Become a Better Hitter - Have a Hitting Philosophy

By Scott M. Thompson


The best way to increase your average happens before you even step in the batters box. I am not talking about your swing either. It would be way to difficult to teach somebody to swing over the internet, so this article is assuming that your coach has taught you the fundamentals of a good swing.
What I am talking about are things you can do before the game. Watch the opposing pitcher warm up. How many pitches does he throw? How hard is his fastball, curve ball, etc? Is he around the plate, up or down? Is his curve ball a 12 to 6 or more like a slider? These are the things that will help you prepare for your upcoming at bat.
The game has started, watch how the pitcher holds his glove, moves his fingers, changes his arm speed. Does he dig in his glove every time he throws a curve? Look for the slight differences between his motion and demeanor depending on the pitch he is about to throw.
Be aware of the other players in the field also, especially the catcher. Do infielders move over a step or two on off speed pitches? Does the catcher change his stance when a curve ball is coming? Do not turn your head and look where the catcher is. You can though sneak a quick peek through your peripheral vision to see if he is set up inside or outside. If the catcher is giving away the off speed pitch, come up with verbal code words with your on deck batter. First name, last name, number, something not to obvious.
Pick out the tendencies of the pitcher. Pitchers and catchers have patterns. Notice what his go to pitch is when he needs a strike, when he is going for a strikeout, when he is ahead in the count. Does he like to throw inside, outside, high, low, all these things you can pick up before you even step into the batters box.
The bottom line is, if you want to be a better hitter pay attention to details that may give you an advantage. There will be plenty of time to catch up with your buddies or play grab ass with your buddies after the game.
It's your turn to bat, you know how hard he throws, the shape of his curve, when he likes to throw the curve, and what he likes to throw on the first pitch to a new batter. The exception to this situation is if you are the lead off hitter. If you are lead off, you have a job to do. Get the pitcher to throw as many pitches as you can. Hopefully you can get him to throw them all. But at least the fastball and curve. This method should not only help you, but your teammates as well, if they pay attention.
Another key is not to think too much, but know the situation. Is there a runner on first, no outs. Look for something to hit to the right side to advance your teammate into scoring position. I can't go over every situation, but I think you get the picture. Do what works best for your coach and team philosophy.
So how do you increase your average? I believe you look for the situation that gives you the best chance for success. You have studied the pitcher, but do you know yourself?
What pitches do you hit the best? Do you like the ball inside, outside, up a little, down in the zone? Do you hit fastballs better than curve balls? I hope 95% of you said yes with the other 5% lying. Well that is the pitch you are waiting for until you have a strike. Let's say you hit the outside fastball the best. The pitcher throws a curve ball, don't swing. If it is a ball you are still looking for the outside fastball on the next pitch. The pitcher throws a fastball inside, don't swing. Cut the plate into thirds and make the ball be in your favorite third before you swing.
Something to avoid is what I call players pride. Players pride is when a batter wants to show the pitcher he can hit the pitchers best pitch. For what reason you ask, stupid pride. Yes a hitter will make contact with the ball, but is it solid contact, usually not. Along the same lines are the hitters that are so afraid to strike out they swing at anything they can reach with their bat. If you are a coach, nip both of these problems in the bud as soon as you can.
Let's say that the second pitch the pitcher threw, the fastball inside, was a strike. The count is now 1-1. Expand the zone you are going to swing at to 2/3 to 3/4 of the plate, the outside part since that was where we hit the best according to our scenario. Now you can add the hanging curve to swing at. It must be in the zone and you must be in a position to put a good swing on it, otherwise let it go. Never guess curve ball, always be ready for the fastball and adjust to the off speed stuff. Use this mentality whenever you have 1 strike and 2 balls or less. This is also the perfect time to go back to studying his tendencies. What does he usually throw with a 0-1, 1-1, or 2-1 count. Did I mention to always be ready for the fastball.
With a 3-1 count, a hitters dream count because of the percentages of knowing a fastball is coming, you are in the drivers seat. Go back to the 0 strike approach, maybe increasing the zone to half because of the probability of getting a fastball. Do NOT over swing. Do NOT be late. Put a good aggressive swing on the pitch, one that is in your ability. When you over swing you get long, slow, and probably jammed on the best pitch in baseball.
Just because it is 3-1 don't assume it is automatic you are getting a fastball. Go back to knowing the situation. What point of the game are you in, the score, runners on base, a base open, and how is the hitter behind you hitting today. The pitcher may want to avoid pitching to you and take his chances with the next batter. The opposite holds true, are there base runners on? Does the pitcher have to throw a strike? What are the tendencies?
With two strikes, your job is to put the ball in play. Do not swing at anything and everything. Stay calm, you hopefully have prepared yourself in practice. All those swings off the tee, all the batting practice swings, you know where the head of your bat is. Have confidence in your abilities. You can put the bat on the ball.
Always be ready for the fastball, I don't know how many times I have said that already, but if you only go away with one thing, you guessed it, always be ready for the fastball. What are the tendencies with 0-2. Does he waste a pitch to see if you will chase? Does he set you up with up and in before he goes low and away? You should already know these things and expect them.
With 2 strikes we go to a defensive mode. We expand the plate 2-3 inches on each side as well as up and down. Cut your swing down to a more controllable swing. Whatever it takes to foul off pitches or put the ball in play. It is a good idea to practice this zone in batting practice for about 8-10 pitches. The idea is to protect the plate. Anything close to the plate, you need to swing. Do not leave it up to the umpire, he gets paid by the out not the hour.
That is a good point to bring up when we talk about umpires. You need to know the umpire's zone that day. Does he love to ring people up? Does he reward the pitcher for making good pitches just off the plate but not in the strike zone? Is he consistent? If any of these answers give you doubt, swing at anything close.
Don't give in. Be what they call a tough out. Somebody that battles and wears a pitcher down. Take pride in not striking out. Anything can happen when the ball is in play. At the very least make the pitcher throw as many pitches as you can.
In the event the pitcher does get the better of you and strikes you out. Tip your hat and say you got me this time. I may not have won the battle but I am going to win the war. I know how you pitch, I've seen you before, you got me once it won't happen again. Keep your confidence. Don't let 1 at bat change your philosophy or your approach to hitting.
In closing I would just like to stress the importance of self evaluation. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Look for opportunities to use your strengths. Know the situation you are in at all times. Have a keen sense for details. Anything that may give you an edge. Prepare yourself in practice. Challenge yourself, don't just go through the motions and think you are going to get better. The harder you work the more confidence you acquire. The more confidence you acquire, the better player you will become. The saying goes baseball is 90% mental.
Have faith in your philosophy. And last but not least be ready for the fastball !!!
Good Luck
Find other baseball topics from equipment to tee-ball drills at http://baseball-depot.webs.com/
The Season Starts HERE
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_M._Thompson


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Why the BatAction Machine's horizontal design is superior.

The Bataction "Self-Trainer" has a "horizontal hitter" design.

This feature offers four definite advantages over "vertical" machine designs.

Advantage #1
The first advantage is that this machine allows the hitter to read the quality of his swing by the path of the batted ball. The ball will go where it is hit. He can see if he just hit a fly ball, ground ball, or a line-drive.

Advantage #2
The second advantage is that the Self-Trainer" allows maximum "BANG TIMEl" time during practice swings. It allows you to feel the bat drive through the hit ball. There is no cable or rope controlling the ball vertically that stops the ball's forward motion. On vertical machines, no matter how well you hit the ball, you always hit a "pop-up" because the ball is "jerked" upward by the controlling cable or rope.

