Coach Craig's
FUNDAMENTALS OF HITTING
It's been said that hitting a baseball well is the single hardest thing to do in sports. Great hitters are made, not born. If you work hard and use your knowledge, hitting a baseball well becomes easier - though it's never easy! Here are a few tips to help you on your way.
The Grip
Place the bat in your fingers, not your palms. Just as you don't want to place a baseball deep in your hand (also called "choking the ball"), you don't want to place the bat deep in your hands ("choking the bat"). Line up your middle knuckles on both hands (see graphic below). Grip the bat loosely. If you squeeze the bat tightly, the muscles in your forearms and upper arms become tight and restricts movement. You want your muscles to be loose when you swing, so that's why you want to grip the bat lightly. Also, by lining up the knuckles and maintaining a loose grip you unlock your wrists. This allows the wrists to "throw the bat" head and generate as much bat speed as possible.
The Hands
The hands should be fairly close to the body (about eight inches) and about even with the back shoulder. The elbows should create a triangle and rest comfortably and naturally below the hands (see figure below). If you look at the majority of the great hitters (Hank Aaron, Albert Pujols, Manny Ramirez) they keep their hands fairly close to their body. Doing so allows them to wait longer before they swing, which gives them more time to see the ball. It also allows for a short, compact swing. If you want to test this theory grab your bat and get in your stance. Now drop your top hand. Where do you place your bottom hand so that the bat is in the most comfortable position and you're able to swing with the greatest ease? Pretty close to your back shoulder, huh? Also notice the angle of your bat. Almost straight up, huh? The bat feels lighter in your hands this way and decreases tension in your hands. Now when you raise your top hand to the bat, you have to move your hands just a bit to create room for you back elbow. Once you've done this, you're in about the best "launch" position possible.
The Stance
The stance is the foundation for the rest of your swing. Your starting position (stance) greatly influences your ending position. In other words, a balanced stance will help you end with a balanced finish. To get in a good starting position, assume the athletic position - as if you're about to get hit in a football game. Hands up, feet a little more than shoulder width apart, knees bent, weight evenly balanced and on the balls of your feet (see below).
Notice your shoulders and head are level. You now have a good center of gravity. Now put a bat in your top hands and you're almost ready for the pitch to be delivered. Your hands and shoulders should be relaxed. Your forearms should create a "reverse V" - like Steve Garvey does below.
"Shift" your weight slightly to your back leg (but don't lean back) as the pitcher winds up (or you can start out this way). A good example of this is Hank Aaron (below). His back shoulders and legs almost create a straight angle. He's in a very comfortable position to hit. He had some success with this stance so I bet you will too!
The Myth About the Elbow
I've heard fathers (and even coaches) tell a player to "keep the elbow up." This drives me nuts. These folks are well intentioned but it's terrible advice. This creates problems - it doesn't solve them. The reason is simple - biomechanics. When the back elbow forced to stay up, the muscles tighten. It also causes a loop in the swing and can cause the bat head gets outside the baseball. In reality the back elbow should rest comfortably and naturally. Don't force it up... Stay loose & relaxed!
The Stride
The stride is critical to hitting the ball well. A proper stride allows the hips and shoulders to rotate fluidly and correctly. Your stride should be balanced. Your hips and shoulders should remain closed as you stride and when the lead foot lands. To keep your shoulder and hips closed, keep your front toe closed when you stride (see A-Rod below). Keep your weight on the inside front toes and ball of your feet as you stride. If you stride properly, your weight will transfer naturally. The length of your stride greatly affects what your body can do. If your stride is too long, your hips lock and won't open (rotate), which decreases your power and can casue the bat head to drag (slowing your bat speed). If you dive into the ball, it also locks your hips because too much weight is on your front foot. A long stride also slows down your hands (because you can't start your hands forward until you finish your stride). Your head controls where your weight goess. If your head dives forward, the rest of your body follows - so you should have minimum head movement as you stride. If your hips open or you "step in the bucket" the shoulders follow (causing them to dip) and if you dip your shoulder, the hands follow and they're no longer "locked & loaded." A short stride enables maximum hip rotation and allows you to have quick hands. A short stride also allows you to wait longer, which gives you more time to see the ball and identify the pitch and location. A short stride minimizes head and eye movement, which allows you to see the ball better. In short (pun intended), a long stride creates a lot of problems and a short stride solves them. A final note. Some people say you should stride to where the pitch is thrown (outside, inside). Charlie Lau disagreed with this and his reasoning makes sense - you stride before the pitch is released! And you know what? He's right!
