Challenge Baseball Hitters Correctly in Batting Practice

Whenever I tell baseball coaches that they need to challenge baseball hitters more than they are, they immediately think that they have to throw harder to batters. That is true in some cases, but multiple ways exist to challenge hitters that are just as, or more important, than just throwing harder.

Hitting a ball is all about timing, with the correct baseball swing mechanics having a big role in that timing of the baseball pitch. The good news is that it is generally easy to tell when batters are early or late on balls, which is the first ingredient to consider when preparing to challenge them correctly. Also good news is that challenging hitters correctly helps both the timing for batters as well as for developing a better fundamental swing. Although it is difficult to make drastic muscle memory, swing changes with only live batting practice, as batting tee and flip drills are often necessary for big swing changes, challenging batting practice techniques help develop better swing mechanics, too. 

The coach’s first objective is determining when timing issues exist for baseball hitters, so they challenge them correctly. Every pitcher throws different speeds and it is often those different speeds that throw hitters off and not just the real fast pitchers. Following are some of the many ways that coaches can and should challenge players so improved hitting results, with the understanding that no speed is too fast or too slow, within reason, for that age group. When in doubt, mixing up various batting practice challenge methods is good.

Various Ways to Challenge Baseball Hitters during Batting Practice

Batting practice pitchers should:

1. Constantly change speeds of pitches – helps timing of all pitchers
2. Move closer to batters for faster speeds for late swinging batters and further away for players who can’t wait for balls
3. Have players attempt to hit all balls to a designated field – opposite field for example
4. Have players attempt to hit all ground balls or fly balls, when not getting one or the other
5. Have players yell out the speeds of pitches as they come to them – i.e. fast, medium, slow – or fastball, curve ball, change up – or have them not swing anytime they see and off speed pitch.
6. Use counts on batters and have them hit appropriately by learning to look for specific pitches in those counts
7. Have batters try score runs in the least amount of at bats by having them get a hit, move them over, and drive them home
8. Have batters see how many pitches they can go without swinging at a bad pitch, but swinging at the strikes
9. Have players take pitches but yell out ball or strike or as soon as they recognize the pitch location
10. Have a scoring system where players get points depending on how well they hit balls. For example, every hard hit ball is worth so many points, with line drives and long shots worth the most.

Hitting contest possibilities are endless, as with the last point above and are fun ways to challenge baseball hitters. Finally, when not having to work on any specific hitting problem, having players hit balls in the direction of the pitched ball is always important for effective batting practice.

The Baseball Blowout Comes and Goes

A baseball blowout is a game that one team seems to do no wrong and the other team does little right.

A loss is a loss, no matter the score, and often a baseball blowout loss is easier to deal with for coaches and teams than a one-run loss. Losing coaches understand that a blowout loss comes from time to time, even for very good teams, and realize it is not time to panic over one game. On the other side, the winning coach in a baseball blowout realizes it is just one of those games. Coaches of the winning team realize it is no reason for a team to become complacent just because they had an awesome game and the team put it all together.

No matter the side coaches are on, it provides them the opportunity to play players, who do not get to play as often, or get players some time at positions they normally do not play. In that way, some good comes out of the blowout type game.

What good coaches look for is team trends, when teams lack efficiency over a few games. Baseball is a contagious sport when players get on a roll together. This manifests itself in all areas of the game, hitting, pitching, fielding, and base running.  Not only do teams go on a roll from time to time, but team slumps come from time to time too, and in all of those areas. It is difficult for coaches to know what to do when those team slumps come. A coach’s first inclination may be to let the team slump work its way out, but that is difficult too, to sit back and do nothing. At times like that, one suggestion  to get out of team slumps is to have a blowout practice.

Baseball Blowout Practice

Blowout practices put all the emphasis on the slumping area and involve a doubling or tripling of the amount of repetitions players normally receive. There are times when coaches have to tell players, “No need to bring your gloves to the next practice,” or “Leave the bats at home.” The point is that there comes a time when coaches must have a blowout practice, where they focus on that one, and only one, aspect of the game. As mentioned, the intent is to get players more focused on the fundamentals, even to the point of fatigue. 

