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Baseball Tips on Hitting - Baseball Hitting Tips Highly Recommended For Your Success!

By Larry Cicchiello

Not all baseball tips on hitting are etched in stone but here are several very good guidelines to follow:

A Balanced and Workable Stance

All good athletes are balanced almost all the time. It gives you a solid, comfortable foundation, which is where hitting begins. Some very good hitters find it useful to have a little body movement while in their batting stance. They may rock a little back and forth which they find relaxing. It's almost impossible to have your muscles tighten and tense up when your muscles are moving. You can then be quicker and shift your weight much better than someone who is just standing there like a statue. It's identical to a goalie in hockey. If he stands up straight like a statue, what chance will he have to move freely to make a save on a slap shot that's traveling close to 100 mile per hour? What chance will a tennis player have waiting for a serve in excess of 100 miles per hour? None of them will have a good chance and neither will a baseball hitter.

Striding With the Front Toes Slightly Closed

If your toes are slightly closed, it encourages you to keep your front hip and front shoulder closed as well. In other words, instead of having the toes pointing straight out away from your body when you take your stride turn them an inch or two inward, back toward your body. If you point the front toes out toward the pitcher, it will encourage you to open your front side too early which will create many baseball hitting problems.

Have the Bat Fully Loaded When the Stride Foot Touches the Ground

All good hitters have the bat in the "launching position" when their front foot completes the stride. You stride and then you swing. They are two separate movements that should happen very quickly and smoothly but they are separate movements.

Making an Aggressive Motion Toward The Pitcher

A lot of hitters do NOT do this but all the great hitters do. That is where the ball is coming from and that's where you should be going. Real good hitters go into the ball to hit it. It's a common baseball hitting problem to NOT go toward the pitcher when swinging. The reason it's such a common baseball hitting problem is because it is simply not natural to move your body toward a baseball that someone is throwing in your direction.

Having a Tension Free Swing

"Tension is a hitter's worst enemy," is a quote that's been around for decades and is still one of the best baseball tips on hitting. Tension destroys a fluid, graceful swing that's necessary for hitting the ball properly. Don't squeeze the bat too tightly and don't tighten up your muscles. Like mentioned above, many very good hitters have a slight waggle to help them relax.

Head Behind the Swing

The real good hitters actually see the ball a little longer than the weaker hitters. They literally lower and turn their heads when making contact. You simply can not keep your head facing the pitcher and look at the baseball out of the corners of your eyes when trying to make contact.

Hitting to All Fields

Rarely will you find a hitter with a high batting average who limits himself to hitting the ball to only one part of the field. Pay attention to the old expression, "hit it where it's pitched." In the long run, you will be much better off.

Hitting Through the Ball

Hitting through the ball is necessary to successful hitting. You should pretend that you are trying to hit three or four baseballs that are tied closely together with a piece of string, instead of hitting only one baseball. This will help you keep the bat in the hitting zone longer.

All of the above mentioned are definitely good rules of thumb to be followed.

Larry is the president of Larwenty Online Enterprises Inc. and also the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." If you are a baseball player or are involved in baseball coaching at any level of play or a parent who wants to help your child improve, you will be fully equipped! His baseball website offers several FREE baseball tips from his very informative and very fairly priced eBooks.


Larry's baseball website is http://www.larrybaseball.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Cicchiello



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Happy Thanksgiving to Our TeeBall Coaching Clinic Blog Readers

Happy Thanksgiving to Our Tee Ball Coaches Blog Readers

The staff at Nedco Sports wishes you and your family a safe and Happy Thanksgiving Holidays.

3 Baseball Hitting Tips to Become a Complete Hitter

By Rob Bucher

Searching for baseball hitting tips?

Then this might just be the most important article you read this season.

Many hitters make mistakes which have been taught to them by coaches and parents. But please don't blame your parent or coach..

...How are they supposed to know the fundamentals to hitting a baseball, if they have never been taught the correct way.

