Baseball Batting Coaching Conceptions: How To Connect With Your Players

Baseball Batting Coaching Conceptions: How To Connect With Your Players
By John McDuffy

I want you to think about all the coaches you have ever experienced in your lifetime. What do all the best coaches have in common? Is their overwhelming knowledge of the game, their ability to deal with adversity, or are they just simply the best communicators? I am going to go with the latter. In my experience, the best coaches are always the best communicators. I don't care how knowledgeable you are, if you cannot connect with another human being and help them to understand how to get better, then you are back to square one. If you are like most of us out there, we need a lot of work on our communication skills which is why I wanted to share 7 sure fire communication techniques that will help you become a better communicator in your next batting practice session.

#1: Play the why game. You remember this game as a kid. You ask your parents a question, they answer, and then you ask why? This may be annoying for parents, but asking a lot of questions goes a long way in your baseball batting sessions. The more questions you ask, the more you learn about your players. The more you learn about your players, the easier it is to understand what hurdles are holding them back. What do you feel you need work on? How did that swing differ from the previous one? These are just two powerful questions that you can use to help educate your player on what will take his batting skills to the next level. If you find yourself talking at your player, revert back to more questions.

The second baseball batting coaching strategy revolves around emotion and temper. Player emotions will always run high; it is in their nature. Performance feels very personal and when you?fail? it can be very embarrassing and self-deflating. This is exactly why your relaxed confident nature must never change. If you get frustrated and raise your tone you are only going to add pressure to the situation and fuel the fire. One of the main responsibilities of a batting coach is to ease player tension and get them back to a relaxed state so they can perform at a high level. Keep in mind that your frustration is a result of your lack of ability to help your player make the batting adjustments necessary. If you remain relaxed and positive, so will he.

#3: Change what you say. I was once told that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. If this is your fifth baseball batting training session and your player is still struggling to understand what you are teaching, change the words that come out of your mouth. It?s ridiculous to think that repeating yourself over and over again is eventually going to work. If you truly believe that, tape record yourself and play it back every time you meet because it will save you the trouble of talking! Be creative in your approach and find what connects with your player. Every player learns differently. If you find the sayings that connect with him, then you find the key to creating a better swing.

Batting Training Communication Technique #4: Give your players permission to fail. That's right, I said it! To many coaches and players believe that failure isn't an option. To that I say,'Good Luck!' Not only is failure an option, it's going to happen 7 out of every 10 times at the plate. Have fun trying not to fail! The real problem lies in the term failure which is why I want to give you a great quote from Thomas Edison. Yes, the guy who invented the light bulb.?I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.? Get the idea! Every baseball swing, good or bad, is a learning experience. Every failure just gives you a better idea of what not to do and gets you one step closer on what to do. Unfortunately, most people take failure personally instead of using it as a learning experience.

Batting Training Communication Technique #5: It's a two way street. You can improve your coaching by receiving feedback from your players. If you are going to dish it out, you have to be able to take it. Ask you players what you could do better to help them achieve their goals. If you go in with an open mind and take good notes, players will let you know what hurdles they are facing. By exposing any issues that are on the table, you can work together fix any issues. Working together towards a common goal creates a stronger bond and builds trust.

Batting Training Communication Technique #6: Be lavish in your praise, and short to criticize. This is an old sales technique. People like to know that they are making progress and are doing a good job. On the flip side, players hate to be criticized and will resent you for it. It has nothing do with you, it's just the way of the world. If you want to get your players to work harder, be lavish in your praise. Reward your players for the smallest accomplishments in your baseball batting training sessions and they will work twice as hard to get better.

Batting Training Communication Technique #7: Baseball is fun, make a joke or two. A lot of comedic things happen the baseball field. Let your players know that it is okay to laugh when something is funny. I have played for too many coaches who take the game to serious. Players play their best baseball when they are relaxed and enjoy the game. If you find things are getting a bit too tense, add some humor to the situation. After all, the reason you start playing the game is because it is fun.

The best baseball coaches are teachers of the game and learn just as much from their players, as their players learn from them. By using the techniques you have learned here today, you will not only become a better communicator, but will have a more rewarding coaching experience. Bridging the gap of communication will allow you build a much stronger bond with the players around you. If you want to take your players talent to the next level, take your communication to the next level.

Get more effective batting lessons from our blog! When you want to improve your baseball batting skills, you can get the complete information you need today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_McDuffy

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Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

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Become A Better Hitter - Two Surefire Ways To Improve Your Hitting

Become A Better Hitter - Two Surefire Ways To Improve Your Hitting
By Steve Ramer

There is so much How To Become A Better Hitter instruction out there it is mind boggling. The simple way to improve or learn anything for that matter, is first to learn how to do it correctly. And second, to practice, practice and practice some more.

This probably seems obvious and too simplistic. Whether it is becoming a better hitter or a better knitter, practice is the key. But practice without the proper instruction can be disastrous.

While you are practicing, every motion you do repeatedly becomes a habit. This is a good thing as long as the motion is correct. If it's not, the result will be a bad habit.

This is also called muscle memory. When an action or motion is done over and over, the brain records it. After a while, the body is able to accomplish the activity without thinking about it. Like tying shoes or riding a bike.

