If you have attended more than one baseball camp in your lifetime, then you have experienced more than a couple theories on how to drive or throw your hands to the baseball. Chances are, you have probably experienced a couple different theories on when to throw the hands as well. Whatever the case, there are certain aspects of driving the hands that are non-negotiable.
If you have been following my previous articles then you know by know that everything starts in the load and with proper pitch recognition. I don't care how good of an athlete your player is, if he doesn't separate the plate, and doesn't understand that you have more than one baseball swing, then his batting progression is dead in the water. So to repeat, separate the zone into 3 separate sections, L for left, C for Center, and R for Right. Each zone has a slightly different swing or commitment, and thus our hands drive differently depending pitch.
Once players establish which field they want to the ball, I tell them to draw a 45 degree angle from the knob of the bat towards the ground. When players drive their hands, or release their hands to the baseball, they should drive them along that angle. The actual angle the hands travel along is quite different than 45 degrees. However, this visual helps to develop the mindset of driving down toward the baseball instead of up. Driving down through the zone will result in more line drives and hards hits opposed driving up resulting in more fly balls.
As players get older and develop stronger forearm muscles and wrists, players should actually drive towards the baseball leading with their bottom hand wrist. This will keep the hands slightly "cocked back", and will not only increase a players chance to stay inside the baseball, but create more "bat whip" through contact as the wrist snaps through the zone. The key is keeping the hands ahead of the barrel and tight to the body. Leading with the hands or knob of the bat properly also creates a "power V".
I have heard the "Power V" explained in a few different manners, however I believe the "Power V" runs from the cap of the baseball bat, down to the "cocked back" wrists, and along the top hand forearm. As players drive their body and hands to the baseball, it will create a V. The point of the V will basically face the pitcher and the open part of the V facing the catcher. As a batter approaches contact, the V will begin to release until forming an L just after contact. This release through the zone is the acceleration of bat to contact. As a reminder, the hands should be just ahead of the barrel on contact.
One common mistake during this portion of the swing is to extend the hands to far from the body and contact the ball out in front of the plate. Because players are told to "see the ball hit the bat" or "square up" a pitch, they tend to attack the baseball out in front of their body which causes them to loose the majority of their power. In real time, players only extent their hands about 2-4 inches before contact depending on the location of the pitch. The further we extend our hands pre contact, the slower our bat speed, the less extension we are able to gain after contact, and thus our average and power will suffer.
When players attack the ball out in front, their confidence may be suffering and/or the are trying to "see the ball hit the baseball bat". In my opinion, this phrase is one of the worst phrases to tell a young hitter. Not because I don't want him to keep his head and eyes on the baseball, but because it will cause players to extend their hands and arms to far foreword before contact. If you watch any hitter, their eyes are actually focused approximately 10 to 15 feet out in front of the plate. From their, a player uses their tracking skills to project their contact point. Trying to "see the ball hit the bat" is nearly impossible, and trying to do so will cause players to consistently miss hit pitches and struggle to maintain good timing.
Another common mistake that will cause players to extend their hands to the baseball, is the idea of what it means to hit the ball square. In most demonstrations, coaches will show players that the hands are even with the barrel of the baseball bat on contact. From a players perspective, this looks like you should extend your hands to ball at a greater distance than really needs be. This false visual representation of the swing will cause players to strive for bad mechanics.
As a result, I use two concepts to help my players avoid such traps. First, I tell my players that they want to let the baseball travel so long, that they feel they are picking the baseball out of the catchers mitt. Second, players should feel like they are scraping their knuckles against the inside part of the baseball. These two concepts will help to keep your player in the mindset that they want to let the ball get deep in the zone and drive their hands ahead of the barrel.
Among many of the great drills out there to help players perform this step of the baseball swing, I like to use a drill I call "Chopping Wood". "Chopping Wood" is a drill that latterly forces players to drive their hands towards the field of play while keeping the bat back. The biggest obstacle to making adjustments with players is taking them outside of their comfort zone. Most players will complain that something doesn't feel comfortable or an adjustment doesn't feel right. This is actually a good sign because that means you are making progress. If a player is comfortable with an adjustment that he has made for the first time then he really hasn't made an adjustment.
For the "Chopping Wood" Drill you are going to need two tees. Place one tee about 1 ft to 18 inches directly in front of the other tee facing center field. Once aligned, lower the height of the first tee to thigh height and raise the back tee to a height that is just under the rib cage of the player. The front foot of the player should lined up directly with the front tee. Place one ball on the front tee and have players swing.
When done correctly this over trains players keep their hands tight along their body and move them forward instead of pulling off or sweeping around pitches. A long batting swing will inevitably cause a player to contact the back tee and not allow him to continue to the baseball on the front tee. Note, if players swing over the top of the back batting tee they are performing the batting drill wrong and are extending too far out with their hands.
If you incorporate this batting drill in your next batting training session you will see amazing improvement in your players ability to drive the baseball. He may struggle with it at first, but after 10 to 12 swings he will begin making adjustments and improve his mechanics. Always drive your hands down toward the zone and to the field you want to hit the baseball At the end of the day, this will help increase you average, power, and make you a more consistent hitter.
