Curious if anyone teaches or knows what it means to "hit on top of the ball"? I heard a coach telling players to do this when batting. Is this suppose to discourage pop-ups?
Anyone know the term "hit the top of the ball" when batting?
- Thread starter SoCalSoftballdad
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- Dec 15, 2009
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yes. it's physics. hitting the bottom of the ball will cause a pop up. but hitting the top of the ball will force the ball towards the ground.
I guess my question is why not teach the batter to make solid contact where the sweet spot of the bat hits the middle of the front of the ball which would create a solid, line-drive type of hit? Also, are 8 and 9 YO girls really that good that they can intentionally hit the "top" of a pitched ball. In my expereince, they are trying their best just to make any kind of contact. I have also read here that a swing that promotes hitting down on the ball (i.e. hitting grounders) is not a good thing? Wouldn't "hitting the top of the ball" produce weak, ground balls?
When I hear a rec coach in my league say "Hit the top of the ball" I tell them to read this website: Should I Hit the Top of the Ball? Or the Bottom?
FiveFrameSwing
Banned
Seems a lot of kids are challenged to repeatedly hit the center of the ball.
- Dec 15, 2009
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Im not sure on this, but my thinking is a batter will most likely drop a little in her swing. So by aiming for the top of the ball, she will end up hitting the meat of the ball.
FFS -With the girls I coach, 7 - 9 YOs, its always a challenge for them to repeatedly hit the center of the ball. Especially when they are facing inconsistent pitching, 35 mph, at 30 feet. If you have any suggestions, I'm all ears.
SoCalDad - good article, didn''t realize that their is so much difference in opinion by some top players/coaches. The takeaway I got was that its optimum to hit just below the center of the ball. So maybe preaching "hit the top of the ball" is not advised.
Yes, they teach it to discourage pop-ups. The players that I see swinging down are the ones that pop-up the most because the bat is never on plane of the pitch. Hitters that swing down have a very small hitting zone.
As Ted would say 'If your good enough to hit the top or bottom half of the ball, why not @#%*@# hit it square.'...Or something like that.
Then there is the issue of trying to hit a ball going down while swinging down. Very difficult to do.
We teach get on plane quickly and try and hit it square.
Also, the Epstein quote in the link above was taken out of context. The article in which the quote appeared was fairly lengthy. He was actually explaining what happens when a hitter using rotational mechanics is late, early and on time, to contact. The barrel has a slight downward path early in the swing, then levels out, then has a slight upward path. The barrel path resembles a shallow "U" or Nike Swoosh symbol. Depending on where you hit the ball in the zone many times determines if you hit the top half, lower half or center of the ball.
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- Oct 12, 2009
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FiveFrameSwing
Banned
Let me recommend an alternative approach.
If the intent is to get the kid a little higher up on balls coming at them head on (not a tee or side soft-toss) ... don't recommend hitting the top of the ball ... but instead have the kid still attempt to hit the center the ball, but place a focus of emphasizing the use of their top hand.
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