Advantage #3
The third advantage is convience and versatility. The batter can practice hitting a moving ball that comes in at the speed he desires from a distance that is perfect for practice. The machine allows the batter to hit a moving ball or a "still" ball every 5 seconds. The height can be adjusted for a hitter in less than 20 seconds. The total unit weights less than 45 pounds. The batter never has to stop, chase or pickup balls. The Bataction Hitting machine is 100% energy efficient. All of the energy and effort exerted is used to become a better hitter. Kids love to practice hitting. They hate picking up or rounding up balls.

Advantage #4
The fourth advantage is ball "TRAVEL TIME". This is the distance that the batter is allowed to see the ball coming in and the amount of time that the batter is allowed to see the ball travel after impact. This innovative Bataction Machine feature allows the batter to experience batting practice that closely simulates real game situation hitting. This feature also challenges the hitters and keeps them motivated to get better, which is a key to success.

The Baseball Dealz Super Store has top quality baseball and softball training equipment at ebay prices. Satisfaction is 100% Guaranteed!

Becoming Good Baseball Players - Tips on Pitching

By Ruth Cracknell

Good baseball players need to learn to pitch. However, until a boy gets out of high school, he doesn't need to develop more than two basic pitches-the curve and the fast ball. In the first place, he'll get four pitches with the fast ball alone-low inside, low outside, high inside, high outside. Ditto the curve. If he then learns to change the speed of each pitch, he can double his assortment.

The overall grip is the same for the curve and fast ball; forefinger and middle finger spread in a comfortable V on top of the ball, thumb underneath. For the fast ball from the overhand or three-quarter delivery, the hand should be directly behind the ball. When the ball leaves the hand it should rotate upward, or toward the pitcher. To make this spin more effective, pitchers usually grip the ball across the stitches-some across the fat part of the figure 8 pattern, some at the narrow part.

To throw the curve, the pitcher makes the ball spin, or rotate, away from the hitter at an angle. He wants the ball to go out and down; not on a horizontal plane or "flat." To accomplish this, run the top fingers along the stitches. Go slowly through the delivery as with the fast ball.

At the forward snap of the wrist, twist the hand outward and bear down on the outside finger. Beginners should first learn to twirl the ball at the proper angle. (It's a good idea to paint a large black spot on one side of the ball to help get the correct angle to the spin.)

To improve a pitcher's control, managers might consider erecting a set of "strings". Here's how it's done: stretch a string between two poles, or trees at average shoulder height. Stretch out another one at knee height. Then tie two pieces of twine, 12" apart, to the top string and loop both around the bottom string. The rectangle forms the strike zone. To complete the job, build a pitching mound in front of the strings at the proper distance.

The Windup

Let's switch to the body movements now, using the three-quarter delivery as our example since it is the most popular. Two basic positions are employed-the full windup and the "stretch". The full windup is used mostly when the bases are unoccupied. In professional ball, it is used when runners are on 3rd, on 2nd and 3rd or on 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Pitchers usually "stretch" with runners on 1st, or 1st and 2nd, and also 1st and 3rd.

Good baseball players at eight years old probably should first be taught to throw from the stretch position and then gradually be introduced to the full windup. Before starting any move, the pitcher must learn how and where to stand on the mound. The rules say he must have one foot in contact with the pitching rubber until the ball is delivered.

This means his pitching foot-the right foot for a right hander, the left for a southpaw-is to be an the plate at the start of windup and remain in contact until the body is in the final part of the delivery cycle. (The pitcher cannot step forward to the pitching plate and make that part of the windup.)

The toe of the pitching foot ought to extend over the forward edge of the rubber with the heel on top. The weight should be on the back foot, located comfortably behind the rubber. The pitching hand holds the ball out of the batter's sight behind the pitching leg.

As soon as the pitcher gets his eyes on the target, with the catcher in proper receiving position, he can start his move.

Remember that faithful, regular practice is the best way to improve all aspects of your game. Good baseball players are made, not born!

Want All The Tips And Tricks To Have You Pitching

Baseball Like A Pro?

Visit: http://www.baseball-training.org

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ruth_Cracknell

BatAction Hitting Machine - Simply the Best!

Four Little-Known Baseball/Softball Training Secrets, PART 1

Four Little-Known Baseball/Softball Training Secrets, PART 1
By Steve Zawrotny

*************

Train for POWER

*************

Baseball and softball are not games of strength, but of EXPLOSIVE POWER. Just how strong do you have to be to pick up a 5 oz baseball, or a 30 oz bat? On the other hand, propelling that 5 oz ball 90+ mph, or hitting a ball 400+ feet with that 30 oz bat requires tremendous power - the ability to perform work. In this case, the work of playing baseball and softball at a high level.

In both games, while they can be slow in duration, the various activities that comprise a game are short and quick. Rarely does a play take longer than 6 or 7 seconds. There are exceptions, of course - an inside the park homer, or an extended rundown or "pickle." But, for the most part, things happen very quickly on the diamond.

Why does this matter to you?

Well, let me ask you this: how often have you heard coaches tell pitchers to condition themselves by running laps - Long, Slow Distance (LSD) training, or to spend a lot of time pedaling a bike?

If you've been around as long as I have, you've seen this a lot. Here's the problems: these coaches (and many players) incorrectly think that LSD (or aerobic) conditioning improves player performance. In fact, studies show the aerobic demands (the amount of oxygen needed by the body) of baseball and softball to be very low.

In fact, the oxygen uptake of a baseball pitcher (the most active position) is a low 45% of the maximum needed. Apparently the rest pitchers get between each pitch and in-between innings is sufficient to replenish the main energy system used.

Baseball and softball are considered to be "alactic anaerobic" sports in terms of the energy system utilized, with pitchers in both sports the busiest players on the field. What this means is that there is little to no lactic acid buildup as a result of this activity. That burning feeling you get when you lift weights really hard is a result of a buildup of lactic acid, a by-product of that (and other) short-term, intense types of exercise.

Have you ever heard of a ball player complaining of this problem?

Consider the baseball pitcher: it takes about 0.15 seconds from the time the front foot contacts the ground until the ball is released. Very little lactic acid can be built up in this short burst of activity. The primary source of fatigue in pitching is not metabolic, but neural. [1]

Again, why does this matter to you?

Because studies show that LSD training significantly detracts from power, strength, and speed development.

Reduce these characteristics, and you educe your ability to throw with high velocity, hit with power, and run at high speed. Look at the bodies of sprinters vs. marathoners. You don't have to be built like a sprinter to be successful as a ball player, but this illustrates how training affects one's body, conditioning, and hence, ability to perform.

Put another way: Train Slow, Perform Slow.

As mentioned earlier, aside from the game itself (which can be be long and slow) things happen quickly on the ball field. Playing softball and baseball requires high velocity, ballistic movements like throwing a fast, well located pitch, taking a hard swing at this high velocity pitch, and exploding out of the batter's box to sprint down the first base line.

So how should you train?

To augment the aforementioned activities, concentrate on developing power, flexibility, and speed. Weight lifting, plyometrics, flexibility, and short burst sprint interval training should form the basis of conditioning for baseball and softball players.

[1] Gambetta, V. A Big Windup. Training & Conditioning, p. 43 March 2003

Steve Zawrotny, MS, CSCS 405.373.3253 steve@baseballfit.com FREE REPORT: "Harmful Resistance Exercises Baseball/Softball Players Should Avoid" VISIT: http://www.BaseballFit.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Zawrotny

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Baseball Blogs for Coaches - Free Training Tips, Coaching Articles and More

Baseball Blogs for Coaches - Free Training Tips, Coaching Articles and More

Check out these recommended blogs for baseball coaches.

