Thoughts on Daughter's Swing

[softballphreak]

I just want to make sure I understand your position before getting into this particular topic further. In the clip below you see an "extreme head tilt problem" and you suggest that it represents making "the world look funny", resulting in not being "good for tracking a pitched ball".

Here ... take another look. Are you sure about your assertion? Exactly how much "more upright" are you looking to see a hitter's head? Do you believe the eyes should be level to the ground at contact? Is that what you see in accomplished hitters? I ask .... because it isn't what I see.

Observe the tilt in Hollie Pinchback's head at contact. Do you believe she has an "extreme head tilt problem"?

How about Adrienne Monka? Does the tilt in her head at contact represent an "extreme head tilt problem"?

When you stop the clip where you did it looks like she did it exactly right. But when you look at the entire clip it looks like too much head movement. The college players won't have the kind of head movement farther on in their clips.

I agree that her head and eyes look good at the point of contact and that's what's most important. However, when you look at the clip from that instant on it definitely needs toning down. This kind of movement will not be good with an incoming pitch. Hitting a ball sitting on a tee is more forgiving.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Thank you Softballphreak. That is my point … that the concern about excessive head tilt is occurring “after” contact.

Keep in mind that the majority of elite hitters can’t accurately track the ball beyond 6’ of the plate. That is, a hitter is swinging at their prediction of where the pitch will be. Head tilt after contact will not impact tracking. That said, there is value in looking at the follow through.

I personally don’t believe post-contact head tilt is this kid’s main limiting issue … and that the follow through we see will be a function of her load mechanics and ‘when’ she exerts particular forces in her swing.

IMO this hitter has one of the more polished swings posted here at DFP. I kid you not … this 9yr old is making swings well above many others posted here … including many considerably older than her. Let’s see what her swing looks like when she hits a ball coming in at her ‘head on’.

 

[rdbass]

FFS,
Thanks to you,Dukie and everyone elses discussions.I have worked with my 12yr old DD. I tried to mirrior Dukie's DD swing.I have learned so much and had my own aha moment.DD game last night to line drive hits over second base.DD is RH and up to now most hits weak right side ground balls or right side foul balls.Thanks for all your help and I will continue to read and learn.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Rdbass … congratulations to you & your DD.

Dukie’s daughter’s swing is a good swing to try to emulate. There is a lot of good in that swing. Your DD isn’t the only young lady working on emulating that swing.

It isn’t uncommon at all to experience hits with greater authority once the lower body mechanics are enhanced.

Let me share a cute story … cute to me anyway.

Last year I had a senior that committed to working on her swing on a regular basis. She was the only one in her 4-person hitting group not to hit a HR over the fence. On the day that we added the “point of emphasis” similar to “wring the rag” she began to hit the ball deep … on multiple occasions hitting the fence, but not quite clearing the fence. Everyone else in her hitting group was hitting it over the fence … yet she was the most athletically gifted individual and not quite able to do what the others were able to do. She could sense that she was close and didn’t want the hitting session to end until she got it. That desire was all I needed. The issue that I observed was that she was “scrunching” with her rear leg during her load. We stopped hitting into the field momentarily and worked on the concept of a rock-solid rear leg … basically promoting the functionality of the rear leg serving as a support platform for the hips and core to work against in the extraction of ground reaction forces. We added a pre-set mechanic to help automate that functionality. We then returned to hitting into the field … and it was like a magic spell was cast … she began clearing the fence … and not by a small amount either. Now here’s the memorable moment for me … she was a senior, and being her first HR, she was excited and started singing “I’ve got the power”, “I’ve got the power”. To this day, I can hear her voice singing that chant when I think of her.

It turned out she really did capture “the power”. Shortly after that she had her first ‘in-game’ HR. This year in college she hit multiple HRs.

Once you capture “the power”, it’s yours to keep … or lose.

It’s a journey.

 

[rdbass]

What I like it was easy to understand what was being discussed.My daughter was also able to understand it and duplicated the motion.It has been difficult up until now.I have printed out the whole post and highlighted the key points.What was missing with my daughter was the coil she was at a static batting position before.When we added the (coil) and a few other things such as hands straight back and not dropping them when coiling.She started hitting more line drives and the ball went further.She's never been happier after a game.Thanks again to everyone. Will keep reading because I know we have way more to learn.

 

[dukie]

rdbass, glad this post is helping others, sharing information is a great way to learn.

FFS, come on down to NC and work with her, then you can see the swing head-on, in person......LOL

 

[rdbass]

What would be the proper placement of the tee for a RH batter.DD is hitting most balls to the right side.

 

[softballphreak]

What would be the proper placement of the tee for a RH batter.DD is hitting most balls to the right side.

There would be some variation based on player's size, bat length type things.

Set the tee for a middle pitch somewhere between the front foot and center line of the body. Those hits should be up the middle. Insist on line drives.

Set the tee for an inside pitch a full ball off the plate inside and the tee out towards the pitcher about a foot from the front foot. This will vary batter to batter. The important thing here is for the batter to learn where the ball needs to be to get the results they want. Fair ball down the line, ball in the left center gap, etc., by getting the barrel of the bat between the ball and the chest as much as possible to hit the inside of the ball. Keep the hands close to the chest is a cue I've found to work.

