22 Jan Fix Baseball Hitting Mistakes
Posted at 10:21h
in Coach
Baseball Hitting Tips, And Drills
Our baseball hitting table provides parents, and coaches with simple fixes to common mistakes, such as; striking out, no power, casting, jumping out, and pulling off the ball.
Summary
- Mental/Approach – provides a solution to fix the problem by using visual, approach and mental techniques.
- Mechanics – provides a solution to the problem with mechanical fixes.
- Drills – provides suitable member only hitting drill videos that will help fix the problem.
I NEED TO START FROM THE BEGINNING
Also known as
- I need the very basics
- Hitting for the first time
- My kids swing is totally breaking down
- I have a really bad swing and need to start over with the basics
MENTAL/APPROACH
- Keep things simple
- Minimize margin for error
MECHANICS
- Set up in a strong lower half that minimizes margin for error
- Athletic, balanced lower half combined with a relaxed upper half
- Generate the swing from the hips (hips rotate the back leg and top hand)
- Turn the knee inwards to load the hips
- Explosive rotation of the hips
- See the baseball and stay back
- Keeping your hands inside the baseball
DRILLS/PROGRAMS
SWING AND MISS
Also known as
- Striking out too much
- No making contact with the ball
- Can’t hit a fastball
MENTAL/APPROACH
- Close the mind and open the eyes
- Develop a 2 strike approach
- Let the ball travel (read and react)
- Try to hit the ball to the opposite field
- Relax, breathe and stay positive
- Don’t over-swing or try to hit home runs
- Be confident in the box
MECHANICS
- Shorten the swing path
- Spread out in the batting stance
- Shorten the load and stride phases of the swing
- Keep the head down and stay closed
- Improve lower half mechanics
DRILLS/PROGRAMS
PULLING OFF THE BALL
Also known as
- Flying open with the front shoulder
- Pulling the head off the baseball
- Spinning off the baseball
- Swinging open with the upper half
- Not keeping the head down
- Not keeping the eyes on the baseball
MENTAL/APPROACH
- Close the mind and open the eyes
- Relax and try to hit the ball to the opposite field
- Track the baseball and let it travel
- Rid the mind of any negative thoughts
- Do not try to pull the baseball or think home run (over-swinging)
MECHANICS
- Keep your head down
- Stride with a closed front foot
- Ensure the front shoulder engages under the chin when the front foot lands
- Stay through the baseball – the lower half controls the upper half
- Minimize movement in the baseball swing
- Spread out in an athletic baseball stance and set up in a straight line
- Stay balanced throughout the swing on the balls of the feet
DRILLS/PROGRAMS
SLOW BAT SPEED
Also known as
- Getting jammed
- Getting beat by the fastball
- Long baseball swing
- Loopy baseball swing
- Hole in the baseball swing
MENTAL/APPROACH
- Relax and don’t try to over-swing
- Don’t try to pull the baseball
- Close the mind and open the eyes
- Develop confidence
- Develop an opposite field hitting approach
MECHANICS
- Generate the swing from the hips
- Ensure there is limited tension in the grip
- Keep the hands inside the baseball
- Shorten up on the handle of the bat
- Spread out in the batting stance
- Minimize any unnecessary movement in the swing
- Stay in your legs and don’t lunge
- Let the baseball travel
- Keep the head down at contact
DRILLS/PROGRAMS
STEPPING IN THE BUCKET
Also known as
- Stepping away from the plate
- Landing open with the front foot
- Striding away from the plate
- Opening up with the front leg
MENTAL/APPROACH
- Close your mind and open your eyes
- Don’t try to pull the baseball or think “home run”
- Try to hit the baseball to the opposite field
- Have confidence in your swing
- Don’t think about getting hit by the baseball
MECHANICS
- Spread out and remain tension free in the batting stance
- Stride short and straight toward the pitcher
- Remove any unnecessary movement from the swing
- Stay balanced and on the balls of your feet
- Keep the head down at contact
- Stay closed with the front shoulder
- Use the hips to rotate the back leg
- Land with a closed front foot
DRILLS/PROGRAMS
NO POWER IN THE SWING
Also known as
- No pop in the swing
- Can’t hit home runs
- How to hit for extra bases
- Warning track power
- Weak baseball swing
MENTAL/APPROACH
- Relax and breathe
- Don’t try to pull the baseball or think “home run”
- Try to hit the baseball to the opposite field
- Visualize driving the baseball into the outfield gaps
- See the baseball and let it travel
- Look for a pitch up in zone
MECHANICS
- Stay through the baseball
- Stay short and compact with the swing
- Ensure to follow through all the way and remain balanced
- Engage the front shoulder under the chin as the front foot lands
- Land with a closed front foot
- Pick up the back heel and drive the back knee into the ground
- Swing with the hips and hit against a firm front leg (torque)
DRILLS/PROGRAMS
JUMPING OUT
Also known as
- How to stay back
- Lunging out
- Collapsing the front knee
- Getting fooled by a pitch
- Jumping out at the baseball
- Off-balanced in the box
MENTAL/APPROACH
- Relax, breathe and be confident that you can hit any pitch
- Clear all thoughts in the batter’s box and focus on the pitcher’s release point
- Don’t be afraid to let the ball travel deep in the hitting zone
- Don’t try to pull the baseball or over-swing
- Try to hit the baseball to the opposite field
- Visualize driving the baseball into the outfield gaps
MECHANICS
- Spread out in the batting stance (at least 4 inches past shoulder width)
- Minimize the load and stride
- Stay balanced and on the balls of your feet (don’t stay on your heels)
- Keep the hands back near the back shoulder until the hitter is ready to attack the ball
- Land with a closed front foot
- Focus on generating the swing with the hips
DRILLS/PROGRAMS
