Shoulder Exercises to Improve Throwing Strength and Velocity | Kinetic B...

The baseball swing, Part 1 - Balance and Rhythm; Pro tips for proper hit...

The Hitter's Back Elbow

I have a very strong opinion on the back elbow. For many years, actually decades, I have constantly heard parents, coaches and managers yell out to the batter to raise the back elbow. Let's just hold on for a minute here. I see younger and older players as well, raising their back elbow up to the height of their ear. (That is totally absurd) What I teach is to make a fist with your hand that will be your top hand when gripping the bat. Now raise the fist to about the same height as if you were going to punch a balloon that's in front of you and across from your chest. That height is an ideal starting point for the back elbow! In other words, the back elbow should be slightly lower than the back shoulder.

Larry Cicciello, Hitting Instructor

Josh Donaldson: Stay Closed & ADD Distance To Your Drives

One Of The Toughest Things To Teach Hitters

One Of The Toughest Things To Teach Hitters - How To Stay Focused!

The following was posted on WebBall by Coach Richard Todd

 

Train both physically AND mentally

What a lot of young hitters don't understand is that in order to have consistent success up at the plate, you have to train both physically AND mentally. What does this mean? The physical/mechanical part of good hitting is obvious to every player. There is absolutely no substitute for good mechanics in the batter's box. Your grip, stance, stride, swing and weight shift need to be fundamentally sound for you to have success. We could even say that in practice, this physical part of the game is probably THE most important factor in learning to hit to your potential.  In practice, hard work and sound fundamentals are necessary requirements to turn your baseball dreams into a reality.

"Your success up at the plate dramatically switches from the physical to the mental."

However, once you step into the batter's box for that big game, tryout or showcase, your success up at the plate dramatically switches from the physical to the mental. At this point, sound fundamentals should now be part of your muscle memory along with the proper arm, leg and core strength and conditioning needed for successful execution. Now whether you soar with the eagles or gobble with the turkeys is almost entirely determined by what is going on between your ears. It's the mental side of your hitting that becomes MOST important in pressured situations. Specifically, what you focus on before and during your at-bats is the most critical mental requirements for success in hitting.

Concentration

The reason that so many ball players hit better in practice than they do in games can be traced back to this key mental skill. Concentration is a central skill in mental toughness: It affects your ability to stay calm under pressure, your confidence level, how you handle last minute negative thinking and doubts, and how quickly you bounce back from bad at-bats.

Hitters who consistently do better in BP than games, tend to concentrate on the right things in practice, the feel of what they're doing, the release point and ball, and just reacting. When they hit well, their mind is quiet, with very little thinking going on. However, when they get into a game, they inadvertently switch their focus to thinking about mechanics and pressuring themselves about outcome, i.e....

• “I've got to get a hit.”
• “I've got to advance the runner.”
• “What if I strike out again?”
• “What will coach say/do if I don't get a hit?”

It's this outcome focus, pressure to produce and over-thinking about mechanics that distract the hitter from what is important and send his nervous system into the RED Zone, tightening muscles, slowing bat speed down and making it impossible to hit well.

So how do you learn to develop the concentration of a Major Leaguer?  You have to systematically work on developing and strengthening your “concentration muscles” so they'll be there for you when you need them, in the on-deck circle and up at the plate. Here's how...

Developing Awareness

Like in every aspect of this game, you can't correct anything you're doing wrong until you can first become aware that you're doing it. If you hit better in BP than in games, you need to learn to become aware of what you are doing different mentally in each of those situations. To discover this, try the following exercise:

Concentration & good performance: Think back to the last time you hit really well, whether it was in BP, a game or scrimmage. What exactly were you focusing on right before you picked up the bat? When you stepped into the batter's box? Before the pitcher's release? After one pitch, and before the next one? Jot down your answers on a piece of paper. Do this same exercise for one or more additional times when you felt like you were hitting like your “old self,” the way you're perfectly capable of. This concentration represents the “right things” to focus on.