There are four main parts to a hitter's swing. The stance, the stride, the swing and the follow through. Find out the correct way of doing all of these before you start to practice them.

That might mean spending money for some professional help. Or purchasing a book or video on the subject. But learn it right. Then practice.

It is easy to spend time working on something enjoyable, like hitting. Passion is an amazing motivator. The more time devoted to it, the more progress occurs.

This article is not so much about how to become a better hitter. It is about how to practice correctly to become a better hitter.

Start with the stance. No baseball is needed for this. A proper stance is one that is comfortable and balanced. Same goes for bat position. The bat should be held near where it has to be when your stride begins, but being comfortable is important.

Practice getting into your stance enough times and muscle memory will take over. The action will be performed without thinking about the mechanics of it.

Next comes the stride. Balance and keeping your weight back is the key to a good stride. The shorter your stride, the easier it is to maintain both. The stride is really more like a reach with the front foot. You stride but there is no movement forward. Do this until it becomes a natural part of the swing.

The swing. Your front foot has hit the ground and your bat is in the proper position which is a forty five degree angle over your back shoulder. Now you swing. Never combine the stride and the swing. You stride and then swing. Head goes down to the ball as your body rotates and brings the bat through the hitting area. Continue to do this movement until you don't have to think about it. Your body will perform it naturally.

The follow through. Again, get the proper instruction. But basically the follow through is just your momentum after you hit the baseball. Hitting through the ball will produce a good follow through. If you are having trouble with this, try letting your top hand come off the bat during the follow through.

Work on these movements one at a time concentrating on each individual movement. Then, put them all together. Add the second to the first and then add the third and fourth until your are slowly practicing the entire swing.

The emphasis here is not the drills. It is the correct way to practice. Another thing to try is to perform all of this with your eyes closed. Visualize each movement as it's done. This will also improve your balance.

Practicing the parts of the swing in reverse will improve muscle memory, too. Do the above movements the same way, but start with the follow through and work backwards. Like hitting the rewind button. This ingrains the movement forward and backwards into your memory.

Remember though. Before practice begins, make sure to have the proper instruction. Muscle memory will work to improve the swing and make you a better hitter. But it will work if the swing is practiced wrong, too.

Steve Ramer is an artist and former minor leaguer. His specialty is creating hand painted baseballs of your favorite players past and present. He is also the owner of Famous Baseball Players.net Please visit Steve's website to see his hand painted baseballs.

http://www.famousbaseballplayers.net
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Baseball Hitting Tips - Handling Bad Calls

Baseball Hitting Tips - Handling Bad Calls
By Jeffery A Wise

Baseball is an emotional sport. If you're a player, it's easy to get upset at a bad call or a strike out. You may feel cheated. So what is the best way to handle such a situation?

Of course, there are several options. You've probably seen lots of negative behavior, including players yelling, throwing their helmet and giving the umpire nasty looks. In my opinion, you shouldn't do or say anything negative to the umpires, even if it is an obvious bad call. Showing your frustration won't help the situation and it may cause them to treat you unfairly at your next bat.

Instead, the best response to have is to accept the call and jog back to the dugout if you've been struck out. Quickly vent your frustrations to the coach or other players but don't let it go any farther.

A response like this is not only a display of good sportsmanship. It also benefits your game. If you can't stay mentally focused it will affect the rest of your game. You are a needed player and you can't let one bad call cause you to lose your mental focus. Use any pent up aggression on the field to make a great play and help your team win.

Stay in the game and stay focused. Let your coaches handle any arguing over a bad call. That's their job anyway and they will have your back if they think it's necessary.

Don't let the umpire get the best of you. Just do your best and work hard to help your team win.

Jeffery A Wise invites you to learn the proven system of baseball hitting tips so that you can learn how to hit a baseball better. Start learning today at our batting tips blog and by reading our information and watching our videos.

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Examples of Hurricane Hitting Drills
The Highly Acclaimed 20-Minute Hurricane Batting Practice Workout
Hurricane Batting Machine Video Clips
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Baseball Tips on Hitting Slumps

Baseball Tips on Hitting Slumps
By Guest Author Jeffery A Wise

Hitting slumps is one aspect of baseball that players would like to prepare for in advance. It's an experience you want to avoid if at all possible. In my 14 years of playing, baseball tips on hitting slumps are the most important tips a player can receive.

Hitters need to develop a full-proof plan to avoid slumps and hit better. Keep in mind that pitchers are always looking for way to strike you out, so they gladly welcome your slumps. With the proper skill, patience and a little bit of luck, you can outsmart and beat the pitcher.

Anyone who plays baseball long enough is bound to get in a hitting slump. But those who are knowledgeable with baseball tips on hitting are better able to recognize the slump and find a way out quickly.

There are three main types of slumps we want to identify today.


Mechanical slumps - Caused by issues with the mechanics of your swing.
Mental slumps - Caused by losing confidence and doubting yourself.
Tough luck slumps - Tough luck with balls hit right at players several times in a row.

So how do you get out of these slumps? With mechanical slumps, go back to the basics of hitting and practice them every day. Keep your front shoulder and hips back and wait for the ball. You should also avoid jerking your head at all costs.