It's okay, at least you have realized you can become better and you are willing to discover the proper way to hit a baseball.

Once you begin applying these three tips and you start changing your mechanics you will then tap into your true potential.


Which comes first in the swing, the hands or the hips? If you said hands then your have been taught wrong. The hips always lead the hands and pull them through the hitting zone. In order to hit a baseball properly, you need to begin realizing the swing is more of a pull and push to finish.
Did you know it's okay to drop your back shoulder? I am sure you have been told to never drop your back shoulder or you'll end up hitting pop flies. Then why does every major league hitter drop his the second he turns into the baseball? Because they use proper swing mechanics.
How about driving your front shoulder into the ball or staying closed or not allowing your front shoulder fly out. All mechanical phrases taught by people who don't understand the best way to swing a bat. It's perfectly fine to allow your front shoulder to fly open, contrary to what you may have been taught.

Now I have shared these three tips...

...You should know that making changes in your swing mechanics can help you become a better hitter and help you add more pop at the plate. Once you have ingrained a better swing then you will be able to tap into your true potential.

Want more baseball hitting tips?

Click here Rotational Hitting Mechanics

Because your current mechanics limit your true potential.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rob_Bucher

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Batting Fundamentals

By Eugene Rischall

Batting fundamentals are very important to becoming a good hitter. The 5 basic fundamentals are stance, hitting position, step, swing and wrist action, and follow-through.

You need a stance which is comfortable for all situations. It should be close to the plate to meet outside pitches. Most players turn the front foot slightly toward the pitcher. For hitting position the bat is brought back with the arms away from the body when the ball is being delivered. The hips and shoulder accompany the movement. Most players hold the bat shoulder high to best control hitting high and low pitches.

For step, the planting of the front foot is delayed until the location of the pitch is anticipated. This makes it possible to step forward or away from the plate for some pitches increasing the possibility of perfect timing. Swing and wrist action are very important to becoming a good hitter. Your most driving power comes from quick wrist action with your arms and hips. Keep rear arm bent and close to body. Both arms are extended as your wrists are snapped into the ball. The wrists roll after the ball is hit. Perfect balance is important for a good follow-through. The front foot is solid but only the back toe is on the ground. This puts the entire weight behind the swing and makes for maximum driving power. The actual body turn varies as to when the ball is hit.

I hope this article gives you some idea of important batting fundamentals and how to use them.

Author-Eugene Rischall, Owner, Baseball Training Emporium http://www.baseballtrainingemporium.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eugene_Rischall

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The Categories they have are: Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

How to Teach Fielding to Baseball Players

By Dick Birmingham

Many coaches attempt to teach fielding to players by first hitting them ground balls. You cannot teach fielding and hit ground balls at the same time! In fact, the bat is the last item a coach should use in teaching the correct fundamentals of fielding.

There are many things involved in teaching good fielding techniques. Three very important areas that coaches should try to emphasize to players include: the glove, the ready position, and the fielding position.

The Glove

Like any job, fielding is easier when you have the right tool to use and when that tool is properly maintained. It has been my experience that many players, for various reasons, try to use gloves that are too big for them.

If you, the coach, have influence over the gloves your players buy, help them select a glove that is right for their size, age, and position. For example, if you have a young player who plays only the infield, he should not use a long-fingered pitcher-outfield glove. If you coach 8 and 9 year olds, they should not use gloves designed for 13-14 year olds.

How to break in the glove is also very important. Help your players break in their glove so that they form a wide-open pocket. This can be achieved by working the four fingers of the glove forward as opposed to creasing the glove so that the thumb is against the fingers. Breaking in the glove the wrong way will give it a flat appearance with a very small opening (players should never sit or kneel on their gloves!). By applying a small amount of glove oil or shaving cream which contains lanolin in the pocket area of the glove, the glove will become more flexible and will help to develop the proper shape of the pocket.

