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Baseball, the American pastime, is one of if not the most difficult sports to play successfully. In contrast, playing basketball involves shooting a ball into a stationary opening its size. Further, golf takes enough skill to hit a small ball from the ground at point A to the hole in the green at point B, also stationary. Baseball, on the other hand, requires the batter to swing a narrow bat at precisely the correct speed to contact a ball traveling at speeds up to ninety miles per hour. After many years of playing the sport, I still find hitting to be difficult and discouraging.
There are many processes involved in successful batting. The first step starts in the dugout or in the on-deck circle. It is here that the batter studies the pitcher. While watching the pitcher, you should analyze the delivery of the pitch and the different types of pitches that are thrown. Take note of pitching patterns for specific situations (pitch counts, number of outs, men on base, and left or right-handed hitters). Secondly, you need to know how to grip the bat.
Place the dominant hand above the off-hand near the base of the bat. The traditional method is to align the first knuckle of one hand with the second line of knuckles of the other. But your comfort is the key element in how to hold the bat. Gripping the bat at the knob will give you more power but less control.
Choke gripping, moving your hands up the barrel of the bat, will result in less power but more bat control during the swing. Thirdly, you need a stable base from witch to swing. Your feet should be perpendicular to home plate. Approximately, with the weight on the balls of your feet, stand with a sight bend at the knees and waist to improve balance. Swinging without a balanced base will reduce the chances of hitting the ball square. Also, stand with your upper body completely relaxed.
This allows a faster and on time swing. If your muscles are tense, you will tighten up when you swing and probably hit a foul or miss the pitch. As you are standing in the batter's box waiting for the pitcher to deliver his pitch, you need to be looking at the bill of his hat. This positions your eyes close to the area where the ball will bb seen first. This area is about one square foot in size and is located above the shoulder and beside the head of the pitcher. Follow the ball as he completes his delivery.
After it is released from the hand of the pitcher, determine whether the pitch is in your zone. You should decide by the time that the ball is halfway toward home plate. The physical part of the swing now begins. Like a gun, the swing has a starter mechanism or trigger.
This is where you shift your weight to your back foot and then stride with your front foot toward the pitcher. When you take your step back, you are generating power to swing the bat. You start your stride by turning your front knee inward as you lift your foot and put the body into a cocked position, ready to fire. Your bat then should go back as your front foot goes forward. Then with the stride completed and your bat launched forward, your swing begins to level off and the hips to pivot.
Leveling off the swing helps guarantee a hit that is a line drive or hard ground ball. Pivoting the hips also generates a magnificent amount of power to insure a solidly hit ball. As the swing progresses, the hips continue to pivot and the hands lead the bat through the strike zone. At the same time, your weight begins to shift forward and the back leg forms an "L. " The ideal point of contact is where your bat is well in front of the plate. You continue to drive forward forcefully, your back hand is moving as if you were to deliver a karate blow. The "L" of your back leg deepens as your upper body continues to rotate around a straight and firm front leg.
The last portion of the swing is the follow-through. Your head stays down and your arms are fully extended as your bat swings through the ball. Now your bat has made a full circle around your body and your top hand releases from it as you complete the follow-through and prepare to run. Indeed batting a baseball successfully is quite a challenge. Hitting a fast moving sphere with a round bat into fair territory is difficult, but in its own right. Furthermore, attempting to avoid any of the eight players trying to field it complicates the process.
Although it takes great effort, if considered and followed these steps can make hitting become easier. Good luck to you and enjoy. Bibliography:
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