With mental slumps you need to take a breather and clear your mind. Don't get down on yourself and start to doubt your hitting abilities. Approach the plate each time with confidence and know that you will get the job done. Baseball is the great game of chances. If you mess up, you will get another chance in your next at-bat.

Tough luck slumps are the most annoying because you can have your mechanics down, your confidence up and drill the ball right at someone five times in a row. You can rip the ball and the other player makes a diving catch. It's a game of inches and this shouldn't get you down because before you know it, your hits will start falling. Be patient and keep working hard.

Learn how to recognize when you may be entering a hitting slump and put your newly acquired baseball tips on hitting to use. You may need a parent or a teammate to help you work through them. Rely on others if you want to have a successful baseball career. Don't be afraid to ask a veteran player or your coach to help you out. Keep your head up and have fun because baseball hitting is one of the most enjoyable activities in all sports. Don't let slumps get you down.

Jeffery A Wise invites you to learn the proven system of baseball tips on hitting so that you can learn how to hit a baseball better. Start learning today at http://www.baseballhittingtipsonline.com by reading our information, watching our videos and participating in our blog.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeffery_A_Wise

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The Mental Game of Hitting - Former Major Leaguer's Baseball Hitting Advice

Major Leaguer's Baseball Hitting Advice
By Guest Author Jack Perconte

The great Ted Williams summed up the mental game of hitting very easily when he said "Get a good pitch to hit." Of course, there is much more that can be advised about the mental game of hitting but, ultimately, that is the best advice when a batter is in the batter's box. All the analysis, preparation and visualization should end when a batter is facing the pitcher and getting a good pitch to hit is all that there is left to focus on.

I often ask my hitting students, "What makes a great hitter - those that are good two strike hitters or those that are not?" Most answer, "Those with two strikes." Of course, that is better than the alternative but I reply, "Not necessarily." When a hitter has two strikes on them, especially when this happens often, hitters are in a defensive mode and are at the mercy of the pitch. I try to convince them that great hitters are the ones who make good decisions before they get two strikes on them

With this in mind, following are things that will help the mental game of hitting for baseball players:

1. Prepare for and expect the first pitch to be in the middle of the plate. When the pitch is located there, hitters should swing at it. A hitter's odds of hitting the ball solidly go up greatly when balls are in the middle of the plate, regardless if it is high or low. When it is not in the middle, hitters should lay of it.

2. When batters are ahead in the count, they should think of the pitch they hit the very best - inside, outside, high, low. Whatever it is, that is the pitch they should look for with a 1 & 0 count. As above, if that pitch comes, they should swing at it and lay off all other pitches, ball or strike.

3. When the batter falls behind in the count before two strikes, hitters should know the two-thirds of the plate that they handle best and only swing if the ball is in that zone. It is worth risking going to a two strike count when the first two strikes are in an area that the hitter does not hit well.

4. With two strikes, all hitters are the same. When a pitch is a strike or very close to a strike, the batter must swing to avoid being called out on strikes. The pitcher definitely has the advantage when the hitter has two strikes because the batter must be prepared to handle every inch of the plate, from low to high.

To help with this total plate coverage, hitters should learn to look for pitches on the outer part of the plate and adjust to pitches that are on the inner half of the plate. This philosophy better protects the hitter from outside and off-speed pitches because it will help them from opening up to soon on those pitches.

As players get to the higher level of balls and pitchers are more consistent, they can change this approach some to take advantage of their strengths and the pitcher's weaknesses. Also, the best hitters remain confident because they have a good fundamental swing, have prepared in practice and believe in that swing to be able to make good contact, no matter the count. Finally, hitting coaches should help young hitters to learn about their individual strengths and weaknesses to help their "mental game of hitting."

Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball playing lessons, books and advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball. Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his positive parenting advice and books can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com.

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Little League Digest - Proper Baseball Swing Mechanics and the "Belly Button" Rule of Hip Turn

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By Nick Dixon

Little league Digest: Baseball Batting Coaching Tips: Teaching Hip Turn Mechanics and Using the "Belly Button" Rule to Improve Baseball Swing Quality

The hips play an important part in the baseball swing process. The turn of the hips helps to generate power and bat speed. There are several important coaching points about the involvement of the hips in the swing. The "B B" rule is one good way to teach young players the degree of hip turn on various pitch locations. This article presents several coaching points and explains the "B B" rule.

Here are 10 Coaching Points related to Hip Movement Mechanics:

1. The degree of hip movement is determined by the location of the pitch.

2. The hips must turn more when hitting an inside pitch.

3. The hips will turn less when hitting a pitch away.

4. The hips should not move before the hands and bat.

5. To free the hips, the back foot must spin, rotate or turn onto the toe.

6. The hips follow the barrel. The hips should open behind the barrel, not before it.

7. Premature front side or hip movement will cause a batter to pull the head and to pull of pitches.

8. The correct hip movement is a spin. Lunging or sliding the hips forward is not acceptable.

9. The hip movement should be a thrust or fast rotation. The faster the rotation of the hips, the faster the bats speed.

10. The degree of hip rotation can be taught by teaching the "Belly Button" rule as explained below.

The "Belly Button Rule" is explained as the following:

The Belly Button should follow the barrel of the bat through the baseball swing process. The location of a pitch determines hip turn. The degree of hip turn determines where the belly button is pointing when the batter finishes the baseball swing. The belly button should always finish in a position that points toward the direction in which the baseball was hit.