If you have been following my previous articles then you know by know that everything starts in the load and with proper pitch recognition. I don't care how good of an athlete your player is, if he doesn't separate the plate, and doesn't understand that you have more than one baseball swing, then his batting progression is dead in the water. So to repeat, separate the zone into 3 separate sections, L for left, C for Center, and R for Right. Each zone has a slightly different swing or commitment, and thus our hands drive differently depending pitch.
Once players establish which field they want to the ball, I tell them to draw a 45 degree angle from the knob of the bat towards the ground. When players drive their hands, or release their hands to the baseball, they should drive them along that angle. The actual angle the hands travel along is quite different than 45 degrees. However, this visual helps to develop the mindset of driving down toward the baseball instead of up. Driving down through the zone will result in more line drives and hards hits opposed driving up resulting in more fly balls.
As players get older and develop stronger forearm muscles and wrists, players should actually drive towards the baseball leading with their bottom hand wrist. This will keep the hands slightly "cocked back", and will not only increase a players chance to stay inside the baseball, but create more "bat whip" through contact as the wrist snaps through the zone. The key is keeping the hands ahead of the barrel and tight to the body. Leading with the hands or knob of the bat properly also creates a "power V".
I have heard the "Power V" explained in a few different manners, however I believe the "Power V" runs from the cap of the baseball bat, down to the "cocked back" wrists, and along the top hand forearm. As players drive their body and hands to the baseball, it will create a V. The point of the V will basically face the pitcher and the open part of the V facing the catcher. As a batter approaches contact, the V will begin to release until forming an L just after contact. This release through the zone is the acceleration of bat to contact. As a reminder, the hands should be just ahead of the barrel on contact.
One common mistake during this portion of the swing is to extend the hands to far from the body and contact the ball out in front of the plate. Because players are told to "see the ball hit the bat" or "square up" a pitch, they tend to attack the baseball out in front of their body which causes them to loose the majority of their power. In real time, players only extent their hands about 2-4 inches before contact depending on the location of the pitch. The further we extend our hands pre contact, the slower our bat speed, the less extension we are able to gain after contact, and thus our average and power will suffer.
When players attack the ball out in front, their confidence may be suffering and/or the are trying to "see the ball hit the baseball bat". In my opinion, this phrase is one of the worst phrases to tell a young hitter. Not because I don't want him to keep his head and eyes on the baseball, but because it will cause players to extend their hands and arms to far foreword before contact. If you watch any hitter, their eyes are actually focused approximately 10 to 15 feet out in front of the plate. From their, a player uses their tracking skills to project their contact point. Trying to "see the ball hit the bat" is nearly impossible, and trying to do so will cause players to consistently miss hit pitches and struggle to maintain good timing.
Another common mistake that will cause players to extend their hands to the baseball, is the idea of what it means to hit the ball square. In most demonstrations, coaches will show players that the hands are even with the barrel of the baseball bat on contact. From a players perspective, this looks like you should extend your hands to ball at a greater distance than really needs be. This false visual representation of the swing will cause players to strive for bad mechanics.
As a result, I use two concepts to help my players avoid such traps. First, I tell my players that they want to let the baseball travel so long, that they feel they are picking the baseball out of the catchers mitt. Second, players should feel like they are scraping their knuckles against the inside part of the baseball. These two concepts will help to keep your player in the mindset that they want to let the ball get deep in the zone and drive their hands ahead of the barrel.
Among many of the great drills out there to help players perform this step of the baseball swing, I like to use a drill I call "Chopping Wood". "Chopping Wood" is a drill that latterly forces players to drive their hands towards the field of play while keeping the bat back. The biggest obstacle to making adjustments with players is taking them outside of their comfort zone. Most players will complain that something doesn't feel comfortable or an adjustment doesn't feel right. This is actually a good sign because that means you are making progress. If a player is comfortable with an adjustment that he has made for the first time then he really hasn't made an adjustment.
For the "Chopping Wood" Drill you are going to need two tees. Place one tee about 1 ft to 18 inches directly in front of the other tee facing center field. Once aligned, lower the height of the first tee to thigh height and raise the back tee to a height that is just under the rib cage of the player. The front foot of the player should lined up directly with the front tee. Place one ball on the front tee and have players swing.
When done correctly this over trains players keep their hands tight along their body and move them forward instead of pulling off or sweeping around pitches. A long batting swing will inevitably cause a player to contact the back tee and not allow him to continue to the baseball on the front tee. Note, if players swing over the top of the back batting tee they are performing the batting drill wrong and are extending too far out with their hands.
If you incorporate this batting drill in your next batting training session you will see amazing improvement in your players ability to drive the baseball. He may struggle with it at first, but after 10 to 12 swings he will begin making adjustments and improve his mechanics. Always drive your hands down toward the zone and to the field you want to hit the baseball At the end of the day, this will help increase you average, power, and make you a more consistent hitter.
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