Hey guys,
Sorry I've been away for a while. I've been super busy. In today's post, I want to talk about something that is a little different in the minds of other coaches than it is in mine. Too many youth coaches and even high school coaches have no idea how to make a batting order. You see 95% of teams with their order going from best hitters to worst hitters and that just can't be the case if you want maximum production from your lineup. What I want to do is just go from spots one to nine in the order and describe the types of hitters that should be in these spots. Here we go:
1- Most coaches get this one right, because it's easy. You want a guy with great discipline, speed, and contact abilities in your lead off spot. It also won't hurt to have a little power here. Nothing shuts a pitcher down more than a double in the gap to start the game. The main thing is he has to be a ball player. He has to be able to do everything with the bat.
2- This needs to be a guy who can go the other way well. Hopefully your leadoff man is on base and the 2 hitter has the chance to move him over or drive him in. He needs to have the ability to play small ball and it doesn't hurt to have speed. Once again, this guy needs to be one of your more rounded baseball players, at least in the hitting department.
3- He needs to mash. Strikeouts are at a minimum, average is high, and power production is high. This is your team's best hitter.
4- Similar to the 3 hitter, but your cleanup guy has a little more leeway for strikeouts and maybe a little lower average. Only slightly!
5- Another power guy, but maybe not polished enough to be in the 3 or 4 slots. He might have lower power numbers, but make sure he can get hits, because this is not a place where you want outs.
6- Do you have that guy on your team that when he hits it it goes, but otherwise he strikes out? We all do, and this is the spot for him.
7- Contrary to popular belief this is your weakest hitter. It's a great spot for him, because more often than not your 7 hitter isn't starting or ending an inning. Have a guy who can bunt here.
8- Here's where I get a little weird, but it's proven many times to work in my lineups. I have my second leadoff man in the eight spot. If you don't have a guy with speed, have a guy who doesn't strikeout in this spot. He needs to have a high on base percentage.
9- Obviously this is your second 2 hitter. The purpose of the 8 and 9 spots being a second 1 and 2 hitter is that you are rolling the order back over. The key to the big inning is being able to roll the order back around. You see most coaches body language change to, "well crap, this inning is done," when they get to 8 and 9, but the key to burying a team is to have a strong bottom so you can crush them with your top again.
Try this type of lineup out. You can literally try it anywhere; fantasy, video games, little league games, or anywhere else you are making out a lineup. It will give you the most statistical production every time.
Tip of the day: Make your lineup according to the talent that you have on your team. If your team doesn't have the talent to produce the order above then don't waste your time. Just get the most production you can out of the top of your lineup.
Thanks!
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
The Types of Loads
Hey Guys,
As promised, I wanted to tie the different types of loads into the last article. The type of load that you do is a timing mechanism. It really serves no other purpose. There is no answer to, "what's the best load?" Some guys like to be real quiet in their swing and others like to be very loud. It just depends on you and the type of hitter that you are:
The Stride: The most common of the loads; You see most guys use the stride as their load because they are able to easily get into the athletic position we talked about in the last article. This load can be performed out of an open, closed, or square stance. You simply stride your foot forward. You can look at many major league hitters on Youtube, but I think the best is Albert Pujols. Many people think that he is a no stride guy, but he actually does take a small stride.
No Stride: This is a more uncommon load, because most hitters do not have the athleticism to get their hips loaded while not taking a stride. To perform this load, you have to take your hips back away from your front leg to be able to properly use them in the swing. This load can only be performed out of the square stance. A great guy to watch for an example of this load is Jim Edmonds.
Leg Kick: Guys with good balance can use the leg kick in which the leg is pulled upward off the ground and then put back down. The difference between this and the stride is that the knee is pulled upward in the leg kick. This load can also be performed out of any of the stance styles. The guy to watch for an example of this load would be Alex Rodriguez. He does an awesome job of staying balanced so he's a good one to look at.
Toe Tap: A very athletic load that really gets your hips working in the swing. It can be performed out of any of the stance styles. In this load the front foot travels backwards, taps the ground, then gains ground forward. (hence toe tap) The most legendary of the toe tappers is Sammy Sosa. He performed the load out of an almost square stance. If you want to watch a guy perform it out of an open stance, the Chipper Jones is your guy.
