Drills

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Jun 17, 2009
15,105
0
Portland, OR
What drills are you going to do working with an elite hitter in preparation for a good rise ball pitcher? Would You consider hitting a good rise ball to be an adjustment to the norm?

TDS, do you personally use the drill that John is demonstrating?

As for hitting riseballs ... I don't find that it warrants a 'special swing' that cuts down "through" the ball. There are adjustments that one can make if they are dealing primarily with a riseball pitcher, yet swinging down "through" the ball is not one of them. I advocate the "high tee" drill ... and learning the activation of the top hand ... and I don't consider it sufficient to do this only off of the tee, ... I perform it without a tee, live and at full speed.
 

Cannonball

Ex "Expert"
Feb 25, 2009
4,854
113
TDS, do you personally use the drill that John is demonstrating?

As for hitting riseballs ... I don't find that it warrants a 'special swing' that cuts down "through" the ball. There are adjustments that one can make if they are dealing primarily with a riseball pitcher, yet swinging down "through" the ball is not one of them. I advocate the "high tee" drill ... and learning the activation of the top hand ... and I don't consider it sufficient to do this only off of the tee, ... I perform it without a tee, live and at full speed.

Really important! DD hits off one of the top D-II pitchers in the nation almost everyday who features a rise-ball. You have to practice this in order to know what is and isn't a strike, how to begin launch and check the swing, and how to drive that borderline pitch.
 
Jun 17, 2009
15,105
0
Portland, OR
CB ... that is so important. Hitting "high tee" is far from sufficient. It must be performed against a ball heading towards a hitter ... or else you risk not capturing the "leveling process" correctly.

I should also note that I set a goal for the flight of the ball. For this drill-work I like to see line-drives. I'm okay with ground balls ... not okay with fly balls. Sure, there will be fly balls ... but during this drill-work I encourage an attack from the top mentality where one controls the barrel from the start of their swing, and does not "level" first.

Enjoy comparing notes. Thank you!
 

TDS

Mar 11, 2010
2,926
113
TDS, do you personally use the drill that John is demonstrating?

As for hitting riseballs ... I don't find that it warrants a 'special swing' that cuts down "through" the ball. There are adjustments that one can make if they are dealing primarily with a riseball pitcher, yet swinging down "through" the ball is not one of them. I advocate the "high tee" drill ... and learning the activation of the top hand ... and I don't consider it sufficient to do this only off of the tee, ... I perform it without a tee, live and at full speed.

Five, John has played at the highest level and is using what has worked for him... Yea, the high tee drill is a good one that John uses...

You're in the national championship game 7th inning down to your last out, and You have a hitter with elite level mechanics but struggles against good rise balls... Now you have a hitter who only hits riseballs.... What would you do?
 
Jun 17, 2009
15,105
0
Portland, OR
Five, John has played at the highest level and is using what has worked for him... Yea, the high tee drill is a good one that John uses...

You're in the national championship game 7th inning down to your last out, and You have a hitter with elite level mechanics but struggles against good rise balls... Now you have a hitter who only hits riseballs.... What would you do?

I believe John is an excellent person. I simply don't like the drill he is demonstrating. I differentiate between the "drill" and the "person" performing the demonstration. I don't for a moment hold anything against John for demonstrating this "drill".

I've answered your questions. Now answer mine. Do you perform the drill John is demonstrating?

As an FYI, I've been contacted by people putting out drill videos. IMO they don't necessarily actually do all of the drills they advertise on a regular basis. They are trying to sell a product ... the DVD ... and they look for something "different" that will help sell their DVD .... and unfortunately at times what they demonstrate is non-ideal. I'm not saying this is the case at all with John ... but many do look for "filler drills", and some of those fillers aren't overly helpful. The Hanson Principle is truly helpful.

Honestly ... there isn't a need for a mountain of drills. People over complicate the swing .... and they rely on drills to perform some sort of magic. They fail to realize that "active learning" is truly important ... and that paying attention to what one extracts from the drill is what is important .... swinging with an objective.
 

TDS

Mar 11, 2010
2,926
113
I believe John is an excellent person. I simply don't like the drill he is demonstrating. I differentiate between the "drill" and the "person" performing the demonstration. I don't for a moment hold anything against John for demonstrating this "drill".

I've answered your questions. Now answer mine. Do you perform the drill John is demonstrating?

As an FYI, I've been contacted by people putting out drill videos. IMO they don't necessarily actually do all of the drills they advertise on a regular basis. They are trying to sell a product ... the DVD ... and they look for something "different" that will help sell their DVD .... and unfortunately at times what they demonstrate is non-ideal. I'm not saying this is the case at all with John ... but many do look for "filler drills", and some of those fillers aren't overly helpful. The Hanson Principle is truly helpful.

Honestly ... there isn't a need for a mountain of drills. People over complicate the swing .... and they rely on drills to perform some sort of magic. They fail to realize that "active learning" is truly important ... and that paying attention to what one extracts from the drill is what is important .... swinging with an objective.

If that was the only way I could get her to hit the rise ball??? Yes ... I don't use the drill but I guarantee it has worked for him or he wouldn't have used it. John is not about making a buck... He turned down numerous DI opportunities and China's national team... I asked why he turned it down .....his comment was its the same game without the headaches.
 
Dec 4, 2013
865
18
Just heard Bill Edwards from Hofstra speak at a clinic. He likes a front toss bouncing tennis ball drill to simulate the rise and drop. Depending on where you bounce it you can control the angle the ball crosses the strike zone at...
 

TDS

Mar 11, 2010
2,926
113
Just heard Bill Edwards from Hofstra speak at a clinic. He likes a front toss bouncing tennis ball drill to simulate the rise and drop. Depending on where you bounce it you can control the angle the ball crosses the strike zone at...

Yes, that is another good drill that got I from John T. We have only tried simulating the rise ball using the rubber dimple balls though.. It can get tricky trying to throw strikes though..
 

rdbass

It wasn't me.
Jun 5, 2010
9,131
83
Not here.
Just heard Bill Edwards from Hofstra speak at a clinic. He likes a front toss bouncing tennis ball drill to simulate the rise and drop. Depending on where you bounce it you can control the angle the ball crosses the strike zone at...

I'm not understanding the 'bounce' part. Why bounce the ball? Is the practice lack of size/area the reason?
 

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