| Skills | Site | Comment / Picture |
|---|
| Training |
Lifting heavy loads for low repetitions develops muscular strength; lifting varied loads explosively develops power; and lifting lighter loads for high repetitions develops muscular endurance.
| hitters want power |
| Solohitter |
| Barry Bonds is spokesperson |
| Stance |
Take a comfortable stance close enough to the plate so that your bat can hit the ball even when it is pitched 8 inches outside.
| some umpires have wider strike-zones than others, so deal with it |
| Balance |
Your weight should be evenly (50%/50%) distributed on both feet.
| never more than 40%/60% front/back respectively |
| Power |
Hit the ball with maximum bat speed. Most importantly keep the bat speed high immediately AFTER the ball has been hit.
| |
| Power |
See Ray DeMarini's article on the importance of bat speed AFTER you've hit the ball.
| |
| Batter's Box |
First, you've got to be able to hit the outside pitch. You also want to take as much movement away from the pitcher as possible so the front of the box is best. However, that cuts your reaction time and you may need to go to the back of the box for some pitchers. Reevaluate each time a pitcher change is made.
| |
| Inside Pitch |
Make contact with the ball significantly in front of the plate and hit to left field.
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| Outside Pitch |
Make contact with the ball after it has partially crossed the plate and hit it to right field.
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| Low |
Pitchers like to get lots of ground balls here. Get your hands down quickly for a level swing
| |
| High |
A hanging fastball provides you no excuse - the ball should be a big hit to the outfield. However, keep a close eye on the ball. If it rises, your hit may turn into a popup out.
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| Middle |
You may not see too many of these so make the most of your opportunities.
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| Educated Guessing |
Your first educated guess is that the first pitch in each at-bat will be a strike. Don't wait, that might be the best pitch you get all day. Get to know the opposing pitchers tendancies. For example, if they throw drops or curves exclusively after two strikes then you can better prepare yourself.
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| Batting Gloves | | | | |
| Slap Hitting |
Slap-Hitter Considerations
| Bat in front
Wait for ball release
Step towards pitcher (not second)
Watch bat hit ball |
| Hitting Drills |
Index
| Several Drills |
| Dot's Style |
Web
|  |
| Dot's Style |
Web
|  |
| BatSpeed.com | Bat Speed web site | a Hitch is not a Coil | | |
| Book Seller |
The Louisville Slugger Ultimate Book of Hitting
| an excerpt |
| The World Coach Newsletter |
Identifying a Hitch
| a Hitch is not a Coil |
| Jugs |
Pitching machines
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| Fake Bunt Hitting |
With a fast pitcher this technique is pretty much useless - you simply do not have enough time to reset. Where you can use the technique the goal is to draw in the infielders before giving any sign you are hitting.
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