These are just the most common loads. You can do anything you want to get your hips ready to hit on time with the pitch, but these are the ones that we see all the time in hitters. Make sure that the load that you choose to use is something that will not disrupt your timing. It has to be comfortable and natural for you. A load that is not comfortable with will lead to a lower batting average and less power. I can promise you that. Try them all out and let me know what you guys think. I'm glad to help with any video analysis or anything like that for explanation.
Tip of the Day: Know and accept your athleticism. Too many guys think that they are way more athletic than they are. In relation to the load the less athletic guys need to go with the quieter loads. It doesn't mean that you won't hit as well, it just means that timing up a pitch isn't as natural for you. You won't see very many of the less athletic players using a toe tap. For example, Albert Pujols: He's the best pure hitter in the game right now, but he is not as athletic as many of the other players in the major leagues, and it shows in his load. He's a simple stride guy. But him knowing and accepting his athleticism has led to his unprecedented success.
Hope it helps! Until next time!
As promised, I wanted to tie the different types of loads into the last article. The type of load that you do is a timing mechanism. It really serves no other purpose. There is no answer to, "what's the best load?" Some guys like to be real quiet in their swing and others like to be very loud. It just depends on you and the type of hitter that you are:
The Stride: The most common of the loads; You see most guys use the stride as their load because they are able to easily get into the athletic position we talked about in the last article. This load can be performed out of an open, closed, or square stance. You simply stride your foot forward. You can look at many major league hitters on Youtube, but I think the best is Albert Pujols. Many people think that he is a no stride guy, but he actually does take a small stride.
No Stride: This is a more uncommon load, because most hitters do not have the athleticism to get their hips loaded while not taking a stride. To perform this load, you have to take your hips back away from your front leg to be able to properly use them in the swing. This load can only be performed out of the square stance. A great guy to watch for an example of this load is Jim Edmonds.
Leg Kick: Guys with good balance can use the leg kick in which the leg is pulled upward off the ground and then put back down. The difference between this and the stride is that the knee is pulled upward in the leg kick. This load can also be performed out of any of the stance styles. The guy to watch for an example of this load would be Alex Rodriguez. He does an awesome job of staying balanced so he's a good one to look at.
Toe Tap: A very athletic load that really gets your hips working in the swing. It can be performed out of any of the stance styles. In this load the front foot travels backwards, taps the ground, then gains ground forward. (hence toe tap) The most legendary of the toe tappers is Sammy Sosa. He performed the load out of an almost square stance. If you want to watch a guy perform it out of an open stance, the Chipper Jones is your guy.
These are just the most common loads. You can do anything you want to get your hips ready to hit on time with the pitch, but these are the ones that we see all the time in hitters. Make sure that the load that you choose to use is something that will not disrupt your timing. It has to be comfortable and natural for you. A load that is not comfortable with will lead to a lower batting average and less power. I can promise you that. Try them all out and let me know what you guys think. I'm glad to help with any video analysis or anything like that for explanation.
Tip of the Day: Know and accept your athleticism. Too many guys think that they are way more athletic than they are. In relation to the load the less athletic guys need to go with the quieter loads. It doesn't mean that you won't hit as well, it just means that timing up a pitch isn't as natural for you. You won't see very many of the less athletic players using a toe tap. For example, Albert Pujols: He's the best pure hitter in the game right now, but he is not as athletic as many of the other players in the major leagues, and it shows in his load. He's a simple stride guy. But him knowing and accepting his athleticism has led to his unprecedented success.
Hope it helps! Until next time!
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Is There a Correct Stride Length?
Okay,
So today I wanted to talk about something that is taught a whole bunch of different ways out there. The stride length of your load phase. Now there are a lot of new school thinkers popping up around there that are teaching what I am (which is right), but there are still the old schoolers who think that there is an answer to the stride length. It really isn't clear cut. The stride has to be different for every hitter. It drives me crazy when I listen to hitting coaches preach a 3 inch stride or a six inch stride or a no stride approach. How about we let the hitter do what works for him, but perfect it? Now, I am not saying that every stride you could possibly think of is good. There are definitely some things to watch out for.