Concentration & bad performance: Next, try to remember times when you struggled up at the plate, when you were in a slump and/or had no confidence. What were you focusing on in these situations? In the on-deck circle? As you walked up to the plate? Before the pitcher's release? In between pitches? This focus represents the “wrong things” to concentrate on.

Compare & contrast: Now carefully look at the mental difference between your best and worst hitting performances. If you're like most hitters, you should see some clear differences when you're at your best and worst. You'll probably notice that when you hit well, your concentration is outside of you on what you are doing, seeing and reacting, and when you struggle, your focus is inside of you on what you are thinking.

How to Concentrate

Whether you hit well or poorly, you're always doing a good job of concentrating. The key question here is, “what are you focusing on?” Championship concentration involves focusing on what's important and letting go of everything else. Two things are important concentration-wise for hitters: Staying in the NOW, that is focusing on just one pitch at a time and not getting mentally hung up in the past or the future; Keeping your focus on what YOU ARE DOING, and not on what others may be thinking or saying about you. This is much easier said then done.

Concentration is a two part mental skill...

1. Become aware that your focus has drifted from what's important.
2. Quickly return your focus to what's important.

"It's the break in concentration that you don't catch..."

Losing your focus won't hurt you as a hitter. What will hurt your hitting is when you lose your focus and you don't immediately return it to what's important. It's the break in concentration that you don't catch that causes hitters to struggle up at the plate. Work the following at-home exercise every day for 4 minutes:

Place a ball 4-5 feet away from you. Pick a spot on the ball where you will gently rest your eyes for the entire exercise. Breathing normally, as you inhale, concentrate on the feeling of the air coming in, and as you exhale, let a word go through your head like “ball,” “now,” “loose,” etc. This “concentration cue” will help remind you of the proper focus up at the plate. Every time your mind drifts from your spot on the ball, breathing and concentration cue, quickly return your focus. Do this exercise in two, two minute segments. First, practice in your room with no distractions, remembering to bring your focus back each and every time you drift. Second, place the ball at the base of a TV. Turn the TV on and sit back where you would normally watch it. Every time you get distracted by the TV, bring your focus back to the ball, your breathing and your cue.

Staying in The Now

Let go of bad at-bats in the on-deck circle and up at the plate. If you hang onto your mistakes and bad at-bats while you're trying to hit, you'll continue to struggle. Your job mentally is to let go of the past and focus on this pitch, one pitch at a time, in the now. Use these during-game techniques to help you do that.

FIST SQUEEZE
Close your eyes, make a fist and focus on the feeling of the tension in your hand. After holding that tension for 10 seconds, in your mind tell yourself, “let go,” and as you hear those words, very slowly let the tension drain out of your hand as your fingers relax and gradually open. Notice the difference in feeling in your hand as you do this. Repeat this process several more times so that you get familiar with this “letting go” feeling. In practice, when you have a poor at-bat or make an error, practice this letting go strategy. Whenever you're in the on-deck circle, or even up at the plate and you find yourself thinking about a past bad at-bat, step out of the box, make that fist again and “put” your bad at-bat or negative thoughts into your fist. “Hold it” there for 10 seconds and then tell yourself, “let go,” and as you do, allow the tension to drain away from your fist and along with it, the past.   

ERASE
Your job mentally when you hit is to keep your focus in the now and let your mistakes and bad at-bats go. One way to do this is by grounding this mental task in a physical act. Try the following: When you are either in the on-deck circle or up at the plate, make a mark with your foot in the dirt. Allow your focus to rest gently on that mark. It represents the past, your last bad at-bat or your last game when you hit poorly. As you “erase” that mark with your foot physically, as you rub it out, you can think, “That was last game or last at-bat. That's in the past and I'm erasing it. This is a brand new at-bat and I am focused in the now on just this pitch.”

USING YOUR PRE-HIT FOCUS TO CALM DOWN
One of the reasons hitters struggle in games is because they allow themselves to get too nervous before their at-bats. This performance disrupting nervousness is often fueled by the athlete's over-thinking before and during each at-bat. In fact, when you allow your focus to go INSIDE, on your thoughts, your level of nervousness will always accelerate up!