Baseball Coaching and Training Equipment Blog

The Hurricane Hitting Machine - Derek Jeter Series - Training and Coaching Blog

BatAction Machine Baseball Training and Coaching Blog

Batting Cage Information and Know-how: Buying, Building and Using Your New Batting Cage

TeeBall Coaching Drills, Tips and Other Information

Baseball Training Homework For Youth Players Blog

Baseball Parents Guide To Helping a Player Improve Blog

Baseball Coaching, Training and Instruction

Become a Better Hitter - Have a Hitting Philosophy

Become a Better Hitter - Have a Hitting Philosophy
By Scott M. Thompson

The best way to increase your average happens before you even step in the batters box. I am not talking about your swing either. It would be way to difficult to teach somebody to swing over the internet, so this article is assuming that your coach has taught you the fundamentals of a good swing.

What I am talking about are things you can do before the game. Watch the opposing pitcher warm up. How many pitches does he throw? How hard is his fastball, curve ball, etc? Is he around the plate, up or down? Is his curve ball a 12 to 6 or more like a slider? These are the things that will help you prepare for your upcoming at bat.

The game has started, watch how the pitcher holds his glove, moves his fingers, changes his arm speed. Does he dig in his glove every time he throws a curve? Look for the slight differences between his motion and demeanor depending on the pitch he is about to throw.

Be aware of the other players in the field also, especially the catcher. Do infielders move over a step or two on off speed pitches? Does the catcher change his stance when a curve ball is coming? Do not turn your head and look where the catcher is. You can though sneak a quick peek through your peripheral vision to see if he is set up inside or outside. If the catcher is giving away the off speed pitch, come up with verbal code words with your on deck batter. First name, last name, number, something not to obvious.

Pick out the tendencies of the pitcher. Pitchers and catchers have patterns. Notice what his go to pitch is when he needs a strike, when he is going for a strikeout, when he is ahead in the count. Does he like to throw inside, outside, high, low, all these things you can pick up before you even step into the batters box.

The bottom line is, if you want to be a better hitter pay attention to details that may give you an advantage. There will be plenty of time to catch up with your buddies or play grab ass with your buddies after the game.

It's your turn to bat, you know how hard he throws, the shape of his curve, when he likes to throw the curve, and what he likes to throw on the first pitch to a new batter. The exception to this situation is if you are the lead off hitter. If you are lead off, you have a job to do. Get the pitcher to throw as many pitches as you can. Hopefully you can get him to throw them all. But at least the fastball and curve. This method should not only help you, but your teammates as well, if they pay attention.

Another key is not to think too much, but know the situation. Is there a runner on first, no outs. Look for something to hit to the right side to advance your teammate into scoring position. I can't go over every situation, but I think you get the picture. Do what works best for your coach and team philosophy.

So how do you increase your average? I believe you look for the situation that gives you the best chance for success. You have studied the pitcher, but do you know yourself?

What pitches do you hit the best? Do you like the ball inside, outside, up a little, down in the zone? Do you hit fastballs better than curve balls? I hope 95% of you said yes with the other 5% lying. Well that is the pitch you are waiting for until you have a strike. Let's say you hit the outside fastball the best. The pitcher throws a curve ball, don't swing. If it is a ball you are still looking for the outside fastball on the next pitch. The pitcher throws a fastball inside, don't swing. Cut the plate into thirds and make the ball be in your favorite third before you swing.

Something to avoid is what I call players pride. Players pride is when a batter wants to show the pitcher he can hit the pitchers best pitch. For what reason you ask, stupid pride. Yes a hitter will make contact with the ball, but is it solid contact, usually not. Along the same lines are the hitters that are so afraid to strike out they swing at anything they can reach with their bat. If you are a coach, nip both of these problems in the bud as soon as you can.

Let's say that the second pitch the pitcher threw, the fastball inside, was a strike. The count is now 1-1. Expand the zone you are going to swing at to 2/3 to 3/4 of the plate, the outside part since that was where we hit the best according to our scenario. Now you can add the hanging curve to swing at. It must be in the zone and you must be in a position to put a good swing on it, otherwise let it go. Never guess curve ball, always be ready for the fastball and adjust to the off speed stuff. Use this mentality whenever you have 1 strike and 2 balls or less. This is also the perfect time to go back to studying his tendencies. What does he usually throw with a 0-1, 1-1, or 2-1 count. Did I mention to always be ready for the fastball.

With a 3-1 count, a hitters dream count because of the percentages of knowing a fastball is coming, you are in the drivers seat. Go back to the 0 strike approach, maybe increasing the zone to half because of the probability of getting a fastball. Do NOT over swing. Do NOT be late. Put a good aggressive swing on the pitch, one that is in your ability. When you over swing you get long, slow, and probably jammed on the best pitch in baseball.

Just because it is 3-1 don't assume it is automatic you are getting a fastball. Go back to knowing the situation. What point of the game are you in, the score, runners on base, a base open, and how is the hitter behind you hitting today. The pitcher may want to avoid pitching to you and take his chances with the next batter. The opposite holds true, are there base runners on? Does the pitcher have to throw a strike? What are the tendencies?

With two strikes, your job is to put the ball in play. Do not swing at anything and everything. Stay calm, you hopefully have prepared yourself in practice. All those swings off the tee, all the batting practice swings, you know where the head of your bat is. Have confidence in your abilities. You can put the bat on the ball.

Always be ready for the fastball, I don't know how many times I have said that already, but if you only go away with one thing, you guessed it, always be ready for the fastball. What are the tendencies with 0-2. Does he waste a pitch to see if you will chase? Does he set you up with up and in before he goes low and away? You should already know these things and expect them.

With 2 strikes we go to a defensive mode. We expand the plate 2-3 inches on each side as well as up and down. Cut your swing down to a more controllable swing. Whatever it takes to foul off pitches or put the ball in play. It is a good idea to practice this zone in batting practice for about 8-10 pitches. The idea is to protect the plate. Anything close to the plate, you need to swing. Do not leave it up to the umpire, he gets paid by the out not the hour.

That is a good point to bring up when we talk about umpires. You need to know the umpire's zone that day. Does he love to ring people up? Does he reward the pitcher for making good pitches just off the plate but not in the strike zone? Is he consistent? If any of these answers give you doubt, swing at anything close.

Don't give in. Be what they call a tough out. Somebody that battles and wears a pitcher down. Take pride in not striking out. Anything can happen when the ball is in play. At the very least make the pitcher throw as many pitches as you can.

In the event the pitcher does get the better of you and strikes you out. Tip your hat and say you got me this time. I may not have won the battle but I am going to win the war. I know how you pitch, I've seen you before, you got me once it won't happen again. Keep your confidence. Don't let 1 at bat change your philosophy or your approach to hitting.

In closing I would just like to stress the importance of self evaluation. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Look for opportunities to use your strengths. Know the situation you are in at all times. Have a keen sense for details. Anything that may give you an edge. Prepare yourself in practice. Challenge yourself, don't just go through the motions and think you are going to get better. The harder you work the more confidence you acquire. The more confidence you acquire, the better player you will become. The saying goes baseball is 90% mental.

Have faith in your philosophy. And last but not least be ready for the fastball !!!

Good Luck

Find other baseball topics from equipment to tee-ball drills at http://baseball-depot.webs.com/

The Season Starts HERE

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_M._Thompson

Advanced Skills Tee - "Take Your Tee Work to the Next level"

Our team trains daily on the Muhl Tech Advanced Skills Tee. The forward arm and outside barrier helps our players create a proper swing plane and stay short to the ball. These tees are extremely durable and the brush cup ball holder is a great idea, they have held up for years. I would recommend them to any baseball program.