For example, a hitting blowout practice would have players receive an age-appropriate, minimum number of swings, say one hundred and fifty swings. Coaches set up a number of hitting stations, including live batting practice, batting tee, and short flip stations, where players do not leave each station until they perform the designated number of swings for that station.

This blowout practice idea helps players refocus on the area of need, gives them many more practice repetitions and may get them out of the team slump. At the very least, coaches feel like they are doing all they can to help the situation.

I believe in baseball drills for players of all ages, as they work for a number of reasons. First, they help explain a certain aspect of the game, as for the correct way to hit, throw, pitch, and field. Second, players usually get a great number of repetitions in a short span. Third, for most baseball drills, a small area is all that is necessary to do them. Fourth, and most important, good baseball drills generally force the correct actions, leading to quicker improvement than would have been possible without the baseball drills. Lastly, they help keep practice boredom away, especially with the great number of drills available to coaches and players.

However, some dangers exist with baseball drills, especially in the short term.

Possible Negatives of Baseball Drills

1. Some players have a tough time differentiating drills from reality. Many young players sometimes think that the drill is the way they are supposed to do something, instead of realizing that the drills are to help achieve the correct actions.
2. Different actions than those intended develop – sometimes, players develop a different bad habit from incorrect or over use of a drill.
3. Players become somewhat mechanical – before the desired action becomes natural, players may look or be awkward with the implementation.
4. Players begin to think too much – sometimes players do not just let the actions flow but think about them to the point of paralyzing their movements.
5. Especially when it comes to hitting drills, all players have different habits, so what helps one player’s skills may actually hurt another.
6. When it comes to throwing drills, changing from an individual’s natural habits may cause arm injury, even though the change is for better throwing mechanics. 

Because of those dangers, it is always best to do a few things to try to avoid them from occurring.

Baseball Drills Implementation

Players should do the following when doing drills:

1. Try to understand why they are doing the drills the coaches suggest and realize they are drills.
2. Have coaching supervision to make sure they do the drills correctly.
3. Find the drill or drills that best suit their weak areas and focus mostly on those.
4. Repeat the drill for a spell, ten or so repetitions, and then try the skill without the drill, so they see if they can do the correct way without the drill.
5. Be careful they do not perform the drill to the point where a different incorrect action is the result.
6. Give the drill time to work, which is often, a long time with young, inexperienced players.
7. Forget the drill when in games, so they do not over think and become mechanical.
8. Back off from the drill when they experience pain, as some drills may be too difficult at their age, as one arm hitting drills, for example.

As stated above, I believe continual use of baseball drills are the best way to teach the game, but coaching supervision is necessary so the intended result has a chance. Finally, although it takes patience to wait, I often see the results of good drills take affect at the beginning of the following season, as players show improved skills at that time and do not over think anymore.

You are probably thinking this article is a baseball coaching debate on whether players should have to earn playing time, the positions they play and where they bat in the batting order. That is a story for another day, although I have a few thoughts on that below. However, this article is about sound baseball coaching advice that helps players have success and helps teams win, also.

I often use the statement, “Make them earn it,” when coaching baseball players in practice and during games. It is a statement I use in one form or another before games, “Hey let’s stay focused on every pitch,” and one I make after games by asking, “Did they earn it, or did we hand it to them,” after a loss.

Sound Baseball Coaching Advice so Pitchers “Earn It”

Batters often give away at bats by swinging at bad pitches, pulling off balls and by being mentally defeated before even going up to bat. It is important that coaches help players learn the strike zone, stay in there when hitting, even if that means not striding, and by realizing that it only takes one good swing to get a hit. In that way, batters do not get themselves out and by making pitchers earn it by having to throw strikes and by not pulling off the ball prematurely. Teaching players to hit with confidence and that good hitters get jammed from time to time, is good baseball coaching advice. However, hitters, who step or pull out, have little chance at success. Pitchers do not earn outs when batters are afraid to stay in on the pitch.

