Hitting Concepts and Techniques QUALITY AT BATS

1. Hitting Concepts and TechniquesQUALITY AT BATS Trojan Baseball Simsbury High School Simsbury, CT

2. The Quality At-Bat Philosophy (QAB) Making our own measurements of success to reinforce PROCESS – NOT RESULTS • QAB grades – sac, two strike hitting, two-out RBI, hard contact, runner in from 3rd with less than two outs, etc. (rubric on page 9) • sticking with it – if you want them to embrace process, you can’t fake it • reinforcement – don’t embrace batting average, etc. • The process can be perfect, but that does not guarantee perfect result. Therefore, we seek perfect processes, and trust enough positive end results will follow. • work to eliminate FEAR of results – focus on process

3. The Quality At-Bat Philosophy (cont.) Controlling the Process - ELIMINATES FEAR • having a plan - hitting with your head • know situation (score, outs, objective) • know yourself and what are your strengths and weaknesses • zone vs. two-strike approach • body language • positive self talk • visualization • flushing the negative • one pitch at a time – slow game down – limiting stimuli • making adjustments while trusting overall approach

4. The Quality At-Bat Philosophy (cont.) Dealing with Failure • 7 out of 10 times • learning from it to turn it into future success • WHY is the result not what you wanted • WHAT can you do next time

5. The Quality At-Bat Philosophy (cont.) Prepare in practice, perform in games • game like swings – all the time in practice • quality preparation = high level of confidence = greater probability of successful outcomes • Anxiety (FEAR) most often comes from a lack of quality preparation • hands off mechanics in games from coaches – FOCUS ON MENTAL APPROACH IN GAMES • no cloning – no two people alike, no two swings alike • game speed whenever striking baseball – get loose with dry swings • ESTABLISH ROUTINE – STAY WITH IT

6. The Quality At-Bat Philosophy (cont.) Mechanical Freedom with Mental Rules • must have plan • must be smart • must understand the influence of the count, score, situation, and expectations

7. The Quality At-Bat Philosophy (cont.) Hitters make adjustments • Year to year – better pitching = shorter swing or holes exposed as we progress in level • Day to day – pitcher (power guy vs. “junk”, sinker guy, etc.) • Pitch to pitch – understand the count, sequences, tendencies

8. The Quality At-Bat Philosophy (cont.) Each hitter’s first at-bat begins with the first pitch of the game • tipping pitches – p, c, coach, middle infielders • pick-offs • release point • runners on vs. no runners on

9. Quantifying a QAB

10. Trojan QAB Game AB’s = 4 Possible QAB Points = 16 Player point total = 11 Game QAB = 11/16 = .688 Who is giving you QAB’s?

11. Mechanics before pitch Stance • comfortable • relaxed • balanced and wide • preferably squared • weight on balls of feet

12. Mechanics before pitch(cont.) Set-up • hands up • grip – firm but relaxed with bat in fingers –NEVER in palms • V – wrists and forearms without tension • high hands at top of zone • eyes level – both looking at pitcher • HAVE A ROUTINE…KEEPS FOCUS ON PLAN…NOT FEAR

13. Mechanics during delivery • Trigger/Stride/Load – all the same thing - lower body • hips load without turning, knee can turn slightly in • weight back for pitch identification without eyes moving • stride - quiet and short – stepping on thin ice • weight load on back leg - upper body • hands load too – BACKWARDS C…BE CAREFUL WITH HANDS… NO ARM BAR…keep “V” in elbow • quiet shoulders • hands get to top zone without a bat wrap • Getting to ready position to let hands work • what is “staying back”

14. Mechanics at pitch Pitch identification • as early as possible • be aware of count, situation, etc., but trust eyes (they are less likely to lie) Delivering bat head to hitting zone • short and quick – “TO IT” • backside fires from knee to chest • heel plant • bottom hand – knob to ball • tall backside – no collapse • top of back hip down • hands inside / front of sternum – no casting or arm bar • barrel above hands until contact

15. Mechanics at pitch (cont.) At contact • eyes see bat hit ball and are still level • karate chop/punch hand position – palm up/palm down • tall backside • not fully extended – ELBOW LOCKED • firm front side is axis of rotation • up on back toe at contact for full weight transfer through ball – no squishing bug • contact inside and top half of ball • keep it fair with backspin (why is it deeper in center than left and right?)

16. Mechanics After Contact Maintain balancehead down & between knees knees between feet Low Finishstay on the plane full extension – TOP EXTENDS THRU… UNLOCKS ELBOW Getting out of box

17. Drill Work TEE • Top Hand (Short Bat) • Bottom Hand (Short Bat) • Low Tee • Net Drill • High Tee • Low & Away • Middle • 2 Tee (Inside/Outside) • 2 Tee (Front/Back)

18. Drill Work (cont.) Soft Toss – SHORT BAT • Top Hand (muscle memory, isolation) • Bottom Hand (muscle memory, isolation) • One knee top hand (muscle memory, isolation) • One knee bottom hand (muscle memory, isolation) Soft Toss – REGULAR BAT • No trigger (progression # 1) • Pre-Trigger (progression # 2 - isolate back knee) • Load & Trigger (progression # 3) • Hold Finish (balance) • Top Hand Extension (extend thru ball) • Back Side soft toss • Self-Bounce Drill • ** DROP DRILL (breaking balls) • ** HIP TOSS (rotation) • ** MOVING WALK (rhythm – explosion) • ** FROM BEHIND (timing – “staying back”)

19. Drill Work (cont.) Front Toss • Back Foot Incline (back foot) • Bounce (offspeed) • Two Ball (focus, concentration) • Speed Change (decision, adjust) • Rapid Fire (rhythm) • Plate Coverage • In-Down • In-Up • Out-Up • Out-Down • Mid-Up • Mid-Down • FAT

20. Practice & Pre Game “Run Scoring” Practice Practice • Three groups (cage, dome, tee) • Tee work CAN/WILL be done on field and cage • All three will have specific workout • Workouts will change (see attached) Games • Two groups • One group on field divided into shaggers, runners & hitters • One group in cage divided into tees, soft toss & front toss

21. Batting Practice Round (DOME example) • Round 1: Bunting:everyone not in cage is on grass in front of cage retrieving bunts • sacrifice bunt to 3rd • sacrifice bunt to 1st • sacrifice bunt to 3rd • conceal bunt for hit to 1st • conceal bunt for hit to 3rd and get out of box • Round 2: Execution round:everyone is behind or on side of cage with on deck hitter close to 3rd base side entrance • hit and run (runner goes on pitch, hitter must swing, hits it on ground) • right side and down (runner gets read, but does not go) • right side and down (runner goes after read) • drive him in (hitter drives ball to outfield, runner tags, reads, gets start) • drive him in (hitter drives ball to o.f., runner tags, reads, runs)

22. Batting Practice Round (cont.) • Round 3: Opposite Round: • hitter drives pitch opposite field or middle (if hit pull-side, round is ended) X 5 • Round 4: Zone Round: • hitter has less than two strikes and is looking for a pitch over middle two thirds of plate he can hit hard on a line X 5 • Round 5: Two Strike Round: • hitter makes physical adjustment, and changes mental plan to become a defensive hitter and simply make contact (hitter’s round ends on fifth pitch, or if he takes borderline strike) X 5 • Round 6: See It and Hit It Round: • hitter ahead or even in count with less than two strikes and runners in scoring position X 5

23. HAVE NO FEAR… Focus on the process Accept failure as part of the game…LEARN from FAILURE Prepare, prepare, prepare 100 % Effort & Focus = SUCCESS