Posted by: Teacherman () on Thu Dec 12 15:55:45 2002

I am sitting here watching video of some of my high school players hit and on the screen next to me is Sosa (and switch out and put in Bonds). The biggest difference in the swing path to me is: contact point for my players is further out front regardless of pitch location. But there swing is rotational, the bat head goes to the cathcer the elbow is slotted, the "L" is there, connection maintained. Are there any good drills or advice for these kids who for a long time swung linear and slow and had to hit the ball out front to change their mindset to hitting it deeper or "perpendicular"?
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> They do and have done the heavy bag drill for months but in live pitching they still go out and try to get it and they are rotating - in fact, I go frame by frame with Sosa and Bonds and arc and swing radius and handpath is very close, but not contact point.
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> Some say start later or stride longer or wider/longer handpath, what do you think? Is it timing or mechanical or mental or all?

They have to let the ball come to them instead of going out after it. How do you do this? I've had very good results with high school age players asking them to "focus" on the contact point as they watch the ball come in. What do I mean by focus? I mean their set up, their load, their mental image, everything is ready to swing and "aimed" at the contact point (the top of a batting T if it were there). Their decision is yes swing or no don't. But if its yes, they swing at the T. They time the ball to the T. Get the bathead at the T at the same time as the ball. Having a spot to time the ball to makes it easier for them than to just time the ball.