The Ready Position

It is very important that players develop a good ready position if they are going to be able to react quickly to the ball coming off the bat. Many times young players assume what they think is a good ready position when in fact, they are working against themselves.

A good ready position has been described by some as controlled imbalance.
This description suggests that a player should be in the ready position only during the time it takes for the pitch to travel from the pitcher's hand to the hitting zone. Players should be taught to step into their ready position as the pitcher reaches the pivot position.

In a proper ready position, the toes should he pointed straight ahead, the feet should be approximately shoulder width apart, and the pivot foot should be slightly behind the striding foot (the pivot foot is the glove hand foot). If you drew a line from the right toe of a right handed infielder to his left foot, it should align with the instep. The knees should be flexed, the hips lowered, shoulders squared, head and eyes facing the hitting zone, and the hands in front of the body.

The Fielding Position

The key to a good fielding position is balance. To achieve this balance, a player must form a wide base. That is to say, his feet should be at least shoulder width apart with the knees bent and the back straight. The hands should be well out in front of the body with the back of the glove near the ground. The throwing hand should be above the glove or to the side of the glove. As a player moves forward to field a ground ball, his forward momentum should change to a downward momentum to field the ball and then back to a forward momentum as he prepares to throw.

Repetition is very important in teaching young players good habits. Fielding drills should be designed to help condition players so that they execute the same fundamentals over and over again. As a coach, help players develop good fielding habits and you will win more games and develop your players.

For more baseball fielding tips and baseball fielding drills visit the Dick Birmingham Sports Championship Baseball Drill Book at http://www.BaseballDrillBook.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dick_Birmingham

Little Leaguers and Catching Fly Balls

By Marty Schupak

There is no set age for young players when they start to feel comfortable catching pop ups. Many of the really young players are afraid of getting hit in the face by the ball and will camp under a pop up very apprehensively. Unless catching a fly ball is practiced, their nervousness can lead to injury. There are numerous drills a coach or parent can practice with their players. Some drills will work for some athletes and not for others.

One of the first drills I do is to hit a soft covered ball off a paddle. I explain to the kids that I only want them to make contact with the soft covered ball with their glove. I do not want any kids catching the ball. Telling them not to catch the ball will do two things. First, you are making the drill uniform, with the goal attainable by everyone on the team. Second, the weaker kids will not feel bad if everyone catches the fly and he or she only makes contact with his glove. And, you want the really young kids to experience as much success as they can. This success will lead to more and more confidence when a real hard ball is used.

Another technique I have used is one of those velcro paddles with velcro balls for the young kids, and they love it. I toss up the Velcro ball as high as possible and they take turns catching it. This is another great confidence builder, and the success experienced with many repetitions will help immensely when catching a real hard ball, which is the ultimate goal. Wiffle balls and tennis ball are also good to practice with. Progression is the key. And you can even set up competitions with catching any of these balls. Even the young players love contests and competitions.

So remember that the key to teaching young players to catch fly balls is to do it by progression. Having them dive into the deep end with no experience might open up the possibility for an injury with never extinguishing their fear of the ball. Successful repetitions will lead to confidence and give them the best odds of mastering this skill.

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Marty Schupak has coached youth baseball for 18 years and is the video creator of "The 59 Minute Baseball Practice", "Backyard Baseball Drills", "Winning Baseball Strategies", "Hitting Drills & Techniques", “Pitching Drills & Techniques”, and author of the popular book, "Youth Baseball Drills". He is a principle with Videos For Coaches and is also President of the Youth Sports Club, a group dedicated to making sports practices and games more enjoyable for kids.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marty_Schupak


Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.

The Categories they have are: Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

Little League Baseball Training

By Eugene Rischall

Little league baseball is very popular. It is important youngsters start off on the right foot when starting to play baseball. This article gives very important baseball training tips that youngsters will benefit from all their baseball playing life.