Baseball Coaching Advice for Pitchers so Batters Earn It 

On the other side, pitchers should make batters earn it by throwing strikes and by trusting that their defense will make plays. Walking players because of fear of being hit hard is the wrong pitching attitude and one that coaches must help pitchers overcome. Along those lines, coaches should not act disappointed when pitchers throw strikes but are hit hard, as that is the objective of pitching.

Along the same lines, many outs are lost because of a lack of defensive communication. Coaches should coach players to communicate on the field on batted balls, cut offs and relays, and for correct base coverage. Often, offensive teams do not earn  runs and extra outs, but are given them by a lack of communication by the defense.

Baseball Coaching Advice so Base Runners Earn It

Often, inexperienced players throw off balance or try to make an exceptional play, when it was unnecessary. When in doubt, players should set their feet and make a strong throw on batted balls. In this way, fielders make the play and force the batter to beat the completed throw to first. Often, inexperienced players try to make the “circus play”- unnecessary bare hand or off balance throw – missing the ball or throwing off line, giving the batter an unearned base hit. Good baseball coaching has players set their feet and makes the strong balanced throw, even if that means the base runner beats the throw.

Pitchers must learn to hold runners on base so catchers have a chance to throw runners out on base steal attempts. Most base steals come from stealing on the pitcher, giving the catcher no chance of throwing them out. Pitchers should learn various techniques for holding runners close to the bag and for eliminating their chance of getting a great jump, along with a slide step home, so catchers have an opportunity, and so base stealers earn the stolen base.

Youth Baseball Coaching Advice

A few thoughts on my original statement. Youth baseball coaching should be different from the higher levels of baseball. Beginning at the high school level, sound advice involves players having to earn those things, but at the youth level of baseball, players should have equal opportunities, within reason and based on the nature of the league played.

Youth ball players should not sit the bench more than other players should because of their on the field performance.  Coaches should have a positive  coaching philosophy that finds ways to make sure no player sits the bench for poor performance.

MLB Pitchers that Make it Look Easy

Some starting Major League Baseball pitchers have unbelievable stuff ( baseball term for repertoire of pitches) – consistently plus ninety-three mile an hour fastballs and superb off speed pitches to complement those fastballs. Guys like David Price, Steven Strasburg and Chris Sale are simply nasty and guys who, when healthy, are in the Cy Young chase, year in and year out. Pitchers, as those mentioned,  with dominant pitches force hitters out of their comfort zones and because of that, get outs in ways that other less dominant pitchers cannot get. Hitters facing the best can only hope for a major mistake that they might be able to take advantage of hitting. The great MLB pitchers are fun to watch for everyone, including youth players, but often make pitching look too easy.

However, as implied, those Cy Young candidates have unbelievable pitches that most pitchers do not possess. It is all relative to the ages of players, as dominant youth pitchers exist also. However, most youth pitchers are not and never will have dominant stuff.

With that in mind, it is best that youth pitchers watch other MLB pitchers that have less dominant pitches, those who throw 88 to 92 miles per hour and who are more similar to their own abilities. In this way, youth players learn more about pitching with just average stuff and that they can still be very effective pitchers with average pitches. Following are a number of things that young players may better learn from those less dominant pitchers.

What’s Better to Learn from Average MLB Pitchers

1. The importance of developing movement on the ball – this is not easy for young pitchers, but good coaches should help young players learn the two-seam fastball and the change-up and the times to use them, because of the extra movement and speed those pitches create.
2. Not only the ability to throw strikes, as pitches down the middle often get clobbered with just average stuff, but the necessity of hitting different locations in and out of the strike zone.
3. The ability to throw strike one – pitching ahead of the hitters is crucial to the average pitcher.
4. The ability to throw strikes with all their pitches, so batters can never totally rely on getting fastballs in fastball counts.
5. How to not just “give in” to batters when behind in the count – it is never good to have the mindset of easing up and just laying the ball in there, at least as players move up to advanced baseball levels.
6. How to set hitters up – the ability to use various pitches in various counts, in and out of the strike zone, is crucial for learning to pitch at any level.
7. Knowing which batters they have a better chance of getting out, so that they do not get beat needlessly by the best hitters. This is known as carefully pitching to some batters by only throwing pitches they cannot hit solidly, obviously and advance pitching method.