The No No's:
These are a little off topic, but it's never too early to eliminate these awful habits. I will talk more about these and tie all of it together with a later piece on the different types of loads.
1. Bat wrap- Too many guys think because a couple of major league hitters can get away with wrapping the bat way around their head that they can do the same. Most of the time, you can't. It's no secret that it lengthens your path to the ball. Unless you're an absolute stud, I would recommend that you stay away from it. And even if you are that absolute stud, I'd tell you to kick the habit because a top level pitcher will get you out 99% of the time.
2. Too much Negative movement of the Head- I'm not saying that you don't need to move negatively into the ball, because you definitely do. But do it with your hips. Have your hips travel backward in your load and try and keep your head movement as minimal as possible. The rock-back loads are fine, but once you start letting your head travel way back and then forward again, you will find yourself not squaring the ball up as much.
3. Keeping Your Front Foot Closed- Yep, I said it. It may be the most controversial thing that I preach, but give me a minute and it will make sense. My theory is load with your big toe pointed at first base. (slightly open) Why? It allows your hips to travel a few inches further around your axis of rotation. (the line down the middle of your body that you rotate on) If you don't think that those extra few inches will give your more power through the baseball, let me pose you this question. Does a shot putter keep his front foot closed as he throws the shot put? No! He gets everything that he possibly can out of his hips and lower half. Obviously, we can't spin around like shot putters, but I think we can get a little more out of the lower half by opening it up slightly and allowing it to rotate further.
*I struggled to find a hitter in the load position, but here's a picture of Prince at contact. Look at that front foot pointed right at third base. (It would be first for a righty)
The Stride:
Like I said before, there are too many hitters trying to clone the load phases of swings. Hitters need to stride based on how their stance is. The proper stride length is actually very simple. Narrow stance hitters such as Babe Ruth or Ichiro will take a rather large stride, possibly a foot or more. Moderately wide hitters such as Alex Rodriguez or a guy like Manny Ramirez will take a middle of the road stride, and a very wide hitter like Albert Pujols will take little to no stride. The common denominator is that they all load to the athletic position. You know, stand like you're guarding someone in basketball, then pick up the bat. That's the position where your body produces optimum power.
The Main Point:
The main point is that there is no set in stone way to get to the athletic, loaded position. No matter what hitting coach tells you there is, it's just flat out wrong. I touched on the phases of the load very little, but will put out another piece on the different types of loads to tie this all together. I wanted the main focus to be on the stride. Try these different things out, see what works for you, and mash the baseball.
Tip of the Day: Find a stance and a stride that you are comfortable with and go with it. Do not constantly change the stance and the stride, because it will constantly change the muscle memory of the swing. Chances are if you had a bad day, unless you have severe problems, it wasn't your stance or your stride that caused it.
Thanks!
So today I wanted to talk about something that is taught a whole bunch of different ways out there. The stride length of your load phase. Now there are a lot of new school thinkers popping up around there that are teaching what I am (which is right), but there are still the old schoolers who think that there is an answer to the stride length. It really isn't clear cut. The stride has to be different for every hitter. It drives me crazy when I listen to hitting coaches preach a 3 inch stride or a six inch stride or a no stride approach. How about we let the hitter do what works for him, but perfect it? Now, I am not saying that every stride you could possibly think of is good. There are definitely some things to watch out for.
The No No's:
These are a little off topic, but it's never too early to eliminate these awful habits. I will talk more about these and tie all of it together with a later piece on the different types of loads.
1. Bat wrap- Too many guys think because a couple of major league hitters can get away with wrapping the bat way around their head that they can do the same. Most of the time, you can't. It's no secret that it lengthens your path to the ball. Unless you're an absolute stud, I would recommend that you stay away from it. And even if you are that absolute stud, I'd tell you to kick the habit because a top level pitcher will get you out 99% of the time.
2. Too much Negative movement of the Head- I'm not saying that you don't need to move negatively into the ball, because you definitely do. But do it with your hips. Have your hips travel backward in your load and try and keep your head movement as minimal as possible. The rock-back loads are fine, but once you start letting your head travel way back and then forward again, you will find yourself not squaring the ball up as much.
