Coaching and Player Tips of the Week
"Perfect Hitting"
There are so many "experts" who disagree on hitting techniques, approaches, and styles. If you talk to enough coaches you'll find each coach has a slightly different philosophy for hitting. A few coaches and instructors seem to have radical styles they say is the only way to hit. Trying to decide which is correct or which one to follow can be as confusing as a Massachusetts rotary. So what to do?
As a coach and personal lessons instructor I have done my best to be open minded, learn all the time, and try not to believe there is only one way when it comes to hitting. My personal approaches have varied over time and I have changed my personal instruction techniques. Being flexible I think has opened my understanding of hitting as to what works best not for everyone, but what works best for each player. Perfect hitting is different for everyone, and the perfect swing is not sold in a bottle.
An example of common swing instruction is "Squish the Bug". I have found this is one of the most confusing terms used in the baseball swing. I myself have a video talking about this term, but personally know it doesn't happen often in the "game swing". Squish the bug talks about the back foot rotating on the balls of the feet, this helps rotate the hips, keep the weight back, and fire the backside of the hitter. Well, many times the practice technique will not be the same as the game time 100% motion. Many things practiced or demonstrated by instructors are done in slow motion or half speed, and therefore the full game speed motion will be different. Balance points, leverage angles, reaction times, all these are usually different in full game speed time than during the usual practice speed. Knowing this will help players and coaches realize not all teaching methods are designed for a perfect swing, they are taught to "understand" the swing.
Squish the Bug is a common swing mechanic taught to understand the swing, but rarely happens the same way in game situation. Frank Thomas of the Chicago White Sox was famous for having his back foot clearly off the ground at contact.Would he have been a better hitter if he squished the bug? Would he have hit more home runs or had a higher batting average? That's not worth challenging right now. Frank Thomas had solid resistance off his front leg which helped his back side fire through. Brett Gardner of the Yankees barely turns his hips sometimes and slaps the ball around. The differences in hitting styles, hitting mechanics, and hitting approaches will always be varied. What you need to do is decide what is the perfect hitting style for you.
"Perfect Hitting" to me is the drive to give yourself the best opportunity to hit according to your style. If you are 10 years old playing little league, swinging like Ken Griffey Jr. probably doesn't make sense. Young athletes try to copy swings such as Ichiro, Dustin Pedroia, Prince Fielder. Are they choosing players that fit their own hitting styles, and can they handle those swing mechanics? I used to copy Rod Carew at age 15, and my mom used to ask me if I was sick or something. My simple hitting mechanics were now a train wreck! If you're built like Derek Jeter, Maybe swinging like David Ortiz isn't the right path to follow. Keeping things simple at the early ages is very important. As the players get older and stronger they will be able to handle some of the "adult" swing mechanics. Professional players have taken thousands of swing more than most of us, and they have swing coaches. The more extra movement we have in our swings, the more likely we are to groove poor mechanics. Groove the simple swing mechanics, you're own unique swing will develop in time.
Over time I have heard many different terms used to describe the swing mechanics. Some I agree with, some I listen to, give it an honest look, and decide it's not for me. But ..... maybe it's for someone else. As a coach I should be open minded to realize there are other ways to hit a baseball and find that direction for each player. As a player I must be open to learn new things that could help my swing, but I must believe in what works best for me. This belief is what creates confidence.
"Confidence". Over many years I have built up my confidence to a point where I feel I have the edge over the pitcher. I feel I have control over the situation. I look back to my younger years, it wasn't always like that. At 10 years old in little league, I was afraid of the ball and hit poorly. At 12 years old I was crushing the ball and couldn't wait for the next at bat. Then came curveballs, confidence dropped some. Then came the those guys throwing 80+MPH, scary! Confidence dropped a little more. Then, .... I read the book "Ted Williams Science of Hitting". He talked some about the swing mechanics, but mostly he talked about the approach to the plate. Being focused on getting a good pitch to hit, knowing what you might see from the pitcher, and according to your style use proper thinking which to me translated into "confidence". My hitting immediately changed for the better because I had a plan at the plate, I had confidence I could win the battle. I know some instructors don't believe in Ted Williams philosophy of hitting, but it made me believe in something and gave me confidence. Find a plan that give you confidence and you'll be able to attack as a hitter.
So, what type of hitter are you by style? Your style of hitting could determine your swing mechanics. Power hitter? Singles? High contact with power, maybe no power. Are you lefty or righty? Do you have running speed, are you a lead off guy? Make sure you are using swing mechanics that fit your style. Are you in little league, maybe in high school? Keep things simple early and naturally inprove your swing. What is your confidence level? Are you like that 12 year old who is hungry to pound the ball, or do you still have that 14 year old mental weakness of facing offspeed and power pitchers? Perfect hitting is a combination of physical swing mechanics that work for you, and a mental approach that gives you confidence. Have a solid practice plan both physically and mentally until you feel the ability to control your situation. Listen to your coaches knowing nobody has all the answers, but everyone has something useful to add to your hitting approach. Sometimes learning something that doesn't work is as useful to your education as something that boosts your batting average fifty points.