Of course, one can make the point that no MLB pitcher is average, but it is relative, of course. Every major league team has a pitcher or two that fit the above mold and that coaches should have players watch to learn the above criteria, with aging veterans as Mark Buerhle and Andy Pettitte the first ones to come to mind.

Hitting Analysis Helps Players and Coaches

It is difficult for coaches to remember players’ swing tendencies, especially from practice to practice, and with the many players on a team. Having a written hitting analysis evaluation is very helpful so coaches can recall those players’ swing tendencies without having to watch players for that recollection. Having this hitting analysis sheet is not only helpful for the immediate future, but coaches can use them for tracking players‘ progress over the course of the season, if not from season to season.  

Below is one such hitting analysis evaluation sheet that coaches can copy and print to use to help remember batters’ swings and for suggesting possible drills to help improvement in those areas of need. It is best for coaches to do these hitting evaluations early in the season to review and explain to batters. With that in mind, coaches should give players a copy to have for future us also.

Of course, hitting is a difficult skill to perfect but careful monitoring of the hitting process by knowledgeable coaches and this type evaluation is a good first step for players’ seasons and career development. A key to this evaluation sheet is the “suggested drills” section that gives players a concrete plan of attack for each area of hitting. Coaches will usually find that when players perform the first few areas of evaluation correctly and improve upon those, the rest of the hitting mechanics fall into place.

Not so Obvious Game Winning Managerial Decisions

It is a special feeling when coaches make game winning managerial decisions. Of course, game winning managerial decisions come at different points, some even before games begin, with the line-up coaches decide to put on the field.  Deciding things as who to pitch and when, as well as the batting order and positions players play, are constant managerial decisions that have a great impact on the outcome of baseball games. Additionally, many late inning games are in the balance when making the managerial decisions of taking pitchers out at the right time and pinch hitting the correct players, or doing nothing in those key baseball game situations. 

The outcomes of those managerial decisions are often obvious to those watching the game. However, some coaching choices, which determine game outcomes, are not so obvious, but determinations good coaches consider. Often, only knowledgeable baseball people know if those not so obvious decisions turned into game winning calls.

Following are some of those intricate judgment calls that good baseball coaches make that decide ball games. Often, these are late inning coaching calls, but not always, as avoiding big innings with these crucial managerial decisions win ballgames later.

3 Early Inning Managerial Decisions to Avoid Big Innings

Coaches often feel like they do not want to allow any runs to score, but giving up one run to avoid the opposition from having a big inning is important.

1. This may mean that coaches play the infield back with runners on third base, instead of trying to cut the runner down at home. Taking an out at first base, instead of letting a weak hit groundball through the infield may keep the big inning away.
2. The first and third steal situation creates a tough coaching call. Coaches must decide if just taking an out at second is better than allowing a run to possibly score. With youth baseball, just taking any out is often the best decision, even if it means letting the team score a run.
3. Always instructing outfielders to throw to the cutoff man, instead of all the way to the base, is often best at the lower levels of ball also, as that avoids balls thrown all over the place and to the wrong bases.

3 Late Inning Game Winning Managerial Decisions

Late inning coaching calls often determine the outcomes of games. Some of those key calls are:

1. Playing the first and third baseman on the lines to avoid the extra base hits down the lines is a tough decision. The reasoning is that it then takes three singles to score a run instead of two, a double and single.
2. Similarly, having outfielders play much deeper to avoid the extra base hits is a coaching option that gives up singles but not extra base hits.
3. Deciding to have outfielders throw balls into second base to keep the double play and force out in order, instead throwing to home with a run scoring is sometimes a good decision, warranted by the score of the game.

Of course, giving up any runs later in games is not usually good except with a lead in the game; whereas earlier in the game it is sometimes better strategy than allowing the big inning.

Most of these game winning managerial decisions come from careful analysis of player abilities and scores at the time the game determinations are necessary. Good coaches make the most of this analysis and help teams win games, even if they are the only ones, who realize it was a great coaching decision.