For example, when a ball is hit to the opposite field, the batters "Button" should point or be directed toward the opposite field when the swing is completed. If a batter pulls an inside pitch, the belly button should follow the ball and point toward the direction in which the ball was hit.

Coaching Point: For right and left handed batters, if the ball is hit through the box, up the middle, the belly button should "shine" or point toward second base when the swing is complete. For right handed batter, is a ball is pulled, the belly button should finish pointing toward third base. If a right handed batter hits the baseball down the right field line, the button should point toward first base when the swing is completed. If a left handed batter pulls the baseball, the hips should turn completely and the button should finish pointing at first base. If a left handed batter hits the ball to left field, the hips should turn less and the belly button should finish the swing pointing the 5-6 hole or between 3rd and 2nd base.

I hope that you found this article to be informative and helpful. Thanks for taking the time to read it. I wish you and your team good luck this season! Have a great day, Nick.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Little League Digest the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon


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The Basics of Swing Building in Baseball

The Basics of Swing Building in Baseball
By Guest Author: John Peter Pero

Build a house or build a swing.it all starts with a good foundation.

You will play as good as you practice!

Writing a single article on something so complex that it causes sleepless nights for the best trained and paid talents in the world is daunting.at least to this coach.

Styles vs. Absolutes

First - I cannot and will not debate hitting styles, though I certainly have my opinion. The reality is that half of the Hall of Fame has an unconventional swing. I will leave this area to you in hopes that you will stay on the straight and narrow and will continue gaining the knowledge it takes to help ALL your players season after season.

Here's a hint

Anything resembling the teachings of Ted Williams or The Mike Schmidt Hitting Study will keep you on the right road.

For every bad swing a hitter practices...it may take three swings to correct!

Here's where I've chosen to start.by making one assumption.

(Be brutally honest with yourself before incorporating the steps below!)

I will assume that your player(s) have a basic working knowledge of good swing mechanics. Players who practice incorrectly not only waste time, but tend to go backwards to the point that it can affect their future success and love of the game. The baseball road is littered with talented players who have been eliminated from the game prematurely when poor youth baseball swing mechanics become overmatched by superior pitching and the improvement of their own teammates.

Let's Get to the Point.And to the Progression

The following are six (6) areas that can simplify this building block process.

many which can be incorporated into a basement, garage or your own backyard.

Mirror Station - Simply put.if a player visually sees what he's doing incorrectly, he will make the adjustments necessary to improve.

I recommend swinging in front of a full-length mirror beginning at 50% power, then 75%, progressing to game speed and maybe even a few swings beyond 100% power.

Be logical about the number of swings depending on the player's age and strength.taking breaks in between. Focus on fewer great swings.less is more!

(yes. take extra precautions when working indoors)

Tee Station - Simply put, you never grow out of hitting off the tee. It is the one station where players can focus on every aspect of the swing.without having to track a moving object. This is critical! Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn said something like, "I do nothing but tee work until January." I wish I could remember the exact quote, but you get the point.

Toss Station - Also known as soft toss or flip drills, this is a basic drill generally done with two players. Balls are hit into a net after being tossed underhand in a short arc and at a 45° angle on the open side of the hitter from a distance of around 6 feet. These consistent tosses (aimed at the hitter's front thigh or hip for straight-away hitting and adjusted for hitting to various areas of the field) incorporate the lessons learned from tee work, adding the skill it takes to hit a moving ball.

This important station allows players to get tons of swings in a short period of time and in a small area.

Hitters get tired quickly when the tosser doesn't allow time between swings. Be patient!

Front Toss & Short Toss - This is another important building block in the progression. A coach or player will sit on a bucket behind a screen and toss pitches from directly in front of the player; usually in a cage or on a baseball field. This can be done from a distance of 15 to 20 feet and then from a 35 foot distance. Pitches should be thrown consistently and to particular zones, allowing the player to duplicate each swing as precisely as possible.

Note #1

Make sure your screen is in place and not in need of repair! Players and coaches should all be cautioned and taught to focus on staying completely behind the protective screen during every pitch.

Note #2

When utilizing short toss drills from shorter distances of 15 to 20 feet, balls should be tossed underhand so that the pitch will come in to the hitter at an angle more resembling that of a live pitch. This eliminates the "loopy" throws which encourage the poor mechanics of an uppercut swing.

Dead BP - (Batting Practice) - Dead batting practice is simply the batting practice you see on every field and at every level. You will see great examples of this when you go to a college or pro game two hours before the first pitch. It is thrown from 55 feet (not the official pitcher-to-hitter distance of 60' 6"), generally from a platform or portable mound. Pitches are thrown straight at around 55 to 65 mph.into particular hitting zones. These consistent pitches are designed for the hitter to repeat his swings over and over with consistency; hitting balls hard and to particular areas of the field.

A ball field and a batting cage with or without a pitching machine is all that is needed.

Live BP - (Batting Practice) - Take dead BP and add the battle of pitcher (coaches or pitchers doing the throwing) versus hitter, preferably in game conditions. In a team practice, I find maximum benefit when all defenders are also playing this as a real game.