Stan McKeever
Head Baseball Coach
La Cueva High School
Albuquerque, NM
2004 Collegiate Baseball America/Easton Sports Poll National Champions

"We bought 3 AST's last year after running across them at an opponent's field. Immediately upon seeing the tee, I noticed the bad habits that could be corrected with the simple design it employs. The AST has become an important teaching tool for Lafayette High Baseball. One pleasant suprise has been the durability of the AST. My satisfaction prompted me to buy 3 more for the upcoming year.

Coach Jay Domengeaux
Head Coach
Lafayette High School Mighty Lions - Louisiana

AdvancedSkillsTee.com

Sports Psychology: Letting Go of Errors

Mistakes or errors occur every day in sports and life, but many athletes stifle their own performance because they simply can't let go of past mistakes.

Missing shots, double faulting, and losing an important game happen often in the sports world and become a thorn in many athlete's mind. In some cases these thoughts continue for the remainder of the competition because the athlete can't stop dwelling on the error or missed opportunity.

I am sure you have made some mistakes in your sports career that you were unable to quickly forget. You carried a critical mistake with you for most the competition. Either you did not enjoy your day, or were too busy beating yourself up to help yourself or your team.

Dwelling on errors is the number one distraction for athletes today. You cannot play in the present moment (a quality of the zone), if your mind is stuck on a missed opportunity or faulty performance.

Rarely do athletes use mistakes or anger to help them perform better, but it does happen. You watch Tiger Woods get angry on the golf course, but he is able to channel his frustration to make it work for him instead of against him. Tiger becomes more focused and determined to make up for the error by refocusing his mind in the present moment.

Why does the mind sometimes want to stay glued to past errors? Making mistakes does not match what you expected of yourself. You want better for yourself and think you should be a better performer. In some instances, you may display your anger or disappointment to others who are watching because you want show them you are actually a better athlete.

Once you begin to dwell on an error and beat yourself up, it is very hard to stop the cycle of negativity. You will try to avoid committing future errors, which is not a great mindset for focusing in the present moment.

The best athletes in the world use mistakes to help them grow and become better athletes. They become more focused, more determined, and are able to let go of mistakes quickly so it does not affect them for several plays or shots to come.


--------------

About the Author: Want to learn simple, proven mental toughness skills that you can apply to competition? Grab my free online mental training newsletter, Sports Insights Magazine - for athletes, coaches, and sports parents:
http://www.peaksports.com/free_newsletter.php
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr. Patrick Cohn is a master mental game coach who work with professional and amateur athletes, sports parents, and teams of all levels. Visit http://www.peaksports.com for more information.

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More Youth Baseball Coaching Tips for You - Be a Positive Example

By Chip Lemin

COMPETITION

You must welcome competition, your team will not improve by winning every game against weaker teams. You should step up to play teams better than yours. You will find out a lot about you and your players by defeat as well as victory.

If you are to play to your full potential, you must be willing to put out just a little more. That willingness to put out a little more in youth baseball often makes the difference. As a youth baseball coach, you should encourage your players to let it all out at times and take some chances to make that special play. Hopefully your players will not feel that making a mistake will prevent them from really going for it. Which leads us to the next baseball and life tip.

COURAGE

To become an outstanding youth baseball player, hitter, pitcher, or base runner, you must have the ability to bounce back from defeat and bounce back to victory.

Develop a fighting spirit that takes you through difficulty and discouragement. As a youth baseball player you must keep your chin high because hitting a baseball is tough business, you will go hitless some times. You make get knocked out of a game as a pitcher. Just remember, the player who refuses to be beaten is tough to beat. We are talking about our competitive spirit here, not just any single game.

SELF-DISCIPLINE

Live clean and take good care of your body with good eating and sleeping habits. Youth baseball coaches will need to lead by example here and remind players to get the rest they need. Encourage healthy snacks and lots of water or low sugar type drinks. Also help team to stay positive no matter what happens, that may be your biggest value to your baseball team.

SPORTSMANSHIP

This is a forgotten area in youth baseball. Coaches think that they are playing in the finals of the little league world series every game. Please do more than just give lip service to sportsmanship, be an example, read up on it. Be respectful to umps, opposing players, coach's fans, and parents. Remember it's still just a game, even if it is travel baseball, or little league finals or a big tournament game. Please treat everyone with respect even if they don't seem to deserve it. Remember, your players are watching you; you are the example they get day in and day out.

CONFIDENCE

you must have confidence in yourself, a positive feeling that you can do it. You must posses a mental attitude that says I can do it. Give that attitude to your teammates by always being positive with them also, encouraging them to focus, and helping them stay positive if they hit a rough spot.

As a youth baseball player your talent will not develop properly unless you are willing to work hard. There is a price to pay FOR HARD WORK; we might have to give up some of our free time. As a youth baseball player, you have to learn to work hard and do plenty of it-- and hustle at all times. Everyone on the team, including the coaches, must be willing to trade sweat, effort, an sacrifice for success.

Please check out my free 7 part coaching e-course. It covers some topics you will not find anywhere else. It will help you become a better youth baseball coach

Thanks Coach, Chip Lemin

About Coach Chip

Hello My name is Chip Lemin. I'm a long time youth baseball coach who loves to promote this great game of youth baseball. Promoting sportsmanship in this game of youth baseball is something that really needs I feel. I have a free e-course that will give you some solid coaching information along with great help on the inter-personal relationships we must have to be good youth baseball coaches.Things such as parents, travel baseball, getting parents to help out, how to communicate better to parents and players, just to touch on a few. This course will help to organize practices like an elite coach. How to motivate players and other coaches with your positive attitude. It really is not very hard to be a great coach when you know what to do.Best of all you will learn how to have fun with these great kids that you have the privilege of coaching. Do yourself a favor and check it out, it's free,you will get 1 part every couple of days in your e-mail. Coaching can be fun and rewarding if you have a plan in place first, and you have an idea what you are doing.http://www.baseballecourse.com

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More Effective Baseball Hitting by Better Training Techniques

By Chris Moheno

Baseball is one of the most popular sports on the planet. People flock to the stadiums and pile around their televisions to watch the games. Beyond that, however, hundreds of people want to become more successful as baseball players. But their ability to succeed requires working on their skills. Just because you don't have a personal trainer, that doesn't mean you can learn how to make the most of your baseball training.

Baseball: What is Considered as Effective Hitting?

Effective hitting, in a nutshell, is hitting that results in the bat connecting with the ball. While this may sound simple, most experts agree that hitting the ball is the hardest skill to master. Even some professional players strike out or end up having to walk the bases during a game. The key to being successful in learning how to improve your baseball hitting is obviously practice but you have to practice the right way.

Here's where trouble often comes from. When you're on a team, everyone receives the same training. If you're learning the rules of the game or how to catch the ball, there's nothing wrong with using a standard method of baseball training. Baseball hitting is different. Each player is going to come to the game with a different level of skill and with different techniques that are going to hurt or help their performance. Good training finds ways to work with these existing skills and to maximize them for an overall positive performance. In many cases, that's not going to be possible without one-on-one training.

How Do You Train for It?

If baseball training is important to you but you can't afford to hire a personal trainer, there are other ways to improve your game. As mentioned above, practice is definitely going to be the key to ongoing success. The most effective approach to improving baseball hitting is to practice the individual components of good hitting, including the grip, the stance, and the approach.

Approach, for example, is something that is essential for good baseball training. However, most people have real trouble learning this information because it conflicts with their earlier training. For example, most players are taught from an early age that when they see a pitch coming they need to swing. They are not asked to judge the effectiveness of the baseball pitching. When the people doing the baseball pitching aren't very skilled either, this technique can work. As they improve, however, the will stop pitching strikes when they know the hitter is going to be swinging at every potential shot.

Instead, good hitters need to be able to determine which of the pitches have potential and which do not. Only then will they be able to get those doing the baseball pitching to send them balls with the potential to be great hits.