When Bunting for a Base Hit is a Bad Idea

The main rule for bunting for a base hit is that it is for helping the team win, as opposed to bunting to pad the batting average, as in a game that is very one sided. Bunting, just to get a hit, when it has no relevance on the game outcome should be discouraged by coaches.

One thing I was good at in professional baseball, even in the major leagues, was bunting for a base hit. Of course, the opposition knew this was a big part of my game, so there was always a cat and mouse game to bunting for a base hit. A perfectly laid bunt works most of the time, but perfection is difficult, so the element of surprise becomes a big part of turning bunt attempts into hits. 

Initial Considerations when Bunting for a Base Hit

1. Most bunt attempts for hits occur down the third base line, as that presents a longer throw to first, as well as eliminating the chances of being tagged out on the first base line.
2. Bunting from the left side of home also gives batters a big advantage, as they are a few steps closer to home than the right-handed batter and is why many softball players learn to bunt and slap from the left side of home plate.
3. Right-handed batters often have the advantage of the third baseman playing further from home, especially those with power.
4. Other advantages may revolve around how the pitcher falls off the mound after delivering the ball.

Other Considerations for Bunting for a Base Hit

1. Game situation is key – does the situation warrant more base runners or is it better to swing away and drive in a run or go for an extra base hit. Good coaches help players decide on what times are best for bunts, depending on game situations.
2. Struggling hitters may want to consider it more as they need something to jump-start their hitting and confidence.
3. Before two strikes is the time to bunt, once again, using the element of surprise to the best advantage.
4. Hitters, who struggle with curve balls, may want to bunt when they believe a curve is coming, as that is a good pitch to get down.
5. Third basemen, who are flat-footed and back on their heels, present a good opportunity for batters to lay one down.
6. Similarly, when pitchers fall off the mound a great deal, bunting in the opposite direction may work.
7.     Batters should be precise with bunts down the lines because if the ball goes foul they are not out, but bunts towards the pitcher generally leads to outs.

As mentioned, most base hit bunt attempts are down the third base line, but pushing the bunt towards the second baseman is effective when speedy bunters can get the ball by the pitcher.  Finally, it is important that bunters run in the correct running lane to first base, so they are not automatically out from running on the wrong side of the first base line.

Philosophy of Coaching Youth is No Different than Big League Coaching in a Way

Maybe it is not the kids, but the philosophy of coaching youth that is the problem. And, maybe coaches need to change their philosophy of coaching youth. Of course, it is not just an issue at the youth coaching levels, as professional coaches deal with the same things with the greatest players in the world. They all have the same question, “Why don’t players care more and give 100% all the time?” When I played major league baseball it was the same, some players came to play every day and others did not, or at least gave the appearance of not playing their hardest.

I often hear similar things from youth coaches, alluding to the idea that kids have it easy now, and that their desire is lacking. “The players do not come to play,” or “The kids have no heart” or “They don’t take it serious, like we use to” are common coaching statements that refer to kids lacking desire and giving less than their all. 

My first thought after hearing such accusations goes unspoken, but to me it sounds as if their philosophy of coaching youth is the problem, not the players. Realistically, most teams consist of a couple of players that give maximum effort, and many players, who give less than 100% of maximum effort, and give off a less than serious attitude, when it comes to playing and trying. A big part of coaching is trying to turn players, who have less desire and give less than maximum effort, into giving more, even if it does not come up to the “all in” level.

Coaches should go into coaching knowing they will encounter many players that have a casual attitude and that is the challenge of coaching youth. That is the challenge good coaches accept; they find ways to bring out desire, attitude, and effort in players. Age of players and the degree of commitment expected for the level played is always a consideration, but a good philosophy of coaching youth is for coaches to challenge themselves to see how many of those less than maximum players they can turn into the 100% group. Turning just a player or two into the one hundred percent in-group is a great accomplishment and justification for staying with being a coach.

Getting players to buy into giving their all is not easy but the following suggestions give coaches that fighting chance.