The Hands Lead the Way
Your hands can start from any number of positions. I like to start them in the launch position because I believe if you minimize movement you also minimize flaws in your swing. But players have started from all different spots - Yaz with his hands high, Joe Morgan in tight and flapping his back arm, Barry Bonds and others twitch their hands before the pitch. They are great players and achieved much success... However, I don't recommend this for kids. I like them to keep their hands still, in the launch position, so that their maximum concentration is where it should be - on the pitch. Wherever your hands start, they need to be in the launch position before the pitcher releases the ball. Albert Pujols say, "trust your hands." That's because THE HANDS LEAD THE WAY. If your hands do not start in the right position or take the correct path to the ball, nothing else matters. You can be fooled by the pitch, slightly off balance, out on your front foot or have too much weight on your back side, but if you keep your hands back, locked, loaded and ready to launch - you can still hit the ball well. Ideally you should be balanced (as described in the previous segments) but my point is that even if you're not, you can still hit the ball well - but only if your hands are back (see below).
What is meant by the hands lead the way??? Proper use of the hands makes everything else happen naturally. Great hands - quick hands - make great hitters. Keep your hands back, ready to launch (locked and loaded!) and you will create tremendous power with your swing. Remember to stride towards the pitcher, keeping the front shoulder closed. Once you've made your stride, what starts your swing??? The hands! The hands lead the way... You start your swing with your hands, and if done right, finish with your hands high. If you use your hands properly, your shoulder and hips will open naturally and your feet will pivot naturally. Develop a rhythm and try to do it the same every time. Like Pujols says, "make adjustments with your hands." It's worked for him, I think it'll work for you too. Ideally, you want as little movement as possible in your hips, upper torso and head as you stride - a short stride helps you accomplish all these things. But the hands lead the way!
More About the Hands
Once the hands start the swing, now what? You want to do two things. The first is "take the knob to the ball" because wherever the knob goes, the barrel quickly follows! This means you pull the bat to the ball with your lead hand rather than push it with your top hand. When you "cast" a fishing pole your top hand is dominate. You don't want to do this with a baseball bat. Instead you pull the bat to the ball with your bottom hand... "take the knob to the ball." The second thing you want to do is to "stay inside the ball". What this really means is that you want to keep the barrel of the bat inside the ball. Doing so will allow you to have the quickest swing possible. If you "cast" your bat head and it gets outside the ball as you swing, it slows your hands down. If you "lead with the knob" and "stay inside the baseball" the result will be that the handle of the bat stays close to your body. Derek Jeter provides a good example of all these things.
The Swing
Ted Williams philosophy was to swing slightly up. His reason was simple; the ball is coming at you on a slightly downward plane, so if you swing slightly up, your area of contact increases significantly (see below). Charlie Lau believed in pulling the bat down toward the ball. They seem to contradict each other, but I think they're both right. Let me explain. Since your hands start at your shoulders you have to drive them downward toward the baseball - but ultimately when your bat whips through the zone to the ball, the bat head, and your hands, inevitably take an upward arc... So let's just say both philosophies are true! Either way, your hands should take take a direct path to the ball (lead with the knob) from the "locked and loaded" position. Don't hitch (or cock) your bat. Load yes, hitch NO! The less movement you have, the less chance you have for error! Don't swing hard; swing fast and loose. When players swing "hard" their muscles tend to tighten and their shoulders tend to fly open. The goal is to create as much momentum with the bat head as possible. Your arms should be relaxed, not tense. It's not how hard you swing, it's how well you swing! A good swing should look and feel effortless. Remember to take a short stride and keep that front shoulder closed - it will open naturally as you drive the bat head through the ball!
