2-Strike Hitting

[dmasterson]

I’m looking for ways to help my 18U players strike out less as there are too many with runners on base. They are all veteran players, all decent hitters, and since they are older and mostly engrained in their hitting style/mechanics I decided not to make any major changes with them. I have talked to them about taking on a 2-strike mentality. Meaning when you get 2 strikes, just try to get the ball in play, just survive! I probably will get some disagreement from all the coaches who want the long ball swing all the time but a strikeout is more likely than a homerun with 2strikes and a K does us absolutely no good. A blooper, a bleeder may find a hole, cause an error, etc, etc. Fouling a couple more balls off may create a walk. So the simplest way I’m teaching is to really minimize the load and even start the hands closer to the pitcher, kind of in front of the chest, creating a quicker punch type swing. Still staying long in zone, still keeping otherwise solid hitting mechanics. Just seeing what others think. Remember I’m coming from a team first mentality not just a develop the players for the future mentality.

 

[Strike2]

Some of DD's most memorable and hardest hit balls have come with two strikes. She hits HRs, but there's no such thing as a "long ball swing" in our discussion about hitting. It's about using good technique to put solid contact on the ball, regardless of the count. Depending on pitch location and the quality of the swing, the ball might go out, but she's not trying to do that. Her swing is no different with two strikes than it is any other time. There's enough going on in the batter's box without changing swing techniques.

I talk to her about her hitting "window"...what she's looking for depending on count. With zero or 1 strike, she's looking in a narrower window at a particular location where her chances of driving the ball are best. With two strikes, the window gets bigger...she's using the umpire's strike zone to decide whether she should attempt to hit something outside her best spot. For example, if the umpire is calling the inside river, then she needs to make some kind of contact, even if it's just a foul ball.

Regardless of count, what drives me insane are the pitches that go right down the middle that are taken for called strikes. THAT is what causes strikeouts.

 

[JumboJack]

Some of DD's most memorable and hardest hit balls have come with two strikes. She hits HRs, but there's no such thing as a "long ball swing" in our discussion about hitting. It's about using good technique to put solid contact on the ball, regardless of the count. Depending on pitch location and the quality of the swing, the ball might go out, but she's not trying to do that. Her swing is no different with two strikes than it is any other time. There's enough going on in the batter's box without changing swing techniques.

I talk to her about her hitting "window"...what she's looking for depending on count. With zero or 1 strike, she's looking in a narrower window at a particular location where her chances of driving the ball are best. With two strikes, the window gets bigger...she's using the umpire's strike zone to decide whether she should attempt to hit something outside her best spot. For example, if the umpire is calling the inside river, then she needs to make some kind of contact, even if it's just a foul ball.

Regardless of count, what drives me insane are the pitches that go right down the middle that are taken for called strikes. THAT is what causes strikeouts.

Agree 100%. My daughters hitting has increased so much since her new hitting instructor taught her this (not having a "different" swing with two strikes).

 

[dmasterson]

Thanks for responding,, you guys make good points and I am taking that into consideration. Well of course this all depends on each individual hitter and situation. If your daughters are consistently making contact regardless of strike 0, 1 or 2 then of course I would not promote anything different. If, on the other hand, the kid is striking out fairly consistently with runners on base it’s also certainly ok to make a slight adjustment. I think you may be overstating having “two different swings”. I played baseball and then quite a bit of fast pitch softball and I adopted this “shorter swing” on occasion with success and it’s really a small adjustment that’s pretty easy to make. I feared striking out, really feared it. But fear motivates me (maybe not everybody the same) and I went into “survival” mode with two strikes against a good pitcher. It certainly is not for everybody but I’m sure there are some young ladies out there with a long swing that could increase their contact percent with this small adjustment and consequently help their team.

 

[JumboJack]

In my DD's case she didn't strike out very often at all BUT she was so concerned with just making contact that when she got two strikes on her she would hit a lot of weak grounders back to the pitcher that were in most cases with runners on worse than a strikeout being that she is a catcher and not the fleetest of foot.

Overall she strikes out a bit more than in the past but she gets way more RBI's, H's and HR's than before.

I think the important thing to do with 2 strikes is to expand the strike zone.

 

[Cannonball]

First, I coach the swing and so, hit the darn thing hard. Heck with trying to put it in play. The next thing I would mention is do your hitters know how pitchers are getting them out? Meaning, do they talk to each other about pitcher strengths and weaknesses? Do they know how most pitchers pitch them and then work on being able to adjust and drive that pitch? Do they know pitcher tendencies? An example, when my dd played she knew how different schools pitched her and it was very consistent.

IMO, one of the worst things that can happen is if a hitter is afraid to strikeout. In my experience this lead to strikeouts. I know some college coaches who make hitters run for striking out. That pressure makes hitters easier outs since they will swing at anything to not get to two strikes. How about this, go to your hitters and ask them to take note of the strikeouts and set goals for themselves on how much they will improve upon that rate. That would then demonstrate real progress if they can achieve their goals. It would also create a path that might be more positive.

 

[NBECoach]

I think the key to hitting with 2 strikes is knowledge of the strike zone. I know that it can vary by umpire but if it is consistent adjustments can be made. With 2 strikes we expand the hitters hot zone to the full strike zone. Notice, I did not say protect as so many coaches do. To me that is a negative connotation meaning swing at anything you see that could possibly be a strike. We want hitters swinging at strikes. Yes you can get burned by umpire bad calls but I do not want our hitters flailing away. Plate discipline is a tough thing no doubt, and takes alot of pitches to acquire. But to me every good hitter has it.

 

[dmasterson]

Good stuff, I’m taking notes and always learning.

 

[Rolling Hard]

" what drives me insane are the pitches that go right down the middle that are taken for called strikes. "
Great hitters don't miss the pitchers mistake. Fastball out over the middle of the plate should be damaged.

 

[Indiana Gators South]

I tell all my girls you get 2 strikes on you be aggressive swing hard. Id rather see them strike out being aggressive or hit a hard shot than to watch one come in belt high over the plate and go down looking.