Another part of training to be a good hitter is practicing the swing. Even a good pitch for the hitter can not connect if that hitter does not have a good swing. Hitters need to realize that more than their arm movements are playing a role in the connection of the bat to the ball. The process actually involves the legs, the hands, the hips, and even the head. One main difference between good hitters and exceptional hitters is their ability to keep their eyes on the ball all the way through contact.

Additional Advice

Professional baseball players who have spent a good portion of their lives and their careers perfecting their ability to make that connection can provide some good advice for newer players, too. One of the most common pieces of advice involves bat selection. Again, no one recommendation is going to work for all players, except the recommendation to find a bat that feels comfortable in your hands. Try out a few and find one that delivers results.

Some pros also suggest that you have someone else watch your performance to provide feedback. That's a benefit of having a trainer but you can get around that problem if you can't afford a trainer. Instead, have someone record your actions so you can watch them later yourself and tweak your performance. You might also be able to watch the recording of your hitting performance with a coach who can evaluate your performance.

The pros also know that good baseball hitting training includes lots of practice. You'll need to complete countless numbers of drills if you want to start seeing an improvement in how often your bat makes that connection with the ball.

Chris Moheno has a long time passion for sports in general and for baseball coaching more specifically.

His goal is to spread the word about effective non-fluff baseball training techniques for both more experienced and young baseball players, to help them perform better during the game. Discover more about baseball training secrets on baseballtrainingsecrets.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Moheno

Advanced Skills Tee by Muhl Tech

Advanced Skills Tee by Muhl Tech

Used by over 2000 high schools and colleges!

The AST (patented) is unlike any other swing trainer available.

Designed to help experienced players perfect their bat skills and begining players to learn proper mechanics, a forward arm and outside swing barrier simultaneously eliminate both "dipping" and "casting".

And, the height adjustable (24"-40"), movable arm positions the ball anywhere across the strike zone to realistically represent inside and outside pitch locations.

Use the AST to build a compact swing, keep the "hands inside the ball" and develop a "quick" bat. Use it to increase bat speed and learn to "hit the ball where it's pitched".

Includes a two-year warranty!

Why the Forward Arm?

In fact, the question should be "Why not a forward arm?". You don't hit the ball over the center of the plate (as traditional batting tees suggest). You make contact in front of the plate. But there are two other equally important reasons to use a forward arm design:

1. The forward arm eliminates "dipping" or dropping the hands and trailing shoulder to lift the ball with a "looping" type swing. If you "dip" with the AST, you hit the back of the arm. It forces you to take the bat straight down to the ball, leveling the swing at the point of contact.

2. The forward arm also pivots and rotates to place the ball on the inside or outside of the strike zone. Then, the arm points in the direction to drive the ball based on pitch location (i.e. pull the inside pitch, go with the outside pitch to the opposite field . . . "Hit the ball where it's pitched").



What is the Purpose of the Outside Barrier?

The outside barrier eliminates "casting". It keeps you form swinging "long" and helps you "keep the hands inside the ball". If the bat or arms are extended prematurely the bat head will slap the flexible upright barrier post. For years coaches have set a tee adjacent to a fence or screen to force hitters to compact their swing. The outside barrier does the same thing except it is a lot more effective. It rotates around the tee to accommodate LH or RH hitters and it moves along with the forward arm to help you keep the hands "tight" when you are working on inside and outside pitch locations. With the outside barrier you are forced to rotate the hips and torso and extend the hands only at the point of contact. It produces a "quick" bat and more power as well.

What Makes the Advanced Skills Tee™ So Durable?

The tubing for the AST is molded from polyurethane, using a open casting process. Polyurethane is a flexible material like rubber; however, polyurethane is much stronger and more durable than rubber (as much as 10 times more durable!). Wheels for roller blades, industrial rollers, and dimpled pitching machine balls are among the many items typically made with urethane. It's a great material for products that must withstand impact and stress yet remain flexible. Urethanes are expensive, and whilte the AST may cost more than a traditional rubber tee, it is guaranteed to last 10 times longer too. We back our Advanced Skills Tees with a two-year warranty.

Practical and Portable

The AST can be assembled or disassembled, by hand, for easy storage and transportation. And, it uses a hollow, canteen style base that is filled with sand or water (and sealed with a rubber plug). When filled, the base provides weight for stability and when empty, the base is light and portable.

Visit AdvancedSkillsTee.com for more info.

Baseball Training - The BatAction Machine Makes Learning to Hit Easy and Efficient!

The BatAction Hitting Machine is the Original Rotational Hitting Machine. The BatAction Machine is a great baseball training device for baseball players of all ages and ability levels. The BatAction Machine has an innovative patented design that has a ball suspended horizontally. This simple design makes learning to hit easy, simple and safe. When a player hits the BatAction Ball, the ball is driven forward and around the machine. The machine then stops the ball and returns it to the player.

The horizontal patented design of the machine suspends the ball in mid-air allowing the ball to react to bat contact like a real baseball or softball. The player can hit the ball moving or wait until the ball stops. The batter has ample time between swings to reset and prepare for the next swing. The Bat Action Machine allows the batter work at a comfortable speed and pace. There is no need for another person. The batter has to do nothing but swing the bat. The Bat Action Machine does everything else. These are no balls to gather, no balls to chase and no balls to pick up. There are no levers to press, balls to toss, or pedals to step on. The Bat Action is absolutely 100% energy efficient and it is so much fun to hit! It's no wonder; the Bat Action Machine is one of the most popular and best selling baseball training machines ever!

The BatAction Baseball Training Machine offers 5 great benefits:

1. The BatAction Machine has a large circle of ball movement - This large path of ball movement allows the batter to see, hit and track the ball before and after each swing. The BatAction ball movement closely simulates live pitching!

2. The BatAction Machine allows the batter to read swing contact. The ball is suspended in mid-air without cables, string, or ropes. This unique patented design allows the ball to react to bat contact much like a real ball. The batter receives instant feedback as to the quality and power of every swing. The batter can immediately read the ball after contact to see if the ball hit was a line drive, ground ball or fly ball. This instant feedback is extremely useful and beneficial to rapid skill improvement and bat speed development.

3. Every swing is a challenge - The BatAction Machine features a moving ball with adjustable speeds. Players really love the challenge and fun of seeing and hitting a moving ball. The harder a player hits the ball, the faster it will return. This ball movement keeps the batter challenged and motivated to practice more and more.

4. The BatAction Machine fast moving ball makes every swing a challenge - The BatAction Machine features a moving ball with adjustable speeds. Players really love the challenge and fun of seeing and hitting a moving ball. The harder a player hits the ball, the faster it will return. This ball movement keeps the batter challenged and motivated to practice more and more.

5. The BatAction Machine is a great trainer for planned or impulse training - The BatAction is often used as a hitting station for team training. It is great for these planned activities. But, one of the benefits that makes it one of the most popular home trainers ever, is the fact that it can be set up as a hitting station in the backyard. This makes the BatAction Machine always available to a hitter for fun and recreational use. These impulse workouts can be done alone, even when Dad or Mom is not at home. This is why the Bat Action Machine is often called the Backyard Basketball Goal for baseball and softball players. It is so much fun to hit that kids spend hours and hours of their free time hitting the fast moving ball. These fun workouts are the reason that BatAction Machine owners are some of the most dominate hitters in the game today.

For more BatAction Hitting Machine drills, tips, and coaching information visit the BatAction Training Blog. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, the "Hit2win Company". Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Dixon is widely recognized as an expert in the area of baseball training, practice and skill development. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of several of baseball and softball's most popular training products such as the Original BatAction Hitting Machine, SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, Original Hitting Stick, Hit2win Trainer, SKLZ Target Trainer, SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and Strikeback Trainer.

Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, Batting Cage Builder, the American Baseball Directory and the Hit2win Baseball Coaches Monthly Newsletter. Dixon has 5 blogs related to baseball training including the BaseballCoachingDigest Blog, CoachesBest Training Blog, Hurricane Machine Training Blog, Batting Cage Buyers Blog, and the Bat Action Training Blog.

Outfielder Fundamentals For Balls Hit Over the Head

By Steven Michael

From youth baseball to the big leagues some of the funniest and most game changing plays are when an outfielder must go back on a ball. The outfielder must turn and run to catch or retrieve a batted ball that is destined to land behind him. In particular, a ball that can be caught by the outfielder produces most of the problems. After all, the ball that can never be caught does not elicit the same adrenalin rush in the player -- they just run to where the ball lands, pick it up, and throw it in. All kinds of techniques are used by outfielders, but all the best outfielders do these fundamentals correctly.

Look Over the Shoulder
When batted balls are hit deeper than the outfielder is playing, he must go back on the ball. The drop step and straight angle are used to point the outfielder in the right direction. As he runs back to the ball, he should keep his shoulders square to the target -- in other words, perpendicular to the direction he is running. His head should be turned back toward the flight of the ball and he should be looking over his shoulder.

This fundamental has two important advantages. First, because the player is running with his torso (and shoulders) in line with the catch zone (the target), his arms and legs are also in line with the target. The primary means to running as fast as possible is moving the arms and legs along the running line. The outfielder maximizes his ability to cover ground when running after long fly balls this way.

Secondly, by turning his head so both eyes are on the ball, he optimizes his ability to continually read the ball's direction and speed. An outfielder should run so that his vision is clear and without distortion. If he were to only turn his head partially, he would probably only have one eye on the ball -- a bad distortion of his vision.

The Wrong Ways
Since I have explained the right way to run back on a ball, let's look at some incorrect ways. One blatantly wrong way is to backpedal. This goes against both edicts of playing the outfield; which are field the ball cleanly and get it back to the infield as efficiently as possible. Primarily, it slows the player down. He can't run nearly as fast backward as he can running forward -- he drastically reduces his chance to field the ball cleanly.

Backpedaling also has a much higher likelihood of making the player's vision distorted. Why? Because when you backpedal your heel is more easily prone to hitting the ground. This is because your heel is now facing the direction you are going. When running forward, the heel is facing the opposite direction. Try it now in your living room (if there's room). Running on your heels makes your head bounce which makes the ball look like it is bouncing as well -- distorted vision.

Backpedaling has a high likelihood of the player falling down. We have all seen outfielders going back on the ball by backpedaling and their legs get crossed. When they fall, base runners advance quickly, and the outfielder is embarrassed beyond measure. While this may be humorous, it does not help your team or the player.

The other outfield edict that is compromised by backpedaling is "efficiently get the ball back to the infield". When the player backpedals, his momentum is moving away from any throw. Even if he makes the catch, he must change direction and get his throwing momentum going back toward the infield. This results in wasted time which is not efficient.

Another incorrect method of going back on fly balls is more subtle than the backpedal. I call it the Side-Stride. In this move the outfielder does not get his shoulders completely turned toward the catch target. Instead he is only partially turned. This results in his arms and legs churning across the running line; which slows the player down. With only a partial turn, the outfielder can always keep both eyes on the ball though. Side-Striding is very prevalent in players of all ages. Make sure you do not fall in to this subtle, yet debilitating, habit. Thanks for reading!

Steven E. Michael played seven years of professional baseball in the Montreal Expos, Detroit Tigers and Milwaukee Brewers organizations. He played collegiately at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona earning All-Western Athletic Conference, All-College World Series, and Sporting News All-America honors.

His new book, "How To Play Baseball Outfield: Techniques, Tips, and Drills to Learn the Outfield Position" is available at http://www.stevenemichael.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_Michael

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Baseball Bunting - To Squeeze Or Not To Squeeze

By Mike Posey

In 1995, we won our first state championship. We had superior pitching that year with our top two arms going on to play Division I college baseball. During the playoffs that year we allowed only two earned runs and pitched several shutouts. In the finals we won 7-0 and 2-0, finishing the year at 31-4. But we almost lost in the first game of the playoffs. By far it was our most challenging opponent.

The final score in our first playoff game was 2-1. We were down 1-0 until the bottom of the seventh inning when we scored two runs, on consecutive squeeze bunts, to win the game.

Fast forward nine years later to 2004. We lost in the state championship game 2-0 in 10 innings. We hit a total of 41 homeruns that year. We had some outstanding players on that team, including four All State players, one All American, and the State Player of the Year. In the championship game, our starting pitcher struck out twelve opposing hitters in seven innings, but we could not score a run. In fact, that was the only time all year we failed to score a run. (We averaged almost eight runs per game).

Due to our offensive explosion that season, we did not rely much on bunting. In fact, early in the year we we missed a squeeze bunt and popped up into a double play at the plate. The rest of that season we really stayed away from the bunt, especially the squeeze. We had such a good hitting team that one of our players was always coming through with a clutch hit, at least until the championship game.

At the end of that season, our coaching staff decided that we would again dedicate ourselves to the bunt, regardless of our offense. Our teams over the years had been good bunting teams, something we really practiced hard to accomplish. But we did change one thing, we implemented the safety squeeze instead of a straight squeeze.

The safety squeeze is the best high percentage play in baseball for scoring a run. When executed properly the opposing team can not stop you from scoring a run. If the bunt is unsuccessful you will still have a runner at third base.

Here's how we implement the safety squeeze. First, the hitter looks for a good pitch. It's much like the sacrifice bunt, but we have them wait to square after the pitcher picks up his front foot to deliver the pitch. We try to pick out a time when the opposing team is least suspecting it as the element of surprise can really help.

Second, we want the batter to bunt a ball down the foul line (either line). If the pitch is not a strike or either the first baseman or third baseman charges hard, the hitter pulls back.

The runner must have a good walking lead from third base (length of the lead depends on whether the pitcher is in a stretch or wind up). The runner at third reads the bunt down on the baseline and continues to run towards home. If the bunt is not down or towards the lines the runner does not go. Pretty simple, but you have to spend time in practice to perfect the timing and execution.

Our players love to execute this play and it really turns the momentum in our favor. By the way, in 2007 we won another state championship. Down 2-0 in the 3rd inning we scored four runs, on three bunts and one safety squeeze. The defense feel apart.

Mike Posey has been a high school baseball coach for the past twenty-five years, winning multiple championships and coach of the year honors. He is also the creator and owner of Expert Baseball Tips Home of the Baseball eLessons virtual on line lessons to help players improve.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Posey

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BatAction.com

4 Baseball Pitching Drills For Little League Players

By Nick Dixon

Teaching, training and developing young baseball pitchers takes a lot of time, patience, and practice repetition. Many young pitchers need to practice pitching skills daily. To keep the interest level high, it is best to use a variety of drills on alternate days to prevent boredom. Here are 4 baseball pitching drills that can be used to train youth and beginner pitchers.

Drill #1 - Up & Out Foot Drill Objective - To help pitchers perfect the proper back leg action. The purpose of this drill is to stop foot drag and prevent over striding.

Equipment Needed - A brick, block or wood or other suitable object. The object will be placed at a location just in front of the pivot foot of the pitcher. The pitcher will be working out of the stretch. The pitcher should be reminded to roll and pick his back foot up so that it clears the object.

Procedure - The pitcher throws using his normal motion and delivery. If the pitcher fails to clear the object, then his back foot is "dragging" or he is over striding. Young pitchers should be coached to step out of the "hold" and up and over the block.

