown a hundred miles per hour...level...will hit ...

Dragging the bat through - Coach Dan (length=1359)
This is a drill to correct what you describe as "dragging the bat." Work with a tee, then switch to soft toss for this drill. As the hitter ...

HITTING TIPS - THE COACH (length=2971)
TIPS FROM THE COACH.COM I was recently asked what is the most important thing in hitting. After thinking a while I have decided that ...

Happy Feet - MapleLeaf Pete (length=2088)
i've also encounted similar problems with some of my younger players (10-12yo). Regarding the player's moving towards first base while swing ...

Here ya go Ag. [for all] - THE COACH (length=1177)
This has been a very interesting thread. Unfortunately it seems no one cared to comment upon the thrust of the message which that worrying a ...

Hit Down on the Ball? - Scorekeeper (length=5235)
I've been over this subject about a million times and this is a perfect example of how well thought out "theories", based in fact, get twist ...

Hitting -- I once heard (somewhere) that it takes five good swings to overcome the bad swing I just practiced (or taught to practice). Chicken vs the Egg, Man vs the Ape, Hand vs the Hips. For those that know, Mr. Claude Shannon died last night. - Bear (length=2239)
Hey JM, Like the above mentioned subject says: If you can solve The Chicken vs The Egg, I think We've Got It, mate. (So I will fly, ...

Hitting the Fastball - THE COACH (length=1988)
Ag Again I completely disagree. Here is another archived Tip from TIPS FROM THE COACH.COM. Recently, I watched a coach prepare his team ...

Hitting the Low Pitch - Casey (length=1387)
I know that this is a little late, but I hope it will help. I definately agree that too many mechanics for a smaller athelete can confuse th ...

Hitting workout with the Solohitter - Student of Baseball (length=1286)
My son just had his first hitting lesson with former Dodger great Tommy Davis (2 time National League batting champ). Tommy had my son hit o ...

Hitting: A Timing Question - Kenneth Bean (length=1472)
Hi Tim A couple of excellent points on your part. Seems to me the kids SHOULD concentrate on the release instead of their footwork, and ju ...

I was asked "HELP! MY SON IS 0-7 - THE COACH (length=3367)
TIPS FROM THE COACH =============== This is a recent post in the TIPS FROM THE COACH discussion board., ------------- Help me!!!!! S ...

Jim, a differing observation: Hitting -- when to stride? - Bear (length=1459)
Jim, I am not in full agreement with your statement (as I understand it) "The stride and the swing are totally independent of one anoth ...

Looking for walks - Old Ag (length=4001)
Just a general discourse here, maybe to stir some thought & discussion. Spurred by the comments of a poster of select kids "looking for walk ...

Looping swing - Old Ag (length=2872)
Regarding your first question on the low pitch with the "direct to the ball swing" vs. the "plane of the pitch swing": The bat head will ...

Looping swing - Old Ag (length=2251)
Swinging on plane will always require dropping the hands & swinging up. The hands will either hitch, or a long looping swing must be used. R ...

Moving the batter - Scorekeeper (length=2714)
I'm not directing this at CoachPhil specifically, but rather as a general response to everyone. I find it interesting that there is so muc ...

Moving the batter - Scorekeeper (length=1607)
Not being a coach, here's another question that's bothered me over the years. Why don't more coaches teach batters to move up and back in th ...

Need Advice on Proper Batting Stance - Bear (length=2075)
I prefer to teach (in the winter time), a parallel stance, with a 50-50 weight distribution. (and I hope am around to hear & see ...

Need Advice on Proper Batting Stance - Kenneth Bean (length=1176)
Hi Joe...Guys You have read me speak of it before, but I think it bears repeating. Hank Aaron was probably the hitter every pitcher hate ...

Optimum slugging angle - Splitter (length=6432)
Last time I post this (until someone brings it up again :-). We're complicating this thing WAY too much when the evidence is so obvious. T ...

Out in front of the pitch - Old Ag (length=2350)
Start with confidence. Hitting is 75% mechanics, but 95% confidence. Next is having closely studied the pitcher from the dugout and the o ...

Overcoming fear - Jim J. (length=4779)
Every player is different so it is very difficult to answer remotely. My sons have never had this problem to my knowledge. I may be wrong ...

Quality ABs - Coach Duncan (length=9760)
BEWARE -- LONG POST How do you define it? For my 9U team last year, it was a ball that reached the outfield with some ste ...

Swings ,step toward the pitcher and swing or Single axis - MartyBR (length=1281)
I've been at odds with an assistant coach who keeps trying to change my son's(a 12 year old) swing. When he uses the single axis swing, h ...

Teaching to hit lefty - Eye dominance & hitting - Old Ag (length=4799)
Interestingly, Daque, some sources assert that eye dominance can be trained. It has been a little while since I did the research. My son i ...

The Real Deal about it - Teaching and Practicing Proper Hitting is Long & Hard Work - Bear (length=3215)
Ouch. I do not agree with much of writers response. There is a thunder storm that woke us all up (and knocked power out). So I cranked u ...

Two much for one kid - BBN (length=3285)
Me thinks the transition is toughest on the Parents..... The reality is at Top HS level (and coaching) their are new dynamics.... The m ...

Uppercutting, Lollipops and High Pitches - Scorekeeper (length=1455)
Just thought I'd give ol' board 3 a chance to get in on the action! While reading the posts about the looping pitches and uppercut swing, ...

Youth afraid of getting hit by pitch - I forget (length=2918)
On the issue about switch hitting, guys, I was really just ragging Splitter. I read a post a while back about the fact that Michael Jordan i ...

chopping the ball - I remember (length=1889)
Dear Al The man........well heck.....you read his post. Was HE sniping? did he insult me and tear me a new one? He didn't get censored. I ...