*I struggled to find a hitter in the load position, but here's a picture of Prince at contact. Look at that front foot pointed right at third base. (It would be first for a righty)
The Stride:
Like I said before, there are too many hitters trying to clone the load phases of swings. Hitters need to stride based on how their stance is. The proper stride length is actually very simple. Narrow stance hitters such as Babe Ruth or Ichiro will take a rather large stride, possibly a foot or more. Moderately wide hitters such as Alex Rodriguez or a guy like Manny Ramirez will take a middle of the road stride, and a very wide hitter like Albert Pujols will take little to no stride. The common denominator is that they all load to the athletic position. You know, stand like you're guarding someone in basketball, then pick up the bat. That's the position where your body produces optimum power.
The Main Point:
The main point is that there is no set in stone way to get to the athletic, loaded position. No matter what hitting coach tells you there is, it's just flat out wrong. I touched on the phases of the load very little, but will put out another piece on the different types of loads to tie this all together. I wanted the main focus to be on the stride. Try these different things out, see what works for you, and mash the baseball.
Tip of the Day: Find a stance and a stride that you are comfortable with and go with it. Do not constantly change the stance and the stride, because it will constantly change the muscle memory of the swing. Chances are if you had a bad day, unless you have severe problems, it wasn't your stance or your stride that caused it.
Thanks!
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Okay,
So I promised a good pitching article today so here we go:
It's a great way to increase your velocity and control. The secret is throwing away the balance point. This old school way of thinking is flat out wrong. The pitching motion needs to be one fluid motion. Sure you have to be balanced throughout your motion but stopping with your leg up in the air is just pointless. It all goes back to the old "an object in motion tends to stay in motion" thing. Well it's true. If you're stopping in your motion at any point you are shutting down your velocity and may throw off your control depending on how balanced you are in your "balance point". If you have an old school coach teaching this, I am not saying he's a bad coach, I am just saying try it. Try taking all the jerks and stops out of your motion and see what you think. Let me know. Give me some feedback. It's a theory that I want some feedback on other than the new school guys that are teaching it. Please feel free to post questions on my page. I'll be back next time with an article on the stance and stride in relation to hitting.
Thanks!
Tip of the Day: The best thing for your arm health and developing arm strength is long toss. There is no secret to adding strength and keeping your arm healthy. THROW! No weight program will help you develop arm strength. I don't care what they tell you. If you live in an area where you can't throw all year round then get ahold of an orthopedic band and work that rotator cuff. That's the second best thing you can do for your arm if you can't throw.
Until next time!
So I promised a good pitching article today so here we go:
It's a great way to increase your velocity and control. The secret is throwing away the balance point. This old school way of thinking is flat out wrong. The pitching motion needs to be one fluid motion. Sure you have to be balanced throughout your motion but stopping with your leg up in the air is just pointless. It all goes back to the old "an object in motion tends to stay in motion" thing. Well it's true. If you're stopping in your motion at any point you are shutting down your velocity and may throw off your control depending on how balanced you are in your "balance point". If you have an old school coach teaching this, I am not saying he's a bad coach, I am just saying try it. Try taking all the jerks and stops out of your motion and see what you think. Let me know. Give me some feedback. It's a theory that I want some feedback on other than the new school guys that are teaching it. Please feel free to post questions on my page. I'll be back next time with an article on the stance and stride in relation to hitting.
Thanks!
Tip of the Day: The best thing for your arm health and developing arm strength is long toss. There is no secret to adding strength and keeping your arm healthy. THROW! No weight program will help you develop arm strength. I don't care what they tell you. If you live in an area where you can't throw all year round then get ahold of an orthopedic band and work that rotator cuff. That's the second best thing you can do for your arm if you can't throw.
Until next time!