Drill #2 - Dot Spot Drill Objective - The purpose of this drill is to build confidence, to teach young pitchers to hit their spots and to teach young pitchers to have great control.

Equipment Needed - Good balls, Catching equipment, and glove.

Procedure - The catcher has 4 dots on his gear. The 4 dots or spots are different colors or they each have a number on them. The dots are taped to each knee on the shin guards and one to the left shoulder and right shoulder. The catcher or coach calls a color or a number. The pitcher must hit the dot called. The pitcher has 6 pitches to hit all 4 of the dots. All dots should be called in different orders each time. If the pitcher fails to hit 4 dots correctly, the pitcher must do 10 push ups. Two pitchers can compete to see which finishes first. The dots may be placed lower on the catcher to stress keeping the ball low or down in the zone. Drill

#3 Long Toss - Power Building Drill Pitchers should long toss several times a week to build strength and endurance. The two players should warm-up as usual and then move back a few steps after each 4 throws. Pitchers should be able to increase their strength and extend their distances within weeks. Pitchers of all ages should work out to a distance at least 3 times their normal pitching distance. Some coaches allow players to "crow hop" at the farthest distances. That is up to you.

Drill #4 - Front Side Drill Objective This drill is used to teach and reinforce the proper front shoulder action during delivery.

The drill is performed as the pitcher kneels on the pivot-leg knee. The pitcher will begin the drill with the throwing arm in the "T -position" and the stride foot aimed at the plate. The pitcher begins the throwing motion by pulling and tucking his front arm and glove. At the same time he is bringing his throwing arm and shoulder around and toward the plate. The drill should be performed many times to give the pitcher the feel of proper mechanics and front shoulder movement. The front elbow should be used as the guide for the front side. The glove should be extended out and tucked as the pitcher rolls his lead shoulder and pulls it in. This deceptive move is used to distract and deceive batters. The drill should be finished with the throwing arm in proper finish position outside the stride leg knee.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of BASEBALL HITTING, COACHING and TRAINING DVDs Check out the Bat Action Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, the "Hit2win Company". Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Dixon is widely recognized as an expert in the area of baseball training, practice and skill development. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of several of baseball and softball's most popular training products such as the Original BatAction Hitting Machine, SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, Original Hitting Stick, Hit2win Trainer, SKLZ Target Trainer, SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, Batting Cage Builder, the American Baseball Directory and the Hit2win Baseball Coaches Monthly Newsletter. Dixon has 5 blogs related to baseball training including the BaseballCoachingDigest Blog, CoachesBest Training Blog, Hurricane Machine Training Blog, Batting Cage Buyers Blog, and the Bat Action Training Blog.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

Coachesbest.com - Online coaching store with training equipment, DVDs, batting cages and pitching machines.

Becoming Good Baseball Players - Tips on Pitching

By Ruth Cracknell

Good baseball players need to learn to pitch. However, until a boy gets out of high school, he doesn't need to develop more than two basic pitches-the curve and the fast ball. In the first place, he'll get four pitches with the fast ball alone-low inside, low outside, high inside, high outside. Ditto the curve. If he then learns to change the speed of each pitch, he can double his assortment.

The overall grip is the same for the curve and fast ball; forefinger and middle finger spread in a comfortable V on top of the ball, thumb underneath. For the fast ball from the overhand or three-quarter delivery, the hand should be directly behind the ball. When the ball leaves the hand it should rotate upward, or toward the pitcher. To make this spin more effective, pitchers usually grip the ball across the stitches-some across the fat part of the figure 8 pattern, some at the narrow part.

To throw the curve, the pitcher makes the ball spin, or rotate, away from the hitter at an angle. He wants the ball to go out and down; not on a horizontal plane or "flat." To accomplish this, run the top fingers along the stitches. Go slowly through the delivery as with the fast ball.

At the forward snap of the wrist, twist the hand outward and bear down on the outside finger. Beginners should first learn to twirl the ball at the proper angle. (It's a good idea to paint a large black spot on one side of the ball to help get the correct angle to the spin.)

To improve a pitcher's control, managers might consider erecting a set of "strings". Here's how it's done: stretch a string between two poles, or trees at average shoulder height. Stretch out another one at knee height. Then tie two pieces of twine, 12" apart, to the top string and loop both around the bottom string. The rectangle forms the strike zone. To complete the job, build a pitching mound in front of the strings at the proper distance.

The Windup

Let's switch to the body movements now, using the three-quarter delivery as our example since it is the most popular. Two basic positions are employed-the full windup and the "stretch". The full windup is used mostly when the bases are unoccupied. In professional ball, it is used when runners are on 3rd, on 2nd and 3rd or on 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Pitchers usually "stretch" with runners on 1st, or 1st and 2nd, and also 1st and 3rd.

Good baseball players at eight years old probably should first be taught to throw from the stretch position and then gradually be introduced to the full windup. Before starting any move, the pitcher must learn how and where to stand on the mound. The rules say he must have one foot in contact with the pitching rubber until the ball is delivered.

This means his pitching foot-the right foot for a right hander, the left for a southpaw-is to be an the plate at the start of windup and remain in contact until the body is in the final part of the delivery cycle. (The pitcher cannot step forward to the pitching plate and make that part of the windup.)

The toe of the pitching foot ought to extend over the forward edge of the rubber with the heel on top. The weight should be on the back foot, located comfortably behind the rubber. The pitching hand holds the ball out of the batter's sight behind the pitching leg.

As soon as the pitcher gets his eyes on the target, with the catcher in proper receiving position, he can start his move.

Remember that faithful, regular practice is the best way to improve all aspects of your game. Good baseball players are made, not born!

Want All The Tips And Tricks To Have You Pitching

Baseball Like A Pro?

Visit: http://www.baseball-training.org

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Little League Baseball Pitching Mistakes - 4 Common Flaws and How to Correct Them

"4 Common Pitching Flaws
of Young Pitchers"


1. NOT SEEING THE TARGET - Teach pitchers to "lock in" on the chosen "target spot" during the delivery. I call these target "anchor points" . They may be the mitt, catchers knee, catchers mask, umpires mask, and other visual points. The "anchor points" vary with the pitch being thrown. When runners are on, make sure the pitcher "refocuses" on the target after checking the runner/runners and before throwing the pitch.
2. LANDING ON THE HEEL - Landing on the heel of the stride foot will cause control problems and excelerate fatigue. The pitcher should land softly on the "ball" of the stride foot. Landing on the front half of the stride foot reduces the "landing impact" to the pitcher's body thus helping to improve body control and pitch control. Control the body; control the pitch!

THROWING ACROSS THE BODY - This is caused when the pitcher strides to "closed" to allow a smooth delivery and follow through. The pitcher must throw across the body causing a "front hip lock" that prevents proper and adequate front hip movement and rotation. The pitcher should stride into "center zone" toward the plate to prevent this flaw.

3. POOR FOLLOW-THROUGH - The pitcher should finish low with a bent back and slightly bent front leg. The pitcher should strive to finish with the throwing arm outside of the knee and chest over thigh. The emphasis should be on achieving a smooth and proper follow through on every pitch.

Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine

Teaching Young Baseball Batters to Have Better Eye Focus and Visual Concentration

The eyes of the batter are his greatest asset. The batter must "see and think" with the eyes. A batter can know the count, know the situation, know the pitcher, and know how to swing, but if their eyes are weak or fail them, they will more than like suffer defeat at the plate. How many times have we heard a successful batter say that "I am really seeing the ball right now" or an unsuccessful batter say "I am not picking the ball up. I am not seeing the ball". There are many factors that affect the ability of the batter ability to see the baseball.

