Most common hitting faults

[headstillhitter]

Whats everyone's opinion on most common hitting faults. In working with high school players all the way down to teaching lessons with youth players the 2 things that stand out are keeping the head still (do not see it and you will not hit it) and not keeping hands inside the ball. Have always said that if you do those 2 things we can do a lot of other things wrong and still be a fairly sucessful hitter.

HeadStill Hitter

[bbrages]

Can you explain what is means to not keep your hands inside the ball? Does that mean you'll hit the ball with your wrists? I don't have baseball experience, and I think I'm taking it too literally.

IMO, most common hitting fault at 7-8-9 years of age is not getting the stride foot going in time (caused by fear of the ball/happy feet IMO)

[dominik]

Can you explain what is means to not keep your hands inside the ball? Does that mean you'll hit the ball with your wrists? I don't have baseball experience, and I think I'm taking it too literally.

IMO, most common hitting fault at 7-8-9 years of age is not getting the stride foot going in time (caused by fear of the ball/happy feet IMO)

No not staying inside just means that the hands swing around the body in a wide arc and have to be pulled in at the end to make contact. this is also called a sweep.

of course it does not mean hitting the ball with the wrist or have you ever seen a hitter hitting with the wrist?

[CircleChange11]

Most common hitting mistakes I see ...

1. Swinging and missing
2. Swinging at pitches out of the strike zone
3. Using a swing path that will not deliver the desired results.

Edit: The above were intended to be a joke.

I would say that the swing "lifting the eyes" (not keeping chin down and/or on shoulder) is a big one.

On the mechanical side ...

1. hands don't go back.
2. Barrel doesn't turn
2. Batters start high but don't finish high. (chop)
3. Arms generate power, not hips.
4. Hips leak toward the corner OF, or as Bull Durham stated "pulling your hips out early".

At the higher levels, it's pretty much all timing (usually late getting foot down and/or hands through) and/or pitch recognition.

[Stampede]

Not stepping with every pitch and "stepping in the bucket", are a couple big ones at lower levels.

[songtitle]

I would say that the swing "lifting the eyes" (not keeping chin down and/or on shoulder) is a big one.

I used to think so as well, until I started videoing kids. If there's any related problem, it's that they have their shoulders 'upside down' (front shoulder is up when it should be down).

[bbrages]

In your opinion, song, the "keep your head on the ball" cue is not that important?

[songtitle]

In your opinion, song, the "keep your head on the ball" cue is not that important?

When you video kids like this, they are looking away after contact. Many of them have their shoulders upside down, and this cue won't fix that. Some younger kids (some) will slow down their swing when given this cue.

[shake-n-bake]

Not keeping the back elbow in......weight transfer problems that get player on the stride leg too early, getting arms extended too early, and wrists rolling over too early.

[songtitle]

shake nailed it.

[headstillhitter]

Can you explain what is means to not keep your hands inside the ball? Does that mean you'll hit the ball with your wrists? I don't have baseball experience, and I think I'm taking it too literally.

IMO, most common hitting fault at 7-8-9 years of age is not getting the stride foot going in time (caused by fear of the ball/happy feet IMO)

"hands inside ball, means letting hands lead causing us to have a "short" path to ball as opposed to hands getting away from body "sweeping" causing long swing. We want to gain length on the swing but length is gained closer to contact as opposed to gaining length deep in hitting zone. A talented young kid will get away with this at younger level, but very hard to break as they get older when oftentimes kids start "catching up."

[CircleChange11]

Using a bat that is too big/heavy still remains a big one.

As youth coaches, sometimes we like to say "Man, this kid's really being working on his stance." as at that age how you look in the box before the pitch is as important as how well they actually hit for some kids.

Many kids never get the bat in the right position to begin with. They "lay the bat flat" in their setup and never "raise it", let alone "tip it".

[CoolHandLuke]

hands inside ball, means letting hands lead causing us to have a "short" path to ball..."

Staying inside does not mean "hands lead". Hands should never lead in any part of the swing. The que "stay inside the ball" is used to encourage a tight, short path to the ball. It's a good que for alot of kids who "cast" the bat with an early extention resulting in a long, loopy swing.

[dominik]

Using a bat that is too big/heavy still remains a big one.

As youth coaches, sometimes we like to say "Man, this kid's really being working on his stance." as at that age how you look in the box before the pitch is as important as how well they actually hit for some kids.

Many kids never get the bat in the right position to begin with. They "lay the bat flat" in their setup and never "raise it", let alone "tip it".

If the lay it flat on the shoulder it might be also caused by a too heavy bat.

[Chris O'Leary]

Many kids never get the bat in the right position to begin with. They "lay the bat flat" in their setup and never "raise it", let alone "tip it".

So George Brett and Jim Edmonds weren't any good?

Raising the barrel is a destructive clue most of the time, because most people people don't know how to do it right.