Set the tee for an outside pitch a full ball off the plate and the tee out in front of the rear hip. The hit should go towards the right center gap. The hit should NOT go towards 2nd baseman position (except over the baseman's head). IOW, don't try to pull it. Be alert for slicing caused by trying to adjust the hands or dropping the shoulder instead of tilting.

Working the outside position brings out the most whining from the players but IMO is the most beneficial hitting drill. Be careful that they stride neutral--they'll try to step in. Some coaches teach stepping in for outside pitches but there's not much time to do that and a batter can get excellent results with a neutral stride anyway. Hard to step in to an outside curve, for example.

PS: Take note that the positions are relative to the batter's body, NOT the plate. The batter can move, the plate doesn't.

 

[Jim]

There would be some variation based on player's size, bat length type things.

Set the tee for a middle pitch somewhere between the front foot and center line of the body. Those hits should be up the middle. Insist on line drives.

Set the tee for an inside pitch a full ball off the plate inside and the tee out towards the pitcher about a foot from the front foot. This will vary batter to batter. The important thing here is for the batter to learn where the ball needs to be to get the results they want. Fair ball down the line, ball in the left center gap, etc., by getting the barrel of the bat between the ball and the chest as much as possible to hit the inside of the ball. Keep the hands close to the chest is a cue I've found to work.

Set the tee for an outside pitch a full ball off the plate and the tee out in front of the rear hip. The hit should go towards the right center gap. The hit should NOT go towards 2nd baseman position (except over the baseman's head). IOW, don't try to pull it. Be alert for slicing caused by trying to adjust the hands or dropping the shoulder instead of tilting.

Working the outside position brings out the most whining from the players but IMO is the most beneficial hitting drill. Be careful that they stride neutral--they'll try to step in. Some coaches teach stepping in for outside pitches but there's not much time to do that and a batter can get excellent results with a neutral stride anyway. Hard to step in to an outside curve, for example.

PS: Take note that the positions are relative to the batter's body, NOT the plate. The batter can move, the plate doesn't.

The tee placements for the middle and outside pitches are way too deep. These contact points off the tee will shape the swing way too far behind the hitter's body resulting in a very long path to the ball.

For the pitch down the middle, the point of contact should be in front of the front foot, not any deeper than the front foot. If she works to drive these balls up the middle her swing will start to shape more out front where there is more leverage and batspeed through the ball. Big point of emphasis is to develop extension through the zone with the hands and bat, instead of lunging with the body.

For the outside pitch, the point of contact should still be out front of the center of her body, no deeper than the center point of her front knee and front hip.

Leverage the ball out front off the tee. Too deep shapes too much swing action back toward the catcher. Too deep off the tee also causes a pull off approach, with the front side, to get the bat onto the deeply teed ball.

The term "let the ball get deep" only means let the ball get into the hitting zone. The hitting zone is out front.

Don't teach yourself to hit the ball out of the catcher's mitt. Too long and too deep.

 

[softballphreak]

The tee placements for the middle and outside pitches are way too deep. These contact points off the tee will shape the swing way too far behind the hitter's body resulting in a very long path to the ball.

For the pitch down the middle, the point of contact should be in front of the front foot, not any deeper than the front foot. If she works to drive these balls up the middle her swing will start to shape more out front where there is more leverage and batspeed through the ball. Big point of emphasis is to develop extension through the zone with the hands and bat, instead of lunging with the body.

For the outside pitch, the point of contact should still be out front of the center of her body, no deeper than the center point of her front knee and front hip.

Leverage the ball out front off the tee. Too deep shapes too much swing action back toward the catcher. Too deep off the tee also causes a pull off approach, with the front side, to get the bat onto the deeply teed ball.

The term "let the ball get deep" only means let the ball get into the hitting zone. The hitting zone is out front.

Don't teach yourself to hit the ball out of the catcher's mitt. Too long and too deep.

It is a very common mistake to practice hitting the ball off the tee too far out front. Off the tee the bat is at maximum speed by the time it reaches the ball out front towards the pitcher. That's a great feeling and results in a long, hard drive but that's off a tee. When the ball is pitched and the batter tries to hit that same point of contact they have about a 6 inch margin of error. Let the ball get deep on a pitched ball. Also on a change up the batters who practice hitting too far out front have major problem letting it come in deep enough.

Letting the ball get deep on an outside pitch enables the batter to drive the ball to the opposite field. Not letting it get deep results in a ball batted to the 2nd baseman normally.

We've done a LOT of tee work the past couple years using this setup. It works. I won't go back the other way. Two of our power hitters are slowly becoming aware of the benefits of being able to let a change up get deep. The deep tee is helping with that.

When the hips lead on a pitch down the middle it clears the way to make good solid contact deep in the zone and there's more room to be a little early on still be on time. Look at the model swings, baseball and softball, and you will see many powerful hits inside the front foot--not way out towards the pitcher.

The hitting zone is not out front if out front means toward the pitcher. If out front means in front of your chest that's the hitting zone for a middle pitch.

Trying to hit too far out towards the pitcher also causes disconnection.