Monday, January 14, 2013
Hey guys,
I apologize for the long break. With the holidays and everything else, I have been very busy. Today I wanted to talk about a very important aspect in the game of baseball. No it's not about hitting or pitching or defense. It's about translating your off the field behavior into your on field play. I have heard too many stories lately of guys in all sports lately making horrible decisions off the field that affect their play and many times end their career. Often times the guy who does things right off the field goes forgotten. He's not the cool kid out at parties and hanging out with all of the best looking girls. No, he's the freak who stays home and studies so he can have a better future. He's the guy who spends hours in the cage rather than hours out doing stupid things with his friends. That guys goes unforgotten, maybe for a long time. If you've seen the movie "Trouble with the Curve" you'll understand my reference. Bo Gentry is the all star ball player in the movie wanted by all the big league clubs. Quite honestly, he's a pest. He's got all the tools, but is a horrible teammate and acts like a jackass off the field. Forgive me, but I only remember him as "peanut boy" is the kid in the movie who works for his mom so much and studies so much that he can't play baseball, but secretly he pumps 95 from the left side. It's a perfect example of the forgotten, and in this case, not even known worker. And of course in the end Gentry pays for his act with peanut boy striking him out time after time and signing a pro contract. For all you kids out there that want to act like an idiot, but then get paid the big bucks for whatever it is you dream of, ask yourself this: Who do I look up to? More often than not, you find kids looking up to the guy who does it right off the field, because he's having the most success, not only in his profession, but in his life as well. I'm sorry that I had to stray from baseball a little bit, but it was really on my mind and I think it can be very beneficial to any aged player. I'll be back tomorrow with a piece on pitching that you won't want to miss.
Thanks!
I apologize for the long break. With the holidays and everything else, I have been very busy. Today I wanted to talk about a very important aspect in the game of baseball. No it's not about hitting or pitching or defense. It's about translating your off the field behavior into your on field play. I have heard too many stories lately of guys in all sports lately making horrible decisions off the field that affect their play and many times end their career. Often times the guy who does things right off the field goes forgotten. He's not the cool kid out at parties and hanging out with all of the best looking girls. No, he's the freak who stays home and studies so he can have a better future. He's the guy who spends hours in the cage rather than hours out doing stupid things with his friends. That guys goes unforgotten, maybe for a long time. If you've seen the movie "Trouble with the Curve" you'll understand my reference. Bo Gentry is the all star ball player in the movie wanted by all the big league clubs. Quite honestly, he's a pest. He's got all the tools, but is a horrible teammate and acts like a jackass off the field. Forgive me, but I only remember him as "peanut boy" is the kid in the movie who works for his mom so much and studies so much that he can't play baseball, but secretly he pumps 95 from the left side. It's a perfect example of the forgotten, and in this case, not even known worker. And of course in the end Gentry pays for his act with peanut boy striking him out time after time and signing a pro contract. For all you kids out there that want to act like an idiot, but then get paid the big bucks for whatever it is you dream of, ask yourself this: Who do I look up to? More often than not, you find kids looking up to the guy who does it right off the field, because he's having the most success, not only in his profession, but in his life as well. I'm sorry that I had to stray from baseball a little bit, but it was really on my mind and I think it can be very beneficial to any aged player. I'll be back tomorrow with a piece on pitching that you won't want to miss.
Thanks!
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Hey guys,
So I wanted to touch on another hitting topic today. I've been watching a lot about the recent off-season action and hitting has been on my mind. What I wanted to talk about in this post is the stance. In talking to many hitting coaches, you will find many who tell you that the stance doesn't matter. It's just a matter of where you feel comfortable. Here's my problem with that: What about the kid who feels comfortable with his back leg crossed over his front leg, his hand opposite of what they are supposed to be, and his arms behind his back. (Try that in your seat:) Sure that's an extreme case, but you get the point. The stance MUST be athletic. Then the question becomes feet and hand placement in the stance. So here we go:
First let's talk about the feet. Basically there are two types of stances, open and squared. The people who try to argue closed stances with me crack me up, because it allows me to see the coaches who will teach their players to be lazy. If you teach a closed stance, you may want to consider that you are just teaching kids to compensate for the bad habit of stepping out. If you have a problem stepping out, quit being lazy and engrave the right movements into your muscle memory.
Open Stance: An open stance is used so that you can more effectively put two eyes on the pitcher to better track the flight and spin of the baseball. When using an open stance, stand how you're comfortable, but make sure you are in an athletic position. (If someone pushes you, you are sturdy enough to stay balanced) A very important thing when using an open stance is to make sure that your load gets you back to squared. Otherwise, you are letting all of your power from your legs escape.
*Notice Marc Texiera's open batting stance. He is very athletic, but also one of the most open stances in the major leagues.