Point of Contact
You want to make contact with the ball at the point where your bat speed is at its optimum. That means out in front of your body, bat head in front of your hands (see below). Notice that the wrists don't roll! Your bottom hand is palm up to the sky and your top hand is palm down to the ground. Notice that the bat and the lead forearm are in line (almost as if the bat is an extension of the forearm). Hips and shoulders are also parallel with the bat. Notice the angle of the shoulders are the same as the bat. At the point of contact the front leg should be firm. The back foot is toe to the ground, heel to the sky with the shoe laces facing the pitcher. See the photos below as great examples. This all happens naturally as a result of sound, fluid mechanics. None of it is a forced action.
Follow Through
The follow through really means swinging all the way through the baseball. Charlie Lau believed that if you put a proper swing on the ball and have maximized your bat speed then your top hand will release from the bat naturally. His reason was simple; at the point of full extension your bottom arm is able to stretch (reach) further than the top hand - so your top hand naturally slips off the bat. The pictures below are perfect examples. You want the maximum bat speed at the point of contact and a good follow is verification that you've achieved that. By creating maximum bat speed you will hit the ball with more force, causing greater back spin which results in the ball traveling further and faster. If you achieve full lead arm extension you'll add 15 - 20 m.ph. to your bat speed.* It worked for these guys, it'll work for you!
Pitch Counts
Great hitters step into the batter's box with a plan. They are focused and know what they want to do. It's simple really. When you first step into the batter's box, and the count is 0 - 0, there's only one thing you should be looking for and that's your favorite pitch. This is often called your Primary Zone. And you should only be swinging at a fastball, let the off-speed stuff go. If it's not your favorite pitch, don't swing! If it's a strike, but not in your primary zone - no big deal, you get two more! If it's not a strike, keep looking for your favorite pitch. Remember, you are only as good as the pitch you hit! If you swing at a bad pitch, chances are you won't hit it very well. If you swing at a good pitch, chances are you'll hit it with authority!
Once you have a strike on you, your plan changes a little. You're not quite as picky, but you still look for a good pitch, one you can still hit well. It might not be your favorite pitch, but it's a pitch you can take an offensive swing at and drive. This is called your Secondary Zone.
Once you have two strikes, your strategy changes again. Scoot closer to the plate to protect the outside third of the plate. Spread your stance out to cut down on your stride (or don't stride at all!). Use mostly your hands and arms. Swing at anything close! Just make contact! It's a defensive position and your goal is to NOT STRIKE OUT! If you strike out, you have no chance of making something happen. With two strikes you want to put the ball in play - maybe you'll get a hit, maybe the other team will make an error, but at least you've forced them to get you out, you haven't got yourself out. This is called Two Strike Hitting (easy, huh?).
Using the Batter's Box
Great hitters also use the batter's box to their advantage. Don't stand in the same place all the time. Adjust to the pitcher. If he's throwing heat, move to the very back of the box (you can stand on top of the white line if you want - and you should!). If he's throwing slow, move up in the box.
With less than two strikes, give the pitcher the outside third of the plate, don't crowd it. With two strikes, scoot closer to the plate to protect the outside corner. Widen your stance and swing at anything close!
Also adjust your place in the box according to what you are trying to do. With runners at 2nd and 3rd you may want to back off a little bit more so it's easier to go oppo and move the runners over.
Lastly, don't forget to adjust to the ump. Know before stepping into the box what his strike zone is and if he expands it with two strikes. Knowing the ump is often as important as knowing the pitcher. If he is giving the pitcher a couple of inches off the outside corner you may need to scoot closer and protect even when there's less than two strikes.
Relax!
Between pitches take a deep breath and relax! Give your bat a wiggle to loosen up your muscles... it worked for Hank Aaron!