Philosophy of Coaching Youth Tips

Coaches should:

1. Set realistic expectations for each player individually – many kids are afraid to give their all because they feel like it will not be good enough. By giving less than their best effort, they have an excuse for not coming through.
2. Objectively compare their effort to their previous effort levels and not to what other players give or what you think they should be doing. Letting youth players know that the coaches recognize a little added effort boosts players desire to give a little more.
3. Describe their actions in a way that does not attack their desire levels. Saying be more aggressive the next time that play occurs is better than saying you have to want it.
4. Remain positive, encouraging and hopeful – realizing that coaches never know when a player may figure it out that giving more is beneficial.
5. Never forget that fun in sport is mandatory and part of fun is challenging players according to, and up to, their frustration level.

Finally, good coaches make a point of getting to know players interests beyond the sport, when possible. Coaches, who let kids know that they realize there is more to life than just what they give on the playing fields, have the best philosophy of coaching youth.

Stop Popping Up a Baseball Video Instruction

Besides striking out, nothing is more frustrating for batters than continually popping up, or hitting weak fly balls. Unfortunately, the solution to stop popping up a baseball is not as simple as just telling players to stop upper cutting, dropping their hands, or dropping their shoulder. Sometimes, a changing of the mindset of the batter is necessary. The mindset change has to do with getting players to think of hitting the top half of the ball, especially for players who have little power to begin with, as hitting balls in the air are easy outs for players who lack power.

The solutions to stop popping up a baseball problem, usually has to do with muscle memory changes. Using the following hitting drills speeds up that process and these drills may be the only solution.

For players who have very good swings but still hit the lower portion of the ball a couple of quick fixes may work. Simply raising the batters hands an inch or two and/or having them stand a little taller by bringing the feet closer together may be all that’s needed. These little changes helps them see and get to the top portion of the ball, as hitting the ball an inch higher turns pop ups into good line drives.

Stop Popping Up a Baseball Swing Drills

Usually however, repetitive, muscle memory hitting drills are necessary. These swing adjustment drills involve two areas of concentration. First, helping players keep their hands from dropping, gives them a more direct attack to the ball. Batters can work on this in a number of ways, with the first being hitting balls off a high batting tee, until good solid line drives result. Secondly, players can take swings using balls on two batting tees, with the rear ball a balls distance below the ball meant to be hit, with goal of keeping the barrel from dropping.  For extreme cases of bat or hands dropping, setting a tee hip high and directly under the batter’s hands at setup position, helps eliminate the big initial hands and barrel drop, forcing an initial downward move. This tee behind hitting drill works with regular batting practice, too.

Of course, many experts out here cringe when they see such drills, immediately saying, “The swing is not down” and “That is not the way we see great swings work.” It is obvious these experts have never worked with hitters before, because, as mentioned, you can tell a batter a million times not to uppercut so much, and they cannot change the habit without doing some of these opposite drills, with the hope of arriving at the perfect swing. Having hitters do the opposite of what they normally do helps them meet in the middle, hopefully with a better swing.

It is also not a bad idea to take some of these tee ball swings with just the top arm or with a donut on the bat, so players get a better feel of the whereabouts of the bat barrel.

Stop Popping Up a Baseball Hip Drills

The second area that often needs addressing when popups result is leveling out the hips. Many people talk about the back shoulder drop but it only drops too much because the hip collapses. Two drills help the collapsing back hip action. First, hitters stand with feet together and swing without using hips and without bending knees. This helps them realize they can get to balls without collapsing the backside, especially lower half pitches. Next batters swing and kick their back knee up and through so the hips remain level, with a good transfer of the weight forward.

These two drills are necessary on low and high pitches, too, as often hitters drop more on low pitches than high ones. These level hip drills are also good during batting practice with accurate pitchers. Batters can combine these drills with the batting tee drills from above too, to work on both level hips and a direct swing at the same time.

With these muscle memory changes, players begin to square balls up, eliminating many popped up balls. Finally, these drills help players who swing and miss miss a lot of balls too, as most swings and misses come from being under the ball.