The backyard version of live BP incorporates a pitching machine and pitching machine with an autofeeder for single player practices or a batting cage with a live pitcher behind a protective L-Screen.

http://www.baseballtips.com

Baseball tips & youth baseball equipment, training aids & instruction!It's all here for baseball coaching of pitchers & hitters, little league to high school.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Peter_Pero

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The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

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Good Hitters Hit, Great Hitters Hit More

By Mike Posey

Recently, I was talking to a friend that works in Major League Baseball. We were having a discussion about hitting and agreed many instructors say things to hitters that do not actually happen. Here are a few examples:

1. Stay Back - The hitter does not have their weight all the way back when swinging the bat. What should be said is stay centered. Do not let your weight come forward too soon.
2. Line Up Your Knocking Knuckles - The knuckles are usually off centered with the knocking knuckles on one hand and the big knuckles on the other hand lining up.
3. Rotate on Your Back Foot - On hitting contact the back foot is usually toe down and in some cases off the ground.
4. Hit It Out Front - If the pitch is away, you will actually hit it farther back on the plate. Out front would be for a pitch on the inside half of the plate.
5. Extend Your Arms - Extension only occurs after contact has been made with the ball.
6. Roll Your Wrist Over - On contact the top hand is under the bat. Wrist roll happens after contact.

With all the instruction being given today, one has to wonder why some of the same mechanical flaws still occur over and over in youth players. Too many expect paid lessons to be the answer to develop their players hitting abilities.

It might be better to let a hitter develop naturally and not put a lot of extra ideas in their heads to confuse them. Good hitters will hit alot and develop a feel for their swing as they grow. Proper instruction can help a good hitter become better. Many have an expectation that paying for a lesson will somehow cause magic to occur and the good swing appears, "poof", before the next game. Without hours of hitting practice on their own (outside of instruction) a good swing will never be developed.

Hitting is rhythm and timing, this can only be developed through live swings. Good hitters hit, Great hitters hit more.

Expert Baseball Tips
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Baseball Hitting Drills - Teaching Plate Discipline

Baseball Hitting Plate Discipline


By Hunter Sendefer

Hitting drills are very important for young players and one of the best hitting drills that a coach can utilize teach plate discipline. It is very important that a hitter learns to have an approach at the plate, rather than simply swinging away at every pitch, so this drill is vital to the hitter's overall makeup.

This drill starts with the screen close enough to the plate that the batting coach pitcher can have excellent control. Each hitter then gets up to ten pitches, although only three strikes will be permitted. Before the hitter steps up to the plate, he or she will be told how many strikes he or she currently has, as this will directly influence how the hitter handles the pitches.

If the hitter is stepping up to the plate with a fresh count, he or she will begin by showing the pitching coach where he or she likes the ball. If the pitch is in the hitter's hitting zone and he or she takes a swing, the pitch count is reduced by one. If the pitch is outside of this hitting zone, but the player still swings, the hitter not only loses that pitch, but one additional pitch. If the pitch is outside of this hitting zone and the player does not swing, the pitch does not count at all. If the pitch is outside of the strike zone altogether and the player swings, however, he or she will lose half of his or her swings remaining.

If there is one strike, the penalty for swinging at a pitch outside the strike zone is less strict, as the player will only lose that pitch plus one more. This is because when there is one strike, pitchers will tend to come after the hitter a little more, which makes these pitches a little harder to lay off.

Finally, when there are two strikes, the hitter's goal is to be as tough an out as possible. If the player swings at a pitch that is in the strike zone, he or she only loses that pitch plus one more. If a pitch that is around the strike zone is taken, it is an additional pitch penalty because umpires tend to call borderline pitches strikes when there are already two strikes. If an obvious strike is taken, that player is done completely because it is never a good idea to take a third strike.

The goal of each hitter turning this drill is to make sure that he or she gets through all ten pitches without striking out. Also make sure that your players know that each strike that you call will be a judgment call, which is exactly how an umpire will make the call. By teaching your players to have an approach at the plate based on the strike count, you can turn them into smarter hitters. You will also be giving them a better idea of where the strike zone is, so they will know which pitches to take and when to take a cut.

Hunter Sendefer is a former player and current youth baseball coach who consistently coaches his teams to the winners column including an active 26 game winning streak. He frequently contributes to http://www.Batting-Trainer.com where you can sign up for free baseball batting videos and hitting tips or learn about the revolutionary new Insider Bat batting trainer. http://www.Batting-Trainer.com/features

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hunter_Sendefer

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7 Tips on How to Become a Better Baseball Player

How to Become a Better Baseball Player


7 Tips on How to Become a Better Baseball Player
By Jack D. Elliott

Baseball players everywhere want to know how they can get better. The best way to do this is to look at it your training from a comprehensive perspective. Here, are some pointers to help you up your game.

1. Read and Watch Everything Baseball. Scan books, look over hitting and pitching lessons videos, see games, ask for help from coaches and good players.

2. Practice makes perfect. Do your drills daily for at least 5 to 6 days a week. Feel free to mix up your routine; however, make sure you are developing muscle memory with enough reps of your swing and pitching motion.