Handle Over-Thinking

One effective way to get a handle on this over-thinking driven nervousness in games is to deliberately switch your focus from internal thinking, to focusing your attention on your external surroundings. For example, if I am in the on-deck circle and I'm starting to get nervous because of the direction my thoughts are going in, I'll carefully look at the trees surrounding the field, I'll look at the backstop in detail, or the score board or any number of things that I can see in the external environment. The trick when you practice this is to be sure that as you look, your mind is silent. You want all of your attention caught up in carefully examining what is around you. And during my at-bat, I may call time and look down at my cleats, or what I can see beyond the outfield fence, etc.

Remember, the mental side of your hitting is just as important as the physical/mechanical. Don't leave this all important dimension to chance. Start today to systematically develop the concentration of a champion.   

Be Prepared!

"To every man there comes in his lifetime, that special moment when he is figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a special thing, unique to him and fitted to his talent; what a tragedy if that moment finds him unprepared or unqualified for the work which would be his finest hour."  Winston Churchill

7 Ways to Reach First Base Without Getting A Hit

"There are seven ways a baseball player can legally reach first base in a game without getting a hit.
1. Dropped third strike
2. Hit by pitch
3. Error
4. A fielder’s choice
5. Catcher’s interference
6. Fielder’s obstruction
7. Base on Balls

Baseball Hitting: Your Front Shoulder And Elbows Are Critical!

Baseball Hitting: Your Front Shoulder And Elbows Are Critical!

Base Running Drills

Base Running Drills

1.      Home to First Base – Routine Ground Ball:

·         Place a hitter at each base – each of the 4 bases represents home plate.

·         Hitter takes Game-like swing and runs full speed to 1B on Coach’s command.

·         Hitter find ball after 2 - 3 strides

·         Stretch out strides

·         Run full speed through 1B and approximately 10 feet beyond 1B.

·         Look to right for over throw after crossing 1B.

2.      Ground Ball Base Hit To Left Field:

·         Hitter takes Game-like swing and runs full speed to 1B on Coach’s command.

·         Find Ball after 2 – 3 strides.

·         Start to “Banana” or Round out early to improve angle to round 1B.

·         Hit front left corner of 1B bag with right foot.

·         Round 1B bag hard to put pressure on the Outfielder.

·         Get back to bag if Ball is fielded cleanly and throw is accurate.

3.      Line Drive Base Hit to LF:

·         Find Ball after 2 – 3 strides.

·         Think Double out of the Box!

·         Start to “Banana” or Round out early to improve angle to round 1B.

·         Accelerate throw 1B.

·         Round 1B aggressively and put pressure on the OF.

·         Take direct line to 2B and go about 1/3 the distance (30 ft).

·         Be ready to react to a bobble or bad throw by OF.

 4.      Line Drive to LF – OF Bobble:

·         Remember – these are Drills.

·         Find Ball after 2 – 3 strides.

·         Think Double out of the Box!

·         Start to “Banana” or Round out early to improve angle to round 1B.

·         Accelerate throw 1B.

·         Round 1B aggressively and put pressure on the OF.

·         Take direct line to 2B and go about 1/3 the distance (30 ft).

·         Always put pressure on the OF.

·         After an Aggressive turn, hesitate and GO on Coach’s command.

·         If OF Bobbles Ball – GO!

5.      1^st to 3^rd – Object - Get Runner to 3B with less than two Outs:

·         Start the Drill with runners on each base – all bases for the drill are 1B.

·         Check Depth of Outfielders.

·         Know the Arm Strength of OF.

·         Take an aggressive secondary lead off 1B.

·         React to 3B Coach’s direction for slide.

·         Keep hands up on slide into 3B.

6.      Second Base to Home – 1 Out:

·         Runner must take lead in the base line

·         Take aggressive secondary lead.

·         Pick up 3B coach for direction.

·         Start to Round Out early to improve angle to Home.