Squared Stance: Nothing wrong with the good old squared stance. Feet even, nice and powerful in the legs, and let it fly:)
*Albert Pujols, arguably the best hitter in baseball in a squared (maybe VERY slightly open) stance.
The bottom line is that both of these hitters are very successful, but look very different. The key is that they both in an athletic and comfortable position to hit.
Now that we've touched on the placement of the hands, let's touch on the also important aspect of placement of the hands. You see many different hand placements all throughout baseball. Craig Counsil always comes to mind, with the hands up over his head. My theory on the is simple really. Stand in an open area and throw a punch as hard as you possibly can. Where did your hands start? That's where they should start in your swing. In a punch, you are using the rest of your body to deliver your hands to the target as quickly, and as powerful as possible. It should be no different in a swing. Your hands are simply along for the ride. So put them in a place where they can easily get to the baseball with as much power as possible.
Tip of the Day: When finding a stance that works for you, use the one where you feel your body being the most free and easy. "Slow is fast. Fast is slow." A nice and relaxed stance, while still remaining athletic will yield your best bat speed results.
So I wanted to touch on another hitting topic today. I've been watching a lot about the recent off-season action and hitting has been on my mind. What I wanted to talk about in this post is the stance. In talking to many hitting coaches, you will find many who tell you that the stance doesn't matter. It's just a matter of where you feel comfortable. Here's my problem with that: What about the kid who feels comfortable with his back leg crossed over his front leg, his hand opposite of what they are supposed to be, and his arms behind his back. (Try that in your seat:) Sure that's an extreme case, but you get the point. The stance MUST be athletic. Then the question becomes feet and hand placement in the stance. So here we go:
First let's talk about the feet. Basically there are two types of stances, open and squared. The people who try to argue closed stances with me crack me up, because it allows me to see the coaches who will teach their players to be lazy. If you teach a closed stance, you may want to consider that you are just teaching kids to compensate for the bad habit of stepping out. If you have a problem stepping out, quit being lazy and engrave the right movements into your muscle memory.
Open Stance: An open stance is used so that you can more effectively put two eyes on the pitcher to better track the flight and spin of the baseball. When using an open stance, stand how you're comfortable, but make sure you are in an athletic position. (If someone pushes you, you are sturdy enough to stay balanced) A very important thing when using an open stance is to make sure that your load gets you back to squared. Otherwise, you are letting all of your power from your legs escape.
Squared Stance: Nothing wrong with the good old squared stance. Feet even, nice and powerful in the legs, and let it fly:)
*Albert Pujols, arguably the best hitter in baseball in a squared (maybe VERY slightly open) stance.
The bottom line is that both of these hitters are very successful, but look very different. The key is that they both in an athletic and comfortable position to hit.
Now that we've touched on the placement of the hands, let's touch on the also important aspect of placement of the hands. You see many different hand placements all throughout baseball. Craig Counsil always comes to mind, with the hands up over his head. My theory on the is simple really. Stand in an open area and throw a punch as hard as you possibly can. Where did your hands start? That's where they should start in your swing. In a punch, you are using the rest of your body to deliver your hands to the target as quickly, and as powerful as possible. It should be no different in a swing. Your hands are simply along for the ride. So put them in a place where they can easily get to the baseball with as much power as possible.