3. Pick up something else when the season ends. To avoid burnout, choose another sport or physical exercise in the off-season. It is preferable to pick something you are not familiar with. This will allow you to stay fit and appease any creativity interests you have because of the novelty of the new sport. By the time the next baseball season rolls around, you will find yourself avidly looking forward to playing.

4. Strength Train Before It Is Too Late. Do not make the mistake of waiting to build strength until your junior and senior years of high school. Do yourself a favor and start working out in the summer after your 8th grade year and work out each summer thereafter. This will allow you to build a base, plateau, and then, build up to yet another plateau. In this way, by the time you are senior, you will be very physically strong and ready to have a great senior season.

5. Get Lessons. A great instructor will save you time, wasted energy, and ultimately give you better results. By learning from a great instructor from the start, you can develop the best techniques from the start and avoid bad habits. Once you learn the lessons, you can practice them and go back only occasionally when you feel a refresher course is needed.

6. Practice with a tee. The basic hitting tee has improve the swing and hitting consistency of many major league players. Learn from their example and use this tee to perfect your ability to hit to the opposite field and fine tune your swing. This along with some waffle ball toss are great for removing holes in your swing.

7. Maximize your speed and power. Plyometric exercises can help develop your speed and explosiveness. Learn from a trained instructor who can give you a regimen that you can practice several days a week. If practiced sufficiently, you will see your speed and power improve. This added boost will carry over into other parts of your game as you have a new found confidence in your baseball abilities.

All these pointers are geared towards making you a top flight athlete by your final year of high school. By using each of these pointers you can expect to maximize your potential for baseball success.

Jack Elliott, is a former player and fan of the game. To read more tips and techniques like the ones in this article, please click here: http://www.baseballtrainingtechniques.com/ or Baseball Strategy

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_D._Elliott

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Recommended Baseball Sites for Coaches, Players and Parents!

Visit the Little League Digest at LittleLeagueDigest.com for the very latest articles on coaching Little League Baseball. Make sure to bookmar the LLD to your favorites for future visits.

Visit YouthBaseballDigest.com for free baseball articles on coaching youth baseball. Site features daily articles, tips, drills, and coaching strategy.

Visit the Baseball Coaching Journal at http://www.bb2day.com for the very latest baseball coaching drills, tips, and articles.

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BaseballParentGuide.com - This informative sites features articles is many interesting categories realted to helping a baseball player imrove and deal with issues related to today's game.

make sure to bookmark the BaseballParentGuide.com for future visits.

Hitting Mechanics and How to Crush Slow Pitching

By Nate Barnett

I hated slow pitchers when I was playing ball. I would have the best hitting mechanics, everything would be great with my swing coming into the game, and then there would be some puss-baller on the hill that would foul everything up. I'm sure you've experienced much the same. Since I've been done with my playing career I've cracked the code for how to hit slow pitchers (wish I would have learned this years ago). Here's the three-step trick to crush all the floaters you want.

1. Widen your stance just a bit. A wider stance will allow you to keep your weight centered better. Slow guys have a magical ability to make you shift your weight to your front foot. When that happens, the Jamie Moyer affect kicks in and you're screwed. Having a wider stance will make it quite a bit tougher to get up on your front foot simply because the angle of your front foot to front him is more gradual. Of course you can't stride as far with this adjustment. That's fine, you can mash the ball all the same.

2. Make sure your weight shift is slow. All kick butt hitters move some of their weight to their back leg prior to the rotation of their body. Just make sure when that ball comes in with an arc as big as a rainbow you shift your weight in a slow manner. Too quick of a weight shift will goof up your rhythm and timing. There is then a high chance you will continue to kill worms by beating the ball into the ground. No fun.

3. Give your ego a break and hit the ball the other way. Most guys love to pull the ball. I'm with you on that one. But, if you want to be successful with slow pitchers, learn to see the ball deep in the strike zone and allow your body to take the pitch the other way. If you make up your mind (BEFORE you get into the batters box) that the pull side of the diamond doesn't exist, you'll be far better off. Trying to yank the ball out of the park on a guy with low velocity will only further your frustration.

Nate Barnett is co-owner of The Pitching Academy.

You can find The Pitching Academy's articles, blog, and videos on baseball hitting mechanics, pitching mechanics, and pitching grips when you visit the website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nate_Barnett

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Baseball Hitting Tips - 100 Swings a Day

By Tom Read

An old baseball coach use to say after every practice, "go home and swing the bat 100 times each and every day. If you want to hit against the high level of competition we are going to be playing, swing that bat 100 times everyday". What he did not explain to the players was that doing something over and over makes it easier each time. It eventually becomes natural, second nature. So when that fastball comes flying in, and there is a half second to react, and you know where the swing needs to go, the muscle memory takes over and the swing comes naturally.

Hitting off the tee is a great baseball hitting drill. Take a 100 cuts a day off the tee and you will see your batting average start to climb. Another good baseball drill is soft toss. Here the tosser can change the location and the speed of the ball. Again, a 100 cuts a day of soft toss will bring improvement to your swing. The old coach used to tell the players that even if they did not have a tee to use, or no one was around to do soft toss with them, just go out in the yard and swing the bat thru the air. A 100 times a day. Doing this will get you comfortable with your swing. At game time, you want to be confident at the plate, and comfort brings confidence. You have swung that bat so many times, you know it is not going to let you down. You are concentrating on the pitch, not your swing. At just the right moment, you let loose with that same swing you have taken a 100 times a day.