Putting It All Together!
The hand path, bat angle, and point of contact are different for every pitch location. The approach to a low inside fastball is different than the approach to a high outside fastball. The hitter that learns the correct hand path, bat angle, and point of contact for the different pitch locations of the strike zone will master, as best it can be, the art & science of hitting. This can only be achieved through hours and hours of repetition so that you can identify the pitch and know which hand path to use so that the correct hand path becomes muscle memory. A great hitter has many, many different hand paths and understands the bat angle and point of contact for each pitch location. Another variance is the type of pitch as well as bat speed. A great hitter will approach a fastball different than an off-speed pitch. A great hitter understands bat control. It's not how hard you swing, it's how well you swing. Just as in golf, it's more important to have a good approach and good technique than how hard you swing. Great technique wins out over how hard you swing every time. Watch the truly great hitters - when they hit the ball well (hard) it looks like they aren't swinging hard at all - yet the ball seems to explode off their bat! A smooth, fluid swing that meets the ball at the proper point of contact is what will enable a hitter to pound the ball - not brute force. You can swing out your ass all day long - and some hitters do - but more often than not your mechanics will be off and you'll just end up oh-fer and frustrated. Another important component is patience. You are only as good as the pitch you hit. Great hitters wait pitchers out. They have a plan. They are like a lion stalking their prey. They've been studying and know the prey’s patterns - and when the time is right they pounce. Hitting is much the same way. You have to study the pitcher from the dugout. Look for patterns. Understand the movement of his pitches - that way when you're in the box you can pounce on just the right one! Get your pitch and the odds of hitting the ball go up dramatically. Swing at his pitch and more often than not he'll win... And the bastards already win more often than you do so why help him out??? Also study umpires. Know what pitches they give the pitcher and in what counts they give it to him. Don't get rung up on a pitch he's been giving the pitcher all day (or all season) long.
But what separates good hitters from great hitters is that the great ones have few, if any, weaknesses. They become great by learning - through countless hour of practice and thousands of swings - the proper hand path, bat angle, and point of contact for each pitch... The variance is often minimal, sometimes drastic – but never the same. Want to become great? Get to work!
Tee Work
Great hitters also know that the key to learning how to hit all pitches well begins with learning the mechanics of the different hand paths on the tee. And since we've already established that you've finished your stride before you begin your swing, how do you make the adjustments? With your hands! Your hands will take a different path to the ball depending on where it's pitched. The way you hit a low inside fastball is different than the way you hit a fastball low and away. Learn the different adjustments you need to make by working on these pitches off the tee. Great hitters spend countless hours working off the tee. I always like to do tee work before going into the cage. It helps get you mentally focused. It warms up your body so you're ready to work hard once you get in the cage. And be sure to work on something other than a belt high fastball - you probably know how to hit that pitch pretty well already. Work on your weaknesses until they become strneghs - then keep on working on them!
Batting Practice
Great hitters practice with a plan..They work on different things. Practice swinging at pitches like you would if it were a game and the count is no balls, no strikes. Let everything go except your favorite pitch. You can only develop a good eye for the strike zone if you work on it in practice! Also practice swinging like it was a one-strike count and a two-strike count. Perhaps one of the worst things you can do is always swing at anything close. Remember, whatever habits you create in practice you will take with you into the game - so practice good habits and break bad ones! Work on all aspects of your game; driving the ball, just putting the ball in play, hitting to the opposite field and bunting. And remember the great hitters work hardest at the things they are weakest at. Turn weaknesses into strengths! If you don't know how to hit the ball to the opposite field, work on it. If a particular pitch gives you trouble, work on it. Your goal should be to have no weaknesses as a hitter. As I said earlier, hitting a baseball well is the single hardest thing to do in sports. Practice being a great hitter! And I think you'll find the harder you work, the better you'll become. Great hitters are made, not born.
* from Lau's Laws on Hitting by Charlie Lau, Jr.