Hitting the high pitch - Suggestions?

[softballphreak]

I love those clips like the one on the left when the on deck batter is a mirror image of the batter.

 

[RayR]

Looks like the mechanics used place great emphasis on seesawing the elbows instead placing the hands in control....hands get under front elbow on both swings...

 

[Cannonball]

Goobie, that is my dd's college field. She was probably in attendance since she made some of those camps and clinics held on that field. Surprised me to see it.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Hope MTS doesnt mind me using his gif.

This is what I'm talking about hitting high pitches out front. Sure this is an inside pitch too ( per the catcher ), but you get the idea. Mid and outside still need to be at POC a tad ahead of the same location than lower pitches.

 

[redhotcoach]

I watched alot of hitters around me and they all seem to have the same problem. Their frst move is to drop their hands. If the hands drop the hitter can't get them back up. Second the high tee drill. I also like the higher back elbow to me this position helps to keep the hands from dropping as the first move.

Fielder's hands stay up, they stay back. His bat stays up. He makes a tighter turn of the barrel to the ball.

Her hands drop, they come forward. Her bat drops. She is trying to figure out how to get her barrel back up to the ball.

 

[shockcoach]

Where are their hands at load? I was taught that the knob of the bat should be at armpit height, because the hands can easily adjust down, but not up. That's why if you have a hands-dropper, you want to keep the pitches up in the zone.

 

[redhotcoach]

Where are their hands at load? I was taught that the knob of the bat should be at armpit height, because the hands can easily adjust down, but not up. That's why if you have a hands-dropper, you want to keep the pitches up in the zone.

Also look at the difference in arm pit height. His shoulders slope back to front, her's slope front to back.

 

[RayR]

Everyone please look at both clips again.

I am betting that somewhere along the line this hitter was taught to exchange elbows - drop the rear / elevate the front

The hands get under the front elbow immediately and will create holes in the swing.

Her brain recognizes this and her body lifts to try and get her hands above the ball....

 

[rdbass]

Does anyone have any suggestions on drills and / or swing modifications for hitting the high pitch?

By high pitch I mean a pitch at the top of the strike zone and perhaps even up to neck high.

We have played in a few games recently where the opposing pitcher is throwing rise balls. DD does a good job laying off the high pitches out of the zone and forcing the pitcher to bring ball down. However in a few games we have had an umpire that calls strikes shoulder and even neck high strikes.

We can only control what we can control and we can't control the umps zone. So, DD can either stand there and get struck out on high "strikes" or she needs to learn how to hit the high one.

DD's is basically following the Mike Epstein hitting method. This is what her coach teaches.
Here is what I have found on the Epstein site: "To hit it (the high rise ball), she must consciously level out her swing by staying more upright on the axis and leveling out her shoulders in order to be level to the ball."

Any other suggestions?

Thanks

Just look at the girl on deck.

 

[RayR]

Good catch....

Bent front elbow taken to the extreme....there is a difference between lifting the front elbow and having it trace forward in the first few inches of movement....

Just look at the girl on deck.