The last thing I want to say is very important. You play like you practice. Before you start swinging a 100 time a day, you need to have found a good batting stance and good mechanics. It will not help you if each one of the 100 swings is different. Each swing needs to be identical. Find that perfect swing for you and practice it a 100 times a day.

After my many years of coaching, watching and traveling to out of town baseball games, I decided to share my baseball tips and stories that I have learned and experienced along the way. To check out more articles that I have written, please visit my website at http://baseballknowledge.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Read

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Teaching the Professional Baseball Swing

Teaching the Professional Baseball Swing
By Joe Brockhoff

For over 25 years thousands of happy clients have learned the correct way to become better hitters using Joe's unique and effective baseball hitting tips. ... Article Word Count


First, let us understand the direction the ball comes to us. A pitcher pitches off of a 10 inch mound and because he is elevated when he pitches the ball, the ball will come to the hitter diagonally down. If you we can visualize a ball coming to a hitter on a downward plane and the hitter also swinging on a downward plane, the hitter has only one chance to intersect with the ball on contact.

When hitters hear the term "swing down", they will almost always swing on a vertical plane. Perhaps coaches teach this because in their minds, this would be a short stroke. However, while swinging down would be shorter, which would be beneficial, this action does not place the bat in alignment for the best contact with the ball.

Swinging down is also popular with coaches because they feel it will hit ground balls in little league and youth baseball, where fielders struggle to make these plays. In other words, more chances for errors give them a better chance for getting on base.

This is a negative way to think about learning how to be teaching the professional baseball swing because it does not maximize hitting ability. As a player grows in the game, there will be other players who will be excellent in fielding and throwing out grounders.

Here is another important point, and we have tested this time and time again. Swinging down hits more pop-ups than ground balls. We identify the action of "swinging-down" that hits a pop-up as a "scrape". The ball counter acts the downward swing and can actually hit a pop-up each time.

So where is the adjustment? We do not swing down. But we do go down. By driving to the ball diagonally down, keeping our hands above the ball, and the bat head above the hand as we pivot (drive), this puts us in perfect position to make the best contact. We then invert the bat so that the top hand goes under the stroke, then goes diagonally up. This perfectly matches the pitch.

We go to the ball diagonally down, and our stroke goes diagonally up. NEVER do we want the bat head to point to the ground after contact.

If that happens you will usually see a pop up because the bat will hit the face of the ball rather than the core of the ball.

Techniques that show teaching the professional baseball swing are fully explained in our baseball hitting drills web site for the"Super 8 Hitting System", completely demonstrated in a series of baseball hitting videos, which includes many baseball coaching tips and baseball coaching drills. Former Tulane Hall of Fame Baseball Coach, Joe Brockhoff, fully explains his baseball hitting drills with the Super 8 Hitting System, completely demonstrated with videos and hitting drills to help you hit with more power and raise your batting average.http://www.LearnBaseballHitting.com/blog.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Brockhoff

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Batting Average - How to Increase It

Batting Average - How to Increase It
By Bryan Ciconte

So you want to learn how to raise your batting average as a hitter. Well you came to the right article. I will keep it short, simple and to the point. I will cover a few tips and topics to raise your average 50-100 points.

Tip 1) Develop a game plan. So what do I mean by developing a game plan. I want you to develop an approach that you use every single time you step up to the plate. A good approach would consist of understanding how to count hit. By count hitting you will be able to anticipate what type of pitch you may see roughly 80% of the time.

Advantage Counts: 0-0, 1-0, 2-0, 3-1, 3-0
Approach: In these counts your goal is simple, look for something you can hit hard. If the pitcher throws you a pitch in an area that is not in your hot zone, don't swing. Do not swing at off-speed pitches during these counts, look for fastballs. Reality is if the pitcher throws an off-speed pitch during these counts more often than not it's going to be a ball and put you in a greater advantage. Of course there are exceptions. The only time you may want to swing at an off-speed pitch during this count is if relates to one of your strengths or the pattern percentages anticipate one.

Neutral Counts: 1-1, 2-1, 3-2
Approach 1: In these counts neither the hitter nor pitcher has an advantage. As I talked about earlier this is where having a good game plan is going to pay off. In these counts you should be able to anticipate what you may see. So trust your percentages and instinct in these counts.

Approach 2: If you are comfortable in hitting with 2 strikes you can treat these counts as an advantage count, hitting to your strengths. Both approaches are great, but which one you choose is your personal preference.

Defensive Counts: 0-1, 0-2, 1-2, 2-2
Approach: This is where you need to develop your 2 strike approach. In these counts the pitcher has you at his mercy leaving you with about a 20% chance of getting a hit. Your goal here is to battle at the plate by putting the ball in play or working the count neutral. A good mental approach for hitting with 2 strikes is thinking about hitting a pitch which speed is between the pitchers fastball and off-speed stuff. By doing so, your reactions will take over and adjust to the movement or lack of movement of the pitch. A good physical approach would consist of shortening your swing or choking-up on the bat.

These are just a few ideas on how to hit in an advantage, neutral, or defensive count. Throughout your career as a hitter you may find something else that works for you.