·         Slide to back side of home if catcher not blocking plate.

·         Slide by the plate and reach back with hand to touch plate as you slide by if catcher is blocking the plate.

 

7.  Second to Home – 2 Outs:

·         Lead Off deeper in the base line 2 – 3 steps back.

·         Pick up 3B Coach.

·         Take a walking lead after Primary Lead.

·         Pick up 3B Coach.

·         Slide to back side of home if catcher not blocking plate.

·         Slide by the plate and reach back with hand to touch plate as you slide by if catcher is blocking the plate.

8.     Dirt Ball – Runner on 1B:

·         Coach or Pitcher throw ball in dirt to catcher.

·         Always be alert for ball in dirt.

·         Always take secondary lead anticipating ball in the dirt.

·         Go immediately after reading dirt ball.

9.    Dirt Ball – Runner on 2B:

·         Coach or Pitcher throw ball in dirt to catcher.

·         Always be alert for ball in dirt.

·         Always take secondary lead anticipating ball in the dirt.

·         Runner already in scoring position – Must be sure you can advance.

Lead Offs

Base Running – Lead Offs

1.      Lead Off 1B:

  

·         Find the Ball

·         Check 3B Coach for Sign

·         Check position of Outfielders

·         Lead off in straight line to 2B

·         Take 3 step lead beginning with Left Foot & pivot after last step – about 9 feet.

·         Drop right foot slightly so right hip is free to open on cross over step – Right Toe to Left Instep.

·         Take Secondary Lead – 2 shuffle steps when pitcher releases Ball

2.      Lead Off 2B – less than two outs:

·         Find the Ball

·         Check 3B coach for sigh

·         Check Outfielders

·         Lead of in straight line to 3B

·         Take 4 step Lead beginning with Right Foot & pivot on Left Foot after 4^th step.

·         Drop Right Foot slightly – Right Toe to Left Instep.

·         Take Secondary Lead – 2 shuffle steps when pitcher releases Ball.

3.      Lead Off 2B – two Outs:

·         Same approach as with less than two outs.

·         Take 2 – 3 steps back of the base line to gain angle to round 3B.

·         Take Secondary Lead – 2 shuffle steps when pitcher releases Ball.

·         Continue on Hitter’s Contact with Ball.

4.      Lead Off 3B:

·         Find the Ball

·         Check 3B coach for sign

·         Check Outfielders

·         Take a 3 Step Walking Lead in Foul Territory

·         Start with Left Foot so you finish on Right Foot at conclusion of 3^rd Step.

·         Return to 3B in Fair Territory.

Best Motivation Video 2014 - LIVE YOUR DREAM

The Primary Part of the Primary Lead-Off

Baseball Hitters: The Pitcher Might Be Telling You What Pitch Is Coming Next!

Baseball Hitters: The Pitcher Might Be Telling You What Pitch Is Coming Next!

Infield Ladder Drills

Hitter's Responsibilities While In Dugout

The hitter should be preparing for his AB by gathering the following information while in the dugout waiting his turn at the plate. The more info you can gather prior to your AB, the more productive you will be as a hitter and base runner:
 1. Check the pitcher's arm slot - is he over the top, side arm, 3/4 or submarine?
\2. What pitch does the pitcher usually throw on his first pitch to the hitter? Is it usually a FB, breaking ball, slider or off-speed?
 3. What does the pitcher usually throw when he's ahead in the count?
4. What does he throw when he's behind in the count?
5. How strong are the outfielder's arms? Can you run on them?
6. How well does the catcher throw? What's his POP time to second base?
7. What's the pitcher's release time from the stretch?
8. How good is the pitcher's move to first base?
9. Does the pitcher finish in a balanced position or does he fall off to the side? Is he susceptible to a bunt? 10. Do the middle infielders protect the second base bag with a runner on first base? If not, a delayed steal may be a possibility.
11. Does the catcher stay on his feet on throw backs to the pitcher or does he drop to his knees? Another opportunity for a delayed steal?