To start off you need the right type of equipment. Bats come in different weights and lengths. It is important to use the bat that feels most comfortable to you. Do not use a bat that is too heavy. The speed of the bat in your swing is more important than the weight. Bat control will help you hit the ball more often and harder. You have to wear a batting helmet when batting and on deck. It is a rule. The helmet should fit snugly, but not too tight. Other than catching and first base all fielders wear a fielders glove. Outfielders should wear a glove as large as possible, infielders should use a small glove. First basemen use a large scooplike glove, and catchers gloves are big and more padded. All males must wear an athletic supporter. Catchers must wear a protective cup.



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Hitters should fell as comfortable at the plate as possible. They need a good grip, stance, stride, swing, and follow-through. Also working the count is very important. One of the best ways to practice your mechanics is by hitting off a tee. The tee is a great baseball training aid. You do not have to worry about a pitch, so you can concentrate on all the little things.

Pitching is very important to determining the outcome of a game. Before the season starts a pitcher should learn the mechanics, practice without the ball, watch yourself in a mirror, and run. The stronger your legs are the better you can pitch. Before a game starts, shake arms and legs, stretch, start warm-up with easy throwing and then throw harder. There are three steps in becoming a good pitcher, learn to throw strikes, learn to change speeds, and move the ball around effectively. I hope this article gives little leaguers an idea of becoming a better baseball and softball player. Proper techniques will greatly improve your game.

Author: Eugene Rischall, Owner, Baseball Training Emporium at http://www.baseballtrainingemporium.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eugene_Rischall

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The Basics of Swing Building in Baseball

By John Peter Pero

Build a house or build a swing.it all starts with a good foundation.

You will play as good as you practice!

Writing a single article on something so complex that it causes sleepless nights for the best trained and paid talents in the world is daunting.at least to this coach.

Styles vs. Absolutes

First - I cannot and will not debate hitting styles, though I certainly have my opinion. The reality is that half of the Hall of Fame has an unconventional swing. I will leave this area to you in hopes that you will stay on the straight and narrow and will continue gaining the knowledge it takes to help ALL your players season after season.

Here's a hint

Anything resembling the teachings of Ted Williams or The Mike Schmidt Hitting Study will keep you on the right road.

For every bad swing a hitter practices...it may take three swings to correct!

Here's where I've chosen to start.by making one assumption.

(Be brutally honest with yourself before incorporating the steps below!)

I will assume that your player(s) have a basic working knowledge of good swing mechanics. Players who practice incorrectly not only waste time, but tend to go backwards to the point that it can affect their future success and love of the game. The baseball road is littered with talented players who have been eliminated from the game prematurely when poor youth baseball swing mechanics become overmatched by superior pitching and the improvement of their own teammates.

Let's Get to the Point.And to the Progression

The following are six (6) areas that can simplify this building block process.

many which can be incorporated into a basement, garage or your own backyard.

Mirror Station - Simply put.if a player visually sees what he's doing incorrectly, he will make the adjustments necessary to improve.

I recommend swinging in front of a full-length mirror beginning at 50% power, then 75%, progressing to game speed and maybe even a few swings beyond 100% power.

Be logical about the number of swings depending on the player's age and strength.taking breaks in between. Focus on fewer great swings.less is more!

(yes. take extra precautions when working indoors)

Tee Station - Simply put, you never grow out of hitting off the tee. It is the one station where players can focus on every aspect of the swing.without having to track a moving object. This is critical! Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn said something like, "I do nothing but tee work until January." I wish I could remember the exact quote, but you get the point.

Toss Station - Also known as soft toss or flip drills, this is a basic drill generally done with two players. Balls are hit into a net after being tossed underhand in a short arc and at a 45° angle on the open side of the hitter from a distance of around 6 feet. These consistent tosses (aimed at the hitter's front thigh or hip for straight-away hitting and adjusted for hitting to various areas of the field) incorporate the lessons learned from tee work, adding the skill it takes to hit a moving ball.

This important station allows players to get tons of swings in a short period of time and in a small area.

Hitters get tired quickly when the tosser doesn't allow time between swings. Be patient!

