10yo Maddie

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May 24, 2013
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So Cal
Here's a few swings during an at-bat in this past weekend's game...


The biggest focus right now is getting her to keep her hands from dropping as she strides. This has been part of her hitting pattern since she started playing, and it's been a very tough nut to crack. We have been working a lot on reinforcing the top hand swivel action, but it's not showing up against live pitching yet. Her low hand-set is leading to a lot of fly balls, but it leaves her very vulnerable to pitches up in the zone.

This at-bat resulted in her looking at a borderline low and outside pitch called for strike 3. She was not happy about the call, and it took her head out of the game for the next inning, which got her moved from 2B to RF.
 
Last edited:

JJsqueeze

Dad, Husband....legend
Jul 5, 2013
5,436
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safe in an undisclosed location
Eric-

I spent Sunday looking at a lot of 10 year old swings. Maddie's is great and measures right up there with the best I saw yesterday at a 3 game TB friendly down in OC. If there is anything missing it is she needs the plate swagger to match her swing. with that cut she should be in there knowing that she is going to hit. I might have video of my little one from yesterday, she guested with a team and her first at bat (first AB in two months in a live game) she looked timid and got a walk, then she got a grounder to loosen her up and by her third at bat she was almost pointing Babe Ruth style to where she was going to hit it and got a monster triple over the RF's head. Maddie is a beast and her body language should show it in the box.
 
Aug 29, 2011
2,581
83
NorCal
Hard to judge from one swing at that angle but I really like her aggressiveness on that swing. Even if she got called out looking nest pitch.
 

rdbass

It wasn't me.
Jun 5, 2010
9,131
83
Not here.
2itUsn.gif

oNfIXg.gif

Looking good. Once Maddie brings these swings up to the plate,watch out.
 
Last edited:
Dec 3, 2012
636
16
West Coast
I think JJ makes a good point. The first thing I thought was she looks very tense in the shoulders at the start of the video and not in the practice swings. Is she late on a lot of pitches? I didn't see much coil, just go. Sort of hard to tell from one swing from behind.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
2itUsn.gif

oNfIXg.gif

Looking good. Once Maddie brings these swings up to the plate,watch out.

Thanks, RDB! The top GIF shows off one of the issues that has been plaguing her a lot lately - flying open with the front side. You can see how it affects her from her head pulling out early all the way down to the ground with her rear foot flopping over. The bottom GIF is much better. The cue "keep your head on the ball" helps her a lot, and the rest of the swing comes together better.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
I think JJ makes a good point. The first thing I thought was she looks very tense in the shoulders at the start of the video and not in the practice swings. Is she late on a lot of pitches? I didn't see much coil, just go. Sort of hard to tell from one swing from behind.

I agree that she's tense in the box. Something to work on...

She doesn't tend to be late except on the fastest pitchers. Most of her hits are gap to gap.

Put the bat in the neck slot. She's basically forced to turn the barrel from there.

I agree. However, getting her to do that in her game swing is where the challenge has been. Something to keep working on...
 

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