In a slump (video)

[TheRogue]

My DD started out her frosh season hitting well, but has dropped into a slump. Not striking out...but lots of week groundballs and popups. I've posted the only decent video I have of her the last two games, and it's a swing at a riseball so not necessarily a normal swing. She's not getting out of bat lag; mostly the ball is getting hit to the right side...and I think she's dropping the back elbow too quickly. She used to be a dead pull hitter, and in the last couple of months has really changed the focus to driving the ball up the middle. Yeah, you can see by the swing she generally gets her money's worth

She's awful frustrated right now, was moved into the 4 spot in the lineup and hasn't hit a ball out of the infield in a week.

Suggestions at this point? Will probably get separate tee time on Saturday and I'm trying to figure out what to focus on.

 

[lhowser]

If i didn't know better - build, swing, stance, uniform - i would swear that is my DD who is batting #3 on her very Good HS team and is at .353 but isn't really driving the ball and everything is going right.

A couple of things -

1) Are her hips really leading that swing? You may want to look at that with her and look at some drills that allow her to "throw the barrel" after she gets those hips working.

2) Is she opening to much? Starting with stepping out, shoulders following and then the bat path.

This is what mine looked like during a average weekend this past fall. See similarities?

 

[softballphreak]

Good news for both TheRogue and Ihowser; since the main ingredients are already there. Use the "check-swing" drill.

The "check-swing" drill:
Bottom line is you will be swinging from a checked swing position without re-setting after every swing. Start from the check swing position every time. IOW, hold that position unless she happens to swing and fall out of it during the swing. But don't let that happen often.
1. Take a full swing and freeze at finish.
2. Keeping the bottom half frozen, bring the top half back to launch position.
3. The rest of the swings are from this position. You will have to keep reminding her to keep the hips thrusted forward. The swing is with the hips already thrusted and the hands forced back.
4. Do this a little with tee work but the most time should be incoming pitches; front toss or game speed. Or machine as far as that goes; there is no timing issues involved.

It's an uncomfortable drill but it works. Make sure she is getting pitches in various locations. Make sure she starts with the hips and hands at their extreme positions each pitch.

 

[lhowser]

Good news for both TheRogue and Ihowser; since the main ingredients are already there. Use the "check-swing" drill.

This is a good suggestion. We do this from time to time and when she needs to get the ball in play she will even do this with 2 strikes in game situations.

 

[softballphreak]

This is a good suggestion. We do this from time to time and when she needs to get the ball in play she will even do this with 2 strikes in game situations.

YES!!!!! I tried to get this put in as a game strategy using signals but no one would buy it. It really works!

 

[Big Daddy]

appears to be late, catching up to the pitch...soph DD has been working this winter on getting front toe down in place earlier, closer to release...has helped her...now she's been able to inside/out swing to hit behind runners more purposefully, and driving it to the right side, rather than just shanking the ball due to being late which led to more weak pop outs than anything...kept her from stepping out, as well.

 

[joeman39]

ever thought it may not be mechanics the problem? Maybe mental?? Maybe her pitch selection. Maybe trying to hard to prove herself. She swinging out of her shoes. Maybe she swings at bad pitches. I think I would start there. Sometimes hitters when moved to a different spot in the lineup have a hard time relaxing. I think I would start there from what I see in the video and what your saying.

 

[Mr T]

ever thought it may not be mechanics the problem? Maybe mental?? Maybe her pitch selection. Maybe trying to hard to prove herself. She swinging out of her shoes. Maybe she swings at bad pitches. I think I would start there. Sometimes hitters when moved to a different spot in the lineup have a hard time relaxing. I think I would start there from what I see in the video and what your saying.

I agree with this. This girl has a good swing IMO. Good enough so that there isn't an incredibly obvious mechanical explanation for her slump. We really need to keep in mind in this sub-forum that not every thing is mechanics and not everything can be solved by some drill.

 

[ArmWhip]

lhowser, your daughter's bat is on a very flat plane at launch, this is going to leave her vulnerable to any pitch that is not up in the zone. Flatter plane for high pitches, more upright for low pitches. It looks like she made square contact on the one pitch that is up.

 

[softballphreak]

Mechanically, they're both doing the same thing wrong, they're swinging top half first. One of the results of that is hitting under the ball.

The hips need to clear so the top half is unobstructed. That is one of the less recognized benefits of hip lead.