Factors and conditions such as the pitchers motion, the amount of sunlight or field lighting, the angle of the sunlight as to the time of day and the background in center field all can hamper or affect the ability of the batter to see the baseball. These factors we have little ability to change. However, we can minimize their affects by improving the ability of the batter to focus or see the baseball.

How should a batter use the eyes during the batting process? Does a batter simply step in the batters box, tap the plate with the bat, and start looking for the ball? Or is there a recommended process or procedure of using the eyes during the batting process? What should the batter focus the eyes on prior to the pitch? If you ask 10 batters, most likely, you will receive 5 different answers. Batters can be taught a technique that can increase the effectiveness and sharpness of eyesight during the batting process.

Batters should use two types of eye focus when batting. Batters should start with a "soft eye focus" to ease tension on the eyes, and then go to a hard eye focus when the pitcher starts the pitching motion. The batter begins the soft focus by looking at an area around the pitchers head and shoulders. The batters may soft focus on the pitchers cap. As the pitcher begins the pitching motion, the batter when then converts to a hard eye focus on the pitching arm shoulder area and the pitchers release point. During this crucial segment of the swing, the batter uses an extreme hard eye focus technique to pick up the ball. Using the soft to hard focus technique, batters tend to not lose concentration, suffer eye strain, and get too up-tight.

Coaching point: good teams and players read and identify certain tendencies by pitchers. The opposing pitcher should be observed and studied to determine his "arm slot" and "ball release point". Players should be doing this "observation" from the dugout and in the on-deck circle. Knowing the delivery motion, timing, and release point of the opposing pitcher allows batters to "pick up" or see the ball much quicker out of the hand of the pitcher. The ability to see the ball earlier increases the chances for a successful at-bat.

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Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, the "Hit2win Company". Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Dixon is widely recognized as an expert in the area of baseball training, practice and skill development. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of several of baseball and softball's most popular training products such as the Original BatAction Hitting Machine, SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, Original Hitting Stick, Hit2win Trainer, SKLZ Target Trainer, SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, Batting Cage Builder, the American Baseball Directory and the Hit2win Baseball Coaches Monthly Newsletter. Dixon has 5 blogs related to baseball training including the BaseballCoachingDigest Blog, CoachesBest Training Blog, Hurricane Machine Training Blog, Batting Cage Buyers Blog, and the Bat Action Training Blog.

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Baseball Hitting - The Basics to Success

By Chris Moheno

Baseball hitting is a lot more then just swinging a bat around and hoping to get lucky. When it comes to learning how to hit a baseball, you have to remember that there is a lot more skill, technique, and focus needed then meets the eye.

There has to be a lot of practice hours put in or you will never be able to swing the bat like some of the great names in baseball history. By practicing hard and keeping a few simple tips and hints in mind you will be able to swing like a pro in no time at all.

Remember though, besides hard-core technique, there is also a lot of room for the practice of visualization and positive thinking in your baseball training, which has proven to help many people.

If you have been swinging for a while but just want to learn to hit better the first thing you need to do is to avoid any major changes in your stance. Even though this seems a little bit backwards considering you are trying to hit better, it is an important move. Many players, even the not so great ones, naturally develop certain stances in order to make up for something such as a dominant right eye. Before you make any drastic changes make sure that you figure out why it is that you do what you do. If there is no reason for the stance, the grip, or the swing that you have other then laziness or lack of knowledge then it is time to get to work on that.

Time to get ready for the hit. If you do not have a lot of experience with this then make sure that you have a bat you are comfortable with and get up to bat. Get in a proper fitted stance. Keep your chin tucked in along with your front shoulder. Make sure that your head is completely turned so that you are able to clearly see the pitcher. Stay off of the heals of your feet by remaining on the balls of your feet. And most importantly, keep your head still. Even though you may find that over time your stance will change, it is extremely important to keep those simple things in line. Always stay on the balls of your feet and never take one eye off of the pitcher. These are the rules no matter what stance you adopt.

Time to select the right ball to hit. Even though you may be willing to swing at anything that comes at you it is important that you do not. Not every pitch is a good pitch. Be selective and be patient about it. There is no reason to go in overly aggressive. Just make sure that you are concentrating on putting the ball in play and use the entire field to do it. As you are waiting for the ball to come your direction you will want to carefully think through what it is that you are trying to do at the plate.

Imagine and envision yourself striking the bat against the ball. Picture complete batting success before you even have the chance to hit the ball in real life.

The last step would be to take all of the skills you have learned and hit the ball. Make sure that you swing with force and that you follow through with it. Imagine where in the field you are sending the ball and see what happens.

If you feel you need more help with your baseball hitting then you need to seek out some one on one help. Having someone right next to you through your baseball training is always a great thing to have. There are also many DVD's that are being sold in order to perfect your skill. Watching the exact technique played out is a great way to make sure that you are doing everything you should be doing.

Keep practicing and then one day everything will suddenly click and you will be hitting every ball that comes your way.

Chris Moheno has a long time passion for sports in general and for baseball coaching more specifically. His goal is to spread the word about effective non-fluff baseball training techniques for both more experienced and young baseball players, to help them perform better during the game.

Discover more about baseball training secrets on baseballtrainingsecrets.com

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Baseball Hitting Drills

By Kenny Buford

That One’s Outta There!

Nothing quite beats the sound of a bat cracking a pitch so perfectly that the batter barely even needs to look up to see it’s out of the park. A satisfying smile creeps across the batter’s face as they toss the vibrating bat aside, jogging the rounds of the bases with pride. The following baseball hitting drills aim to improve your team’s batting skills so that more players can experience the joy of cracking one out of the park.

Have your players perform the following hitting exercise at every practice to help them build muscle memory in the crucial lower body region. Each hitter takes a bat, places it behind their back and while gripping the bat firmly assume their hitting stance.

Next, have players take a stride inwards, then remove the top hand and use it to pull the bat around their waist. At this time, players are rolling up on their back foot and their knees and abdomen should be facing outwards, towards where the pitcher would be situation. From here, have players resume their normal stance before repeating 10 times. Players will begin to feel the improvements in their lower body muscles after just a few practices.

Arm Isolation

The first of the baseball hitting drills can be used to strengthen arm muscles and improve hitter confidence by hitting the ball using only one hand on the bat. Make sure that batter begin with the lead hand choked very high up the bat. Weaker players may need to place the hand from their weaker arm in the armpit of the batter arm for extra power and support.

Before attempting to hit, have players swing the bat a few times with just their lead arm. Make sure approach the pitches with caution, staying back on the ball as much as possible. Allow each player 5 successful hits before switching arms and performing double the reps with the weaker arm to build additional strength. After adding this to your arsenal of drills, players will ideally develop equal arm strength in each arm, or at least build crucial muscle memory in their weaker arm.

Don’t Hit the Chair

The next of the baseball hitting drills is perfect if you have a number of players on your team who cut too far upwards when hitting. To set up the drill, set up a batting tee at home plate and a folding chair behind the tee. The seat of the chair should be facing the tee and the tee should be slightly lower than the back of the chair.

Have your hitter approach the plate and assume their normal stance just behind the chair. Players are to swing and hit the ball through the hole in the chair, forcing players to accommodate a downward angle to their swing. I like to use metal folding chairs for this drill because of the loud sound made when players fail to add enough downward arc to their swing. This drill is great for players looking to develop their line drive hits as they are shown the ideal spot to hit the ball to produce such a result.

About The Author

Kenny Buford has coached nearly every level of baseball in a career that spans several decades. You can get instant access to his championship baseball practice plans and more baseball hitting drills by visiting his website:

http://www.Baseball-Practice-Plans.com/

For a limited time, all coaches who visit Kenny's site will also get a free copy of his special report: "The 7 Biggest Mistakes Baseball Coaches Make". Go get your free copy today!

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