Tip 2) If your a good bunter and have speed utilze it, By either showing bunt or by bunting, more often than not you will put the 3rd of 1st basemen in a position that will create more holes in the infield creating a better chance for getting a hit.

Tip 3) Hit to your strengths not your weaknesses. Understand that by doing so you will enable yourself to be more confident at the plate and be more aggressive. Leave your weaknesses at practice.

I hope the few tips helped improve your game!

Thanks and good luck Bryan @ [http://www.hittingmadesimple.com Hitting Made Simple]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bryan_Ciconte

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Baseball Coaching Tips - Teaching Players to Have a Good Two Strike Approach at the Plate

Baseball Coaching Tips - Teaching Players to Have a Good Two Strike Approach at the Plate

Good Morning,
I hope the season is going great for you and your team! "Two Strike" hits
are a big part of every team's success. Team that score runs with 2 outs and that get hits consistently with 2 strikes on the batter are the teams that post winning records and win championships. Here are 5 points that I teach to make sure that every player on our team has the same proper "two strike approach":

1. The batter should assume a more balanced stance and take most of the weight off the back foot.
2. The batter will be prepared to swing at "anything close". My saying is that "if it is close enough for the ump to call a strike, it is close enough to hit".
3. The batter should get 3 inches closer to the plate than normal and choke up at least one inch on the bat. This is done regardless of the batter's ability or position in the batting order.
4. I would rather that the batter be late on the pitch than early. What this means is that the batter must keep the hands back and have trust in his or her hand speed.
5. Expect anything! Do not guess pitches. The even stance and "shorter bat" should allow the batter to hit or fight off any pitch location.
6. The batter should fight to saty alive. He or she should battle their butt off to get a hit or stay alive. The batter must win the battle by fouling off pitches, eveining the count, and fighting until the pitcher makes a mistake and throws a pitch that the batter can handle to get a basehit.

Good luck til next time.
Have a great day,
Coach Nick

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The Major League Swing and 3 Reasons You Should Be Using it

Baseball Batting Training Machine - Derek Jeter Series

Article: The Major League Baseball Swing and 3 Reasons You Should Be Using it
By Rob Bucher

The Major League swing should be the swing you copy and use with your approach to hitting. Let's forget all about rotational hitting mechanics and linear mechanics for just a minute.

If your a coach or a player and you are not either teaching or using the swing all the best hitters in baseball are using, you're making a mistake...

...And limiting your potential.

Here's three reasons why your should ingrain the swing mechanics of the pros.


A strong position at contact is one of the most important characteristics you should add to your swing. The best hitters in the game keep their hands inside the baseball and usually close to their body. When your arms become extended they become weak. Keeping them close to the body as you swing through the hitting zone will ensure you have a strong contact position.
Major League hitters all turn into the ball or if you want to call it, rotate into the ball. They maximize the bodies full potential by using the lower body to pull the upper body into the contact zone. Make sure you are not staying back and swinging with your arms first.
The best hitters in the game are not trying to hit the top half of the ball to promote backspin. Their goal is to make contact squarely with the ball. The match the barrel of the bat on the plane of the pitch. This allows them to hit the ball with more power.

If you want to become a better hitter than all you have to is start copying the swings the best players in the game.

They all transfer their weight from the back leg to the front leg and rotate over a clean axis. This axis starts at the stride foot and works it's way up the body to the top of the head.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rob_Bucher

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Baseball Tips on Hitting - Two Common Baseball Hitting Problems

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Article Title:
Baseball Tips on Hitting - Two Common Baseball Hitting Problems

By Larry Cicchiello

Let's look at two baseball hitting problems:

Problem Balance Poor

First of all, make sure that you are very comfortable in your stance. A good starting point is to have the feet about shoulder width apart or slightly wider. Usually, the width is about the same as if you were guarding someone in basketball and want to be ready to move left or right very quickly.

Make sure you are standing on the balls of your feet and NOT standing there flat-footed or even worse yet, standing with your weight on your heels. Standing with the weight on your heels may very well have you spinning like a top and that is not a good, solid foundation for effective baseball hitting and will destroy your balance.

Make sure your front shoulder remains closed. Opening your front shoulder too early will cause your foundation and balance to be severely disrupted and you won't be steady on your feet.

Problem Uppercutting the Ball. Many good baseball hitters appear to be uppercutting the baseball. The only time you should be uppercutting is when you are into the follow through of your swing. Uppercutting is a sure way to lower your batting average. Let's look at some possible reasons for uppercutting the baseball.

Your stance may be too wide. This will encourage your actual swing to be going upward when making contact.

You may be lowering your back leg, back elbow or back shoulder. It's often referred to as "collapsing your back side." If the back side goes down or collapses, the hands and the bat will go down also and you will be swinging upward to the ball.

You may be holding your hands too low and when the actual baseball hitting takes place, they will have nowhere else to go except upward and causing an uppercutting of the baseball.

Larry is the the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." If you are a baseball player or are involved in baseball coaching at any level of play or a parent who wants to help your child improve, you will be fully equipped! His baseball website offers several FREE baseball tips from his very informative and very fairly priced eBooks.

Larry's baseball website is http://www.larrybaseball.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Cicchiello

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