Pulling the ball

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Apr 26, 2009
1
0
Indiana
I have a player who always pulls the ball no mater how fast the pitcher is. Inside pitches go way foul, down middle go a little foul and outside usually go to left. She just starts her swing to early. She has very quick hand and just about always hits the ball hard. Help!
 
May 12, 2008
2,214
0
Does she get fooled slow low and away sometimes? Never hits for power to the opposite field or as you say never hits to the opposite field ever? A clip would help a lot.
 
Apr 20, 2009
88
0
Philippines
check her hitting mechanics. It's ideal that upon contact the bat is angled 90-degrees or ball is perpendicular to it. If upon contact she's in full extension, this shows that the angle is less than 90-degrees. At this angle, the ball will have a tendency to go foul.
It looks like she has a tendency to use most of her arms to hit. You may fix this by focusing more on hip rotation. let her swing start from her hips which then leads her hands toward the ball and upon contact make sure her hands are "inside" the ball

A very good video that shows this hitting mechanics, may be found here
Hitting - What Makes Manny Ramirez Such a Good Hitter?
 

obbay

Banned
Aug 21, 2008
2,199
0
Boston, MA
That's a great video coach Lia, thanks for posting!

Re: pulling the ball- something I've heard mentioned here and we've used successfully with our U14 girls is a technique typically used to help a batter adjust her timing for a slower pitcher.

The Fake Bunt. It can result in a good swing with contact that is just a little bit later than when they would swing normally.
 

Cannonball

Ex "Expert"
Feb 25, 2009
4,854
113
Two drills:

First one:

Front toss so you need a screen to protect yourself. Preferably it is a softball pitching machine. You need a couple of cones. For fun, we put a softball on the top of them. Set them up for left gap, right gap. Now, throw front toss to the plate in a pattern, inside over the left gap. Middle, ball through hole in the screen. Outside, knock ball off of the right gap cone. After you have done this progression and are satisified, then, alternate but have the hitter give you feedback.

Second Drill:

I like using a baseball pitching screen for this but any screen will do that will allow you to stay protected. Front toss again BUT you are going to bounce the balls. I do this drill indoors off of astroturf and so, you might have to use tennis balls. The "bounce" forces the hitter to have to adjust and work on timing issues. Again, work a progression. Then, alternate. This helps hitters understand the difference between "turn and burn" and being able to sit on pitches.

I hope this helps.
 
May 12, 2008
2,214
0
Generally I would suspect a bat drag problem creating the whip out in front rather than between the feet. Really need a video.
 
May 12, 2008
2,214
0
That's a great video coach Lia, thanks for posting!

.

Yes it is a good video but I have to agree with Tom about Slaught's hips square to the plate thing. I have said for years that Slaught's understanding of the swing is two dimensional. He knows well what he sees in the video clip shot from across the plate. I think this is why he describes hip action the way he does. What happens in terms of movement, either rotational or otherwise, toward or away from the camera set across the plate from the hitter seems a bit of mystery to Don in terms of verbally explaining it.

His characterization of hands even or behind the elbow and initiating the swing with the elbow invites bat drag problems IMO. Much good in the video and Don's work though. His program is better than most IMO.
 

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