| Nothing is more frustrating for young baseball players | | | | direct by keeping the barrel of the bat above the ball |
| and their parents than strike outs, especially if it is a | | | | on the approach to the ball. This can be done in a |
| recurring event. Strike outs may lead to very | | | | number of ways including the following drills. |
| depressed ballplayers and to upset coaches and | | | | Hitting Drill - With the use of two batting tees set the |
| parents. Obviously, continual strike outs lead to athletes | | | | tees a bout a foot apart and in line with each other. |
| losing confidence, self-esteem and usually their desire | | | | Place a ball on both tees with the ball closer to the |
| to play the game altogether. What to do? | | | | catcher about a balls width lower than the ball out |
| First, explain to ballplayers that hitting a baseball is one | | | | front. Hitters should work on hitting the ball closest to |
| of the toughest things to do in sports and good | | | | the pitcher while missing the back ball. |
| fundamentals, practice and patience are necessary. | | | | Hitting Drill - Along the same lines as the previous drill, |
| Further explain that there are very few kids that have | | | | set the height of the batting tee a little above the back |
| natural swings and the necessary hand-eye | | | | hip and place the tee under the hitter's hands in their |
| coordination to automatically be able to hit a ball. This | | | | stance. Pitch balls to the hitter and have them swing |
| explanation is important so players do not get too | | | | over the tee on the way to contact. This will help |
| frustrated and depressed and to give them the | | | | hitters develop a more direct swing path and should |
| message that they have control over the situation if | | | | lead to more consistent contact. |
| they are willing to put in the work. | | | | 4. When hitters are over the ball they should work on |
| Next, the results of the hitter's at-bats must be | | | | knee high pitches until they can begin to hit line drives |
| analyzed. Sometimes, it is just a matter of the hitter | | | | on this pitch location. This will help them get use to |
| becoming a little more aggressive when batting so | | | | driving their hands to the back of the ball while using |
| they are not always behind in the count. Unaggressive | | | | their hips and legs in the correct way. |
| hitters find themselves hitting with two strikes too | | | | It is important to note that habits are tough to change |
| often. If that is not the problem, check the results of | | | | and that there are times when I use "opposite drills" to |
| the player's swings and misses. Are they under the ball | | | | change a players habits. These drills are extremely |
| (most common), over the ball, early or late? This will | | | | different then what the player is doing and often are |
| lead to what needs to be done. | | | | not the fundamentally sound swing either, but they are |
| Following are possible solutions for each of these | | | | the only way the hitter can break their initial bad habit. |
| situations: | | | | The hitting drills under point number 3 above could be |
| 1. When hitters are continually swinging late at the pitch | | | | considered opposite drills compared to what happens |
| - challenge them with higher velocity that approximate | | | | in reality with a great swing. The goal is to eventually |
| game speeds. Many hitters will make the necessary | | | | meet in the middle with the correct swing and this is a |
| adjustments on their own when they begin to see | | | | way of doing that. |
| faster speeds and get their eyes used to seeing the | | | | Finally, a great way to prevent strikeouts and promote |
| faster pitching. | | | | more consistent contact is with front arm work. The |
| 2. Similar advice - when hitters are continually early | | | | hitters lead arm (hand) is the one that takes the bat to |
| they need to face much slower pitching so they learn | | | | the ball so swinging the bat with just the lead arm will |
| to wait on the ball. | | | | help contact. This drill will force the hitter to use the |
| 3. When hitters are under the ball they need to shorten | | | | lead arm and get stronger with the front side, which is |
| the swing. This means keeping their swing path more | | | | often the hitter's weaker arm. |