Category Archives: Hitting
Bunting — hands split or together?
Looking for general feedback here, and perhaps to get some good dialog going on a cold day in Chicago. In another post I mentioned a debate going on regarding teaching player to bunt with their hands together and up the bat, or the hands separated with one at the knob and the other up the bat.
Which do you teach? And why? I’ve seen both used in fastpitch games, and each side has it supporters. Just curious as to what other people think.
Does stance matter?
Pretty clever title, huh? Not bad for being past my bed time.
One of the many things about hitting that is debated constantly in the softball world is whether the stance is important. There is a school of thought that says that the stance is cosmetic, and that as long as a hitter can get to a proper launch position in time it doesn’t matter what kind of stance she uses.
That is no doubt true to a degree. Yet look at that statement again. “As long as a hitter can get to a proper launch position in time.” In time is the key. And that’s where I think the stance really does matter, at least as a hitter is learning to hit.
The physics are pretty simple. Look at it in terms of another skill. Suppose you’re hitting fly balls to outfielders. Which will be easier for them to do — start by watching the ball come off the bat, or start with their backs to you and then react after they hear the “tonk” of the bat? I think the answer is obvious. In truth it really doesn’t matter intrinsically which direction they face as long as they’re able to pick up the ball and make the catch. A catch is a catch. But it will be far easier to accomplish the skill when they can already see the ball off the bat. Tihe younger or less experienced the player, the more important it is.
The same goes for teaching hitting. There is an optimum stance to put hitters into to begin the learning process. It consists of having the feet a little wider than shoulder width apart, toes equal distant from the plate, the weight distributed evenly, knees bent, and the waist bent so the shoulders are over the toes; the bat should be at a 45 degree angle, lifted slightly up and back from a resting place on the shoulder. This position makes it easy for the hitter to get to a good launch position.
Once her swing shows signs of power and speed with consistency, she can start varying from the base position to find out what works best for her. She’ll need to take small steps, preferably one at a time. Maybe the hands need to be held a little higher. Maybe she wants to stand a little taller, or crouch a little lower to start. Whatever it is, if she has a solid base to work from she’ll be a lot better off than just trying what she’s seen on TV and hoping for the best.
Vicky Galindo is probably the best example. What she does works very well for her. But I doubt I would teach it to a beginner.
Swinging “level”
Just got back from teaching pitching lessons up at Grand Slam USA in Spring Grove. One of the toughest things for me is what I hear around the batting cages while I’m teaching a lesson.
There is just so much misinformation and plain old bad advice offered. I believe most (if not all) is well-intentioned, but we all know what’s paved with good intentions.
Here’s an example. I heard one coach/dad telling his daughter to “swing level.” Based on what I saw when I glimpsed at it, he meant level relative to the ground.
The problem with this advice is that it encourages a swing where the hitter drops her hands and then draws them straight across her body. Not only is this not a very powerful way of swinging, it also limits the hitter’s ability to adjust to the pitch. You have to guess really, really well to even hope to make contact.
If you watch major league baseball or the better hitters in the Women’s College World Series you will never see a hitter swing level to the ground. What you will really see is the back shoulder drive down toward the ball with the bat angled down toward the ground at approximately the same angle as the shoulders. Even on high pitches there will be some downward slant of the shoulders.
Here’s a screen capture of Paul Konerko from 2005. Note the angle of his shoulders. He was actually fooled on this pitch, but still managed to recover and smack a double on it.
<IMG src="/images/55650-48775/Konerko.png”>
Here’s another one, this time of Kristie Fox of Arizona. It is at the point of contact on a home run. Note that the ball came across just below waist high. Her back shoulder is down, and she has a slight upswing on the ball to match the plane on which it is traveling. Nothing about this says “level,” at least in the sense most people think about it. Also the head of the bat is lower than the handle.
<IMG src="/images/55650-48775/Fox_HR.png”>
The key thing is make sure what you’re saying matches what great hitters actually do. Otherwise in your desire to help you may be setting players back.
Your favorite hitting drills
Mike Hanscom was looking for a way to exchange drills, so I have started a series of posts in various areas (which should make them more searchable down the line).
If you have a favorite hitting drill you’d like to share, please leave a comment. Thanks!
Yes-yes-yes-no
This is not a new thought by any means, but it’s surprising how many hitters (and coaches) don’t know about the way you should approach each pitch at the plate.
Ask many hitters what they’re looking for when the pitch is delivered, and they will tell you they’re looking to see if it’s a strike. If it is, then they swing at it.
Problem is, if the pitcher has any kind of speed at all, by the time you look, recognize the pitch, make the decision, and start the swing, the pitch is often by you, or almost by you. This reactive mode doesn’t work too well, no matter what type of talent you have or hitting mechanics you’re using.
The proper way to approach each pitch is to assume it’s going to be a strike, and then hold up if it’s not. This is made easier if you use rotational mechanics, where the hips start the body turning and the hands come through last. You should plan on hitting each pitch, and then hold back if it’s not a good pitch to hit. In other words, you’re thinking yes-yes-yes-no.
Willingness to change
One of the biggest challenges facing any player trying to improve his/her game is getting out of the comfort zone in order to change what they’re doing. Before that can happen, though, first the player has to be willing to change.
I just saw this with one of my pitchers this week. She’d been struggling with getting the hang of staying loose and following through at release, due in no small part to a horrible “pitching coach” she’d had before who apparently didn’t know anything about pitching. She was pretty much stuck in one place. So I had to have “the talk” with her about working on what I wanted her to do. I told her no pitching at all in the next week, instead focus just on getting the arm to do what we’re trying to get it to do.
Lo and behold, this week she came back and had it nailed! I was so excited for her, and she was pretty pleased with herself too. And as promised, with the strong follow-through she had both speed and accuracy.
The key was that she was willing to make the change, and worked hard at it. Without that willingness, we’d still be stuck.
So I guess the point is you (if you’re a player) or your students (if you’re a coach) not only have to understand what to do but also have the mindset to go after it like a lioness hunting for food for her young.
Ken
Life in the Fastpitch Lane 