Front Toss & Short Toss - This is another important building block in the progression. A coach or player will sit on a bucket behind a screen and toss pitches from directly in front of the player; usually in a cage or on a baseball field. This can be done from a distance of 15 to 20 feet and then from a 35 foot distance. Pitches should be thrown consistently and to particular zones, allowing the player to duplicate each swing as precisely as possible.

Note #1

Make sure your screen is in place and not in need of repair! Players and coaches should all be cautioned and taught to focus on staying completely behind the protective screen during every pitch.

Note #2

When utilizing short toss drills from shorter distances of 15 to 20 feet, balls should be tossed underhand so that the pitch will come in to the hitter at an angle more resembling that of a live pitch. This eliminates the "loopy" throws which encourage the poor mechanics of an uppercut swing.

Dead BP - (Batting Practice) - Dead batting practice is simply the batting practice you see on every field and at every level. You will see great examples of this when you go to a college or pro game two hours before the first pitch. It is thrown from 55 feet (not the official pitcher-to-hitter distance of 60' 6"), generally from a platform or portable mound. Pitches are thrown straight at around 55 to 65 mph.into particular hitting zones. These consistent pitches are designed for the hitter to repeat his swings over and over with consistency; hitting balls hard and to particular areas of the field.

A ball field and a batting cage with or without a pitching machine is all that is needed.

Live BP - (Batting Practice) - Take dead BP and add the battle of pitcher (coaches or pitchers doing the throwing) versus hitter, preferably in game conditions. In a team practice, I find maximum benefit when all defenders are also playing this as a real game.

The backyard version of live BP incorporates a pitching machine and pitching machine with an autofeeder for single player practices or a batting cage with a live pitcher behind a protective L-Screen.

http://www.baseballtips.com

Baseball tips & youth baseball equipment, training aids & instruction!It's all here for baseball coaching of pitchers & hitters, little league to high school.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Peter_Pero



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T-Ball Batting Drills

By Kenny Buford

T-ball batting drills teach players how to properly swing the bat and make contact with the ball. There are many t-ball batting drills that players can practice to improve their swinging technique. Young players should practice their batting skills repeatedly in order to get the feel for swinging the bat properly, and also to improve their hand-eye coordination.



Improving a Batter's Swing:

The best way to improve a batter's swing is to practice hitting the ball from the tee into the back stop. Try to pair right-handed coaches with left-handed batters (and left-handed coaches with right-handed batters). Have the coach stand on the opposite side of the tee from the player (as if to mirror the player) in order to show proper stance and swing. This t-ball batting drill gives the batters a good visual reference and the coaches can easily make any necessary corrections.

Batting Techniques:

If necessary, use baking flour to make a batters box in the dirt. Set the tee even with the batter's belly button and have them extend their arms fully. Have the player hold this position with arms extended for a few seconds and explain how hitting the ball on the fat part of the bat makes the ball go further.

Teaching Batters to Keep their Eyes on the Ball:

Draw a large black dot on the ball. Then have the batter concentrate on trying to hit the dot and watching the dot until after their swing is complete. This helps players improve their focus on the ball, and also helps hand-eye coordination.

Blindfold the Batter:

Place a blindfold over the eyes of the batter and line them up properly in the batter's box in front of the tee, making sure that all other players are out of the immediate area. When you are safely out of the way tell the batter to swing away, with the intention of making contact with the ball. This will teach the batter how to develop a level swing and with repetition will produce a natural rhythm and a solid swinging technique.

Move the Tee Around the Batter's Box:

By placing the tee in various positions in the batter's box you will allow the player to practice hitting different types of pitches. This will enable players to be able to make contact with all types of pitches, inside and outside. This drill also allows players to practice making contact and hitting the ball into different areas of the field.

See who gets the Most Hits:

A good batting drill is to have each player try to make as many consecutive hits as possible. Foul balls should not count as hits, and every foul ball should count as an out in order to make the drill run quicker and allow more players to get their turn. The one who can make contact and get the most hits in a row wins.

