Good pitchers know how to use the strike zone to their advantage, moving pitches around and changing elevations to keep hitters guessing. Good hitters respond by learning to hit the ball where it is pitched within the zone. There are a couple of ways to help hitters learn how to hit pitches in every part of the strike zone.
The first key is train them to know the strike zone. See the Quick Choice Drill in our guide Effective Youth Hitting Drills for help. The second key is to teach hitters to go with the pitch. In other words, they must learn to drive the ball hard to all fields based upon where the pitch is located. When batters do not know how to do this they try to pull balls that are out over the plate and weak ground balls usually result. The biggest hurdle is simply getting the batter to understand the physics of hitting and why using all fields makes good sense. Most players will pick this up pretty quickly.
The Hitting Tee And The Strike Zone
A good way to learn to hit pitches in every part of the strike zone is with the use of a tee. Have a player get in the box and then move the hitting tee around in the strike zone and be sure to change elevations as well. Balls on the inside part of the plate should be pulled. Those over the middle of the plate should be hit roughly between the second baseman and the shortstop. Those on the outside part of the plate should be hit to the opposite field. Read the rest of this entry
Today’s baseball and softball coaches have wonderful advantages in teaching the game to our players – instructional DVD’s that cover every aspect of playing diamond sports. We don’t have to know everything; we just have to know where to find the information and teaching that we want our players to benefit from. This gives confidence to coaches who may not have a wealth of experience. They can make sure their players are well-coached no matter what. If you pick up instructional DVD’s and show them to your team you can learn along with them and give them coaching and encouragement as they attempt to implement what they are learning. Read the rest of this entry
Bunting seems like a lost art these days in most leagues, including the top amateur and professional ranks. Very few coaches seem to have a place in their strategy for the effective use of “small ball.” This is unfortunate because having players with good bunting skills opens dynamic opportunities to put runs on the board. In this guide will discuss the mechanics of good bunting and then the philosophy behind when and where to bunt.
Good bunting begins with learning how to position the body when bunting. Many players open up their stance and stand square to the pitcher. This tends to alert the defense too quickly, allowing them to respond. It also limits the batters ability to adjust to pitches or even attempt to slap-hit the ball past a charging first- or third-baseman.
Instead, teach your players to rotate around on the balls of their feet without lifting a foot off the ground. This technique makes it easier to bring the bat up in the strike zone or to reach an outside pitch when getting the bat on the ball is crucial. Read the rest of this entry
Back in the day batting practice for youth players involved little instruction and featured them striding to the plate to take 5-10 cuts with little aim other than to make contact. Bunt the first one and run out the last one were about the only details involved.
Things have changed dramatically since then and coaches are recognizing the value of a more wide-ranging approach to BP. There still is a place for live pitching batting practice as part of a comprehensive program. Let’s take a look at a quality routine you can use with your team on game days or during practices. Also be sure to see our guide on Effective Youth Hitting Drills for great drills for teams and individual players.
Batting Practice Warm Ups
It is always good to have your players loosen up and warm their muscles before taking full cuts. Have them start by stretching out their shoulders, back, waist and legs. One exercise to employ is an oldie but goodie. Have players place a bat across the back of the neck and shoulders gripping it with their hands. They should then slowly rotate from side to side gradually extending their range. After a couple of minutes have them drape their arms over the bat so it is secured in the crook of their elbows. This will effectively stretch the upper arms and shoulders. Rotate as before and complete this drill by having them bend forward at the waist while stretching downward. Read the rest of this entry
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The first key is train them to know the strike zone. See the Quick Choice Drill in our guide Effective Youth Hitting Drills for help. The second key is to teach hitters to go with the pitch. In other words, they must learn to drive the ball hard to all fields based upon where the pitch is located. When batters do not know how to do this they try to pull balls that are out over the plate and weak ground balls usually result. The biggest hurdle is simply getting the batter to understand the physics of hitting and why using all fields makes good sense. Most players will pick this up pretty quickly.
we just have to know where to find the information and teaching that we want our players to benefit from. This gives confidence to coaches who may not have a wealth of experience. They can make sure their players are well-coached no matter what. If you pick up instructional DVD’s and show them to your team you can learn along with them and give them coaching and encouragement as they attempt to implement what they are learning. 
