Mechanical Analysis of Hitting
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In-depth instruction in effective hitting, covering everything from bat selection and stance to elbow position and follow through.


Initial Preparation

Bat Selection

• Find one that you can swing with ease.
• Singles-hitters tend to look for a thicker handle and choke up.

Mental Approach

• Positive thinking and confidence.
• Relax and loose but aggressive to attack (every pitch is a strike until you see different).
• Concentrate on imaginary window of delivery point.
• Know game situation and what is needed (Ex. Ground ball to right side to move runners).
• Know the pitcher and what his best pitch is.

At the Plate

Grip

• Firm with bottom hand and loose with top hand.
• Top hand middle knuckles should line up somewhere between base and middle knuckles of lower hand.
• Top hand turned too far counterclockwise can create an upper cut and inhibit wrist action.
• Hold bat in fingers or as close to this position as possible.

Stance

• Closed stance generates more power since power is in the hips, but takes longer to open the hips allowing hands to come through.
• Backing away and behind the plate gives the hitter more time but can make him susceptible to outside breaking pitches.
• The swing cannot be made till hips open and are out of the was so each hitter must choose a stance and box position allowing himself to hit ball out front with full arm extension.
• The feet should be shoulder width apart (A stance too spread inhibits hips and too narrow encourages lunging and head movement).
• The back foot should be parallel with back line or turned in to encourage better hip rotation.
• The front foot should be parallel with back line to help keep front side of body closed till the last split second.
• There should be flexion in the knees for balance and to keep weight on the balls of the feet.
• Hitter is bent over from the waist for shorter swing and to keep front side from pulling out to soon.
• The weight should be on the balls of the feet (getting weight on the heels encourages the front shoulder to pull out too soon).
• Weight should be evenly distributed (too much weight on backside leads to front foot hitting, lunging, head movement, and poor timing).

Hands

• Hands are ideally over the back foot at chest level (hitting position 3-8 inches from body).
• If hands start out of the hitting position, they must get to the hitting position prior to pitcher releasing the ball.
• If hands are too far from the body, a sweeping swing is possible and if hands are too close, the hitter is tied up and has trouble getting the bat barrel out and extending arms, particularly on the inside pitch.
• While waiting for the delivery, good hitters maintain looseness by practice swings, swaying the body of fingering the bat.

Positioning

Bat Position

• Most hitters like to hold bat angle halfway between an upright and horizontal position.
• Horizontal starting position enhances bat control but takes away power.
• Vertical position lengthens swing and lessens bat control.
• Longer swing also means longer stride.
• Do not wrap bat around head and back toward pitcher.

Elbow Position

• Back elbow is away from body just enough to allow hands to throw the bat barrel out on inside pitches.
• Raised back elbow will lengthen swing.
• Front elbow should be kept down to help keep front shoulder down and in and avoid dragging the barrel of bat (insideout swing).

Front Shoulder

• Single most important part of hitting is to keep front shoulder down and in when swing is started.
• Many other faults are not bad in themselves (Ex. Stepping in the bucket) but they tend to pull front shoulder out too soon.
• A sweeper usually pulls front shoulder out too soon attempting to get hips out of way and bat through the zone.

Head

• Quiet with chin near front shoulder.
• Avoid tilting the head.
• Head does not move with the stride.
• Both eyes focused on delivery window.

Hitting the Ball

Preparation Movement

The hitter must generate some movement to get body and bat starting (cocking action).

• Inward turn of the front hip and front knee.
• Front shoulder turns down and in.
• As hips turn in the weight shifts to inside of leg.
• Shoulder is either parallel to ground or front is down slightly.
• Lifting the front heel facilitates the cocking action and good hip rotation.
• The back leg is firm and slightly flexed.
• The hands move back, but no more than 4-6 inches (farther than 6 inches creates a long swing and possible sweep).
• Cocking the wrist and moving the barrel of the bat toward the pitcher creates more power but a bigger swing.
• Other common preparatory movements:
• Holding hands outside of hitting area and moving them into hitting position (hands must be in hitting area by the time ball is released).
• Waggling of bat.
• Lifting front foot helps to start bat.
• Stride:
• Short casual (6-8 inches) for balance, better focus, and to keep from lunging (stride at right angel to pitcher for maximum power).
• Weight stays on inside of rear foot as stride is taken.
• Stride foot hits on sole of foot, not on heel (front toe is closed).
• The lead shoulder and hips are still closed.
• The head should not move, hands are now in the hitting position (chest level over back foot).
• Front knee is flexed slightly and batter is poised ready to attack.

Swing

• Weight moves forward as hitter pushes off the ball of back foot.
• Front knee opens, back knee falls in.
• Hips open as weight transfers to outer edge of front foot so hitter can hit against a firm front side.
• Hips remain parallel to ground.
• Back foot is pivoted so toe is pointed straight ahead.
• Front shoulder opens after leg and hips begin to open.
• The hops help turn the shoulder when swinging.
• On inside pitches the hips need to open all the way so the belly button in pointing to left field for a right hander.
• On outside pitches the belly button point to right as the hips open slightly (R.H. batter).
• After the hips are out of the way the hands throw the bat.
• The swing should come down and across the plate leveling out as it meets the ball. All pitches are hit out in front of the lead foot with full arm extension.
• The hitter should not allow his top hand to drop lower than the bottom, thus avoiding the uppercut.

Contact

• Location of pitch determines to some extent the exact body position (EX. Hips open more on inside pitches).
• Striding leg is firm.
• Back leg is bent and driving into firm front side.
• The extent of hip and shoulder rotation depends on location of pitch (inside pitch requires hips and shoulders to be nearly parallel to front edge of plate).
• Back foot raises up on toe facing the pitcher.
• Weight shifts over top front side and should be on the outside part of front foot.
• Weight shifts over top front leg or very close to over the top.
• Head and eyes are focused down on the ball.
• Lead arm is straight and back arm is bent at the elbow with palm of backhand facing up and palm of the lead hand facing down.
• On outside pitches, contact is made at front edge of lead foot and the more inside a pitch; the farther out front contact must be made.
• Wrist starts breaking at moment of impact.

Follow through

• Top hand extends through the ball and finishes at a position near the lead shoulder (releasing top hand form bat after contact tends to create a better arm extension).
• Wrist continues breaking (snap and roll over).
• Belly button comes around and faces location of pitch.
• Back foot may even drag slightly (particularly on an inside pitch where maximum hip rotation takes place).
• Tension in swing prohibits good arm extension.