Raise and Lower the Tee:

By raising and lowering the tee players are able to practice hitting balls that are not thrown at their belly button. This is one of the most effective t-ball batting drills for preparing players to move into game situations with pitchers.

Kenny Buford is a baseball and tee ball coach with over 20 years of experience. You can find more of his t-ball drills and tee ball practice plans on his website:

Free T-Ball Drills

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kenny_Buford

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Are you looking for a great batting cage at discount prices? Are you considering building your own backyard batting cage and training center? If so, you should visit BattingCagesDirect.com now!
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Coaching little league baseball players is a blast! I think it is an awesome thing to volunteer your time for.

By Stephen K Reynolds

Coaching little league baseball players is a blast! I think it is an awesome thing to volunteer your time for.

In order to get the most out of your team it is imperative you let them figure out certain situations. I see coaches making this mistake all the time. Oh sure they have good intentions, they want to see the team get that force out at second. I'm a big believer in letting the kids figure out for themselves what to do. Here is what happens say in a minor A game 9-10 year olds. The hitter grounds a ball to second baseman, the runner is running due to the force and the 2nd baseman throws to 1st gets the out but could have tagged the runner and then threw to 1st. Parents and the coach are screaming to tag the runner, lets say that he does tag the runner and throws on to 1st. Sounds great.

Problem is from tee-ball all the way up Little League Baseball players are being told what to do during the game. They continue to look to the coaches for help when the play is going on. This is a slow process of teaching the kids what to do. You need to look long term so your players will be smarter because they solved the problems themselves. Talk to the players after the inning is over about what happened. Remember you are a teacher. Teach the game properly!

Little League Baseball Coaches need to do their work in practice so the kids can enjoy themselves during the game. If it didn't work out then it is back to the drawing board in practice. Coaches motto should be have the practices organized and fruitful, this is the coaches time and then when it is time to play the game sit back and call the shots and let the players play the game and have fun doing it.

Stephen K Reynolds is publisher of the LSR Unlimted "Free" newsletter which focuses on helping newcomers & seasoned pros learn the secrets to marketing in the ever changing world of the internet! He is also a little league baseball coach in Montana. For more information on this e-mail lsrwealth@gmail.com

(800)758-1282

406-542-1723

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_K_Reynolds

Baseball - Ball Hitting Tips For Kids

By Sameep Shah

Like a lot of other things in life you tend to get better at those which you do regularly. It is the same with baseball game and you can get perfect with baseball hitting. Therefore the best baseball hitting advice for kids or anyone can be practice and keep practicing. It is said that Mickey Mantle the professional baseball player is said to swing the bat nearly 100 times in a day left handed and the same when right handed. However, there are some modern day professionals who swing the bat nearly 500 to 1000 times in a day. This is a basic strategy that works for lot of professionals and can also work for you.

There are some tips for helping your kids achieve great baseball hitting techniques. If your child wants to learn and play baseball but they are not the best hitters then you can follow these simple instructions and tips to help your child swing the bat like a professional. The first step to take for a great swing is your stance. This means that you should strain to the player that the stance should be something that is comfortable and not something that looks best for the player of team.

There are some basic things that you should always remember when you teach your kids the basics in baseball hitting.

1. Keeping the feet shoulder width separately regardless if the child has a closed or open stance. This means the feet should always be apart from shoulder width

2. Place the bat back with your hand where it should be nearly 6 inches away from the ears and make sure you keep your elbows upright so that you can easily handle the high heaters.

3. When you stride away with your front foot make sure it is 5 to 6 inches away, you must also keep your back foot firm in the ground as it helps in gathering power to get a strong a straight swing.

4. When you are striding, you need to keep your eyes entirely focused on the ball all through its way in the box. Then firmly twist your legs and hips when also taking the bat to directly snap into the ball. Make sure you snap the bat consistently when the ball is in the box and also ensure that your child does not up cut the swing over the ball when hitting.

