Choking up for the inside pitch?

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Ken Krause

Administrator
Admin
May 7, 2008
3,911
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Mundelein, IL
I would say if you're a world-class athlete, one of the 12 best hitters in the U.S. at the present time, choking up when you see an inside pitch might work. If you're an ordinary human being it's probably a bad idea to even consider.
 

Ken Krause

Administrator
Admin
May 7, 2008
3,911
113
Mundelein, IL
So I have to ask. If you're going to look for inside pitch because it's the one that comes up on you the fastest, and the one you have to hit farthest in front, how do you adjust for an outside pitch. Don't just say let the ball get deeper. How do you let the ball get deeper if you're already going fast enough to hit the inside pitch? Only way I can think of is to slow down your swing, which to me is not a very good option.
 
Jan 12, 2009
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We see this allot from players who do not know how to get behind the ball properly and this happens mainly on the lower pitches. The upper body is very upright at contact and they swipe across the top outside part of the ball hitting weak grounders or missing completely. They are also hitting around the ball instead of keeping the inside to outside path we talk about. If you are getting weak grounders or balls that hit directly in front of you on low pitches have a look at your upper body.
 
Nov 1, 2009
405
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I would think you would be better off learning to move your hands into your body slightly which is the equivelent of choking up on the bat. Choking up on the bat does reduce the swing weight of the bat so it will be quicker through the hitting zone which is probably why you see some players doing this when a pitcher likes to work inside. On our team we make sure our bat are the correct weight for the hitters and I would urge you to make sure your bat isn't too heavy for your level of competition.
 
Feb 9, 2011
100
0
We teach our girls to hit a inside pitch with your arm tight in almost like a flinch when someone grabs yours shoulder and your left arm held in to your ribcage. I saw one caoch say you could use a belt around the ribs and upper left arm to help teach them to keep the arm in.

Mainly I think it just takes a lot of practice to recognize what pitch is coming and if it is inside or out. Our girls are first year 12's and just starting to develop a good sense of inside and out. We had to first teach them the concept of a hittable pitch versus a strike. Or should I say a umpires Strike.
 

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