Tip of the Day: When finding a stance that works for you, use the one where you feel your body being the most free and easy. "Slow is fast. Fast is slow." A nice and relaxed stance, while still remaining athletic will yield your best bat speed results.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
The Most Important Part of the Swing
Hey guys! Okay so here we go with my first baseball related post. I wanted to kick this thing off with a bang by talking about something that most people don't talk about all that often. What is the most important part of the swing? If you ask most hitting coaches I'm sure you would get a large variety of answers from stance to the head to bat path. If you answered head you would be neary correct, but you would say head because you've never been forced to really think about the game. Baseball has become a regurgitation sport. Psychologically, we take the first thing that we hear when learning about whatever it is and we tend to be bias towards that philosophy. Honestly, that is the way that high school students take their classes. The teacher does a problem and the students copy the steps. My challenge to my followers is going to be to start thinking of the game like a college course. Develop your own ideas. Now here is the correct answer to the most important part of the swing: the eyes. Now, how many coaches are spending any time talking about the eyes? Hardly any. I've seen thousands of videos, attended seminars, and attended camps and have yet to hear a coach talk about the eyes. The only person I've heard talk about the eyes is Ted Williams back in his day. I don't know about you guys but I'd say he was a pretty successful hitter. He went on record saying that his eyesight was the key to his success about the hitter. If you disagree with my statement and think that something else is a more important aspect to your swing, go ahead and close your eyes while doing everything else right. Now swing at 100 batting practice pitches. Could you even hit one? My guess is probably not and my point is therefore proven. This all begs the question of how do we improve our baseball eyesight. There are a few key drills that many hitters do frequently. They take no time at all. Do them once a day and I guarentee you will be seeing the baseball better. These drills are taken from some of the leading optomotrists in the world. They are designed to help you recognize speed, trajectory, and spin of the baseball so without any further nonsense, here you go. (I apologize, I don't have any unique names for the drills:)
The pencil focus drill: Take two pencils or any other type of writing utensil. Hold one out at arms length and the other in near your nose. Hold the one at arms length a little higher simulating a mound. For twenty-five reps shift the focus of your eyes from near to far and then try to speed it up for the next twenty-five. DON'T CHEAT! The point of the drill is to get focused on the tips of the pencils. If you are merely switching your eyes you will do nothing for your sight of the baseball.
The Hypnosis Drill: Take a necklace or anything else hanging from a chain and dangle it in front of your face. Start swinging it side to side, in circles both ways, and back to front. As if you are hypnotizing yourself follow it with your eyes. You will be astounded with what this will do to your ability to pick up the trajectory of the baseball.
The Fan Drill: Good luck here beginners. Pick a blade on a ceiling fan and try to follow it as it travels around. This should be incredibly difficult. As you get better, adjust the speed of the fan. This is also great for picking up the trajectory and also the speed of the baseball.
Guys seriously, these drills will take you five minutes. Do them before you go to bed. You will be amazed at what they do for your hitting. I'm not saying don't do your tee work or take BP, but these drills will do more than any amount of hacks in the cage will ever do. Let me know how you like these. If you like them, I have plenty more that you can do.
P.S. If you've heard of these drills that's awesome! I would reccomend that you stay with whatever coach taught them to you or your kid, because he understands the evolution of the game of baseball. Also, see sports eye site on google. You'll love it!
Tip of the day: When hitting front toss, BP, or in a game focus on something out in center field before the pitcher begins his motion, then move your eyes into a fine focus on the release point. Relax your eyes before the pitch. Just like any other muscle in the body the eyes will work quicker when relaxed.
The pencil focus drill: Take two pencils or any other type of writing utensil. Hold one out at arms length and the other in near your nose. Hold the one at arms length a little higher simulating a mound. For twenty-five reps shift the focus of your eyes from near to far and then try to speed it up for the next twenty-five. DON'T CHEAT! The point of the drill is to get focused on the tips of the pencils. If you are merely switching your eyes you will do nothing for your sight of the baseball.
The Hypnosis Drill: Take a necklace or anything else hanging from a chain and dangle it in front of your face. Start swinging it side to side, in circles both ways, and back to front. As if you are hypnotizing yourself follow it with your eyes. You will be astounded with what this will do to your ability to pick up the trajectory of the baseball.
The Fan Drill: Good luck here beginners. Pick a blade on a ceiling fan and try to follow it as it travels around. This should be incredibly difficult. As you get better, adjust the speed of the fan. This is also great for picking up the trajectory and also the speed of the baseball.
Guys seriously, these drills will take you five minutes. Do them before you go to bed. You will be amazed at what they do for your hitting. I'm not saying don't do your tee work or take BP, but these drills will do more than any amount of hacks in the cage will ever do. Let me know how you like these. If you like them, I have plenty more that you can do.
P.S. If you've heard of these drills that's awesome! I would reccomend that you stay with whatever coach taught them to you or your kid, because he understands the evolution of the game of baseball. Also, see sports eye site on google. You'll love it!
Tip of the day: When hitting front toss, BP, or in a game focus on something out in center field before the pitcher begins his motion, then move your eyes into a fine focus on the release point. Relax your eyes before the pitch. Just like any other muscle in the body the eyes will work quicker when relaxed.
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