As always keep in the mind that practice makes perfect.

For more information visit Sportscapers University at houston youth baseball - You can also find more information and online training videos to help you improve your skills at katy youth baseball.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sameep_Shah

10 Baseball Fielding Tips Guaranteed to Help

By Jack Perconte

Baseball players usually love to hit and getting kids to practice their hitting is usually not difficult. Getting ballplayers of any age to want to work on their fielding skills is often a different story. Subsequently, many kids reach the high school team and get cut from the team. They are perplexed when they do not make the high school team because they have always been good hitters, with many of them being top notch travel team ballplayers. The reason for their failure to make the cut is that they are one dimensional ballplayer who can only hit. At some point in their young careers they failed to recognize the importance of fielding, neglected that aspect of the game and fell behind to the point where their importance to a team was limited.

As baseball followers know, there can only be one designated hitter in a lineup and coaches need to have nine defensive position players. Because of this fact, coaches look for kids in a tryout who are multi-dimensional, meaning they can hit, run, throw and field. With this in mind, parents and coaches should stress the importance of being proficient in every aspect of the game so they are not left out in the cold come tryout time. Following are some tips for parents and coaches to help players work on their fielding skills with the understanding that the earlier (age) they teach these the better:

1. Use a softer ball - this allows the coach to challenge players with more speed and game like balls.

2. Repeat, use a softer ball - this gives players the assurance that they will not get hurt when hit by the ball and will promote good fielding mechanics of getting in front of ground balls and under fly balls for the above mentioned reason.

3. Like everything in sports, development of skills is dependent on correct fundamentals. With fielding this involves good footwork. Practicing the correct footwork from approaching the ball all the way through the throw is necessary, with consistency of action the key to success.

4. Begin fielding practice with hitting or throwing slow ground balls so fielders. This will promote aggressive fielders by having to charge the ball.

5. Teach kids to catch balls correctly - glove hand only (one handed) for balls they reach for and two hands for balls within their body.

6. Avoid practicing ground balls on a smooth surface (indoors) whenever possible. Players can get away with incorrect fundamentals on a smooth surface because hops are always true and predictable. If a smooth surface is only option, roll many balls very low to ground to promote keeping glove and body low for good fielding mechanics.

7. During team batting practice, position non-hitting players and have them play balls off bat as if in a game. This is especially helpful for outfield practice to get the real feel for judging fly balls.

8. Teach players to get into the correct "ready" position according to the position they are playing.

9. Try to devote at least half of practice time on fielding drills and game like situation practice. Knowing what to do in a game (i.e. where to throw ball, what base to cover) on defense is very important.

10. Remind kids of the importance of throwing, both arm strength and accuracy, to fielding success. A play is usually only half over with a catch, completing a play with a good throw is necessary.

Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball hitting lessons advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his parenting blog can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Perconte



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Visit the Baseball Coaching Digest for daily post and articles on every aspect of coaching baseball. The Baseball Coaching Digest Blog. Check out the Bat Action Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty. Check out Baseball2u.com/Coachesbest.com for all of your coaching and training equipment needs. Visit the Baseball Dealz Ebay Super Store to purchase top quality baseball training equipment at discount prices.

What is the latest and perhaps the best new baseball trainer?

The Mauer Quick Swing Batting Trainer is the latest and perhaps best hitting training aid to come on the market in a long while. If you're looking to improve your hitting mechanics then this hitting trainer is for you.
The Quick Swing batting trainer has been endorsed by all-time MLB baseball great and future Hall of Famer Paul Molitor and by Joe Mauer, the number one pick in MLB'S 2001 draft.

"The secret of the Quick Swing is that its simple concept allows a player to take batting practice by himself/herself and still be hitting a moving ball," said Jake Mauer, II, inventor and developer of the Quick Swing. "The Quick Swing enables a player to improve on the fundamentals of sound hitting - bat speed, hand-eye coordination, and proper weight distribution - while training indoors or outdoors."

An adjustable dial allows you to increase or decrease the level of difficulty and develop a quicker, more compact swing as you improve your baseball or softball hitting technique. The Mauer Quick Swing batting trainer will help you improve reflexes, muscle memory and timing.


Baseball Dealz Ebay Store
Visit the Baseball Coaching Digest for daily post and articles on every aspect of coaching baseball. The Baseball Coaching Digest Blog. Check out the Bat Action Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty. Check out Baseball2u.com/Coachesbest.com for all of your coaching and training equipment needs. Visit the Baseball Dealz Ebay Super Store to purchase top quality baseball training equipment at discount prices.

Understanding the Baseball Swing

Derek Jeter Hurricane Batting Machine

By Nate Barnett

If I asked you to give a five minute lecture on hitting mechanics start to finish, could you do it? If the answer is yes, then you've undoubtedly done some research on the baseball swing. If the answer is no, then there is some work to be done, and you'll want to read on, especially if you're in a role where you provide any type of baseball instruction.

Coaches must be continual learners if they are going to stay in this game for long and attract some success. The most dangerous attitude anyone of influence can obtain is an attitude of arrival. Therefore, be a constant learner.

The baseball swing can be broken down into various parts and movements. The key for any good coach or athlete is to understand first what these parts are, and secondly, to understand the sequence of these moving parts throughout the swing. Without getting into depth on the specific parts in this article, my purpose in writing this is to introduce how energy is created within the baseball swing.

Much like other athletic activities the energy created to produce a quick swing comes from the back side of the body. The lower half of the back side of the hitter's body is responsible for generating momentum directed toward the pitch. This movement does not happen automatically, unfortunately. Most hitters begin their swing with the front side of the body or their hands which greatly reduces the speed of the baseball swing.

The two most common and incorrect swing starters are the hands and the front hip. Here are the drawbacks for using those parts to begin the energy creation process.

Hands: The baseball swing is a movement where energy is created from the ground up. The back knee turns first, back hip second, and hands third. While this sequence happens very quickly, it's important that it remain consistent. The reason is because this process creates torque. It is a core body movement that creates a whip action and propels the bat into the zone. If the hitter's hands are responsible for generating power, little power can be generated comparatively.

Front Hip: As explained above, the back side of the body creates energy. Therefore, if the front hip of the hitter begins to rotate at the same time of the back side of the body, momentum begins to move away from the play instead of being directed at hitting the baseball.

Consistent drill work should be focused on minimizing the above two movements. While Little Leaguers can get away with some of these mistakes and have relative success, athletes in high school cannot. Therefore, the best time to correct these incorrect movements is between the ages of 10 and 15.

Nate Barnett is owner of BMI Baseball designed to improve the mental game of baseball in athletes. Learn how to help your game by improving the skill of mental baseball

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nate_Barnett

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Visit the Baseball Coaching Digest for daily post and articles on every aspect of coaching baseball. The Baseball Coaching Digest Blog. Check out the Bat Action Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty. Check out Baseball2u.com/Coachesbest.com for all of your coaching and training equipment needs. Visit the Baseball Dealz Ebay Super Store to purchase top quality baseball training equipment at discount prices.

Coaching Youth Baseball - 25 Common Baseball Terms and the Meaning of Each

By Nick Dixon

Coaching Little League or Youth Baseball requires a good knowledge of the game. Many good youth baseball coaches have never played the game before. They make it their mission to study and learn the game. This article presents a list of 25 common baseball coaching terms and gives the meaning of each.

There are certain terms and words that every youth baseball coach should know the meaning of. Here are a list of 25 and the meaning of each.

1. Ace -- Best pitcher on the team.
2. Alley -- The two areas of the outfield between the three separate fields; right, center and left fields. Also referred as a "gap."
3. Bang-bang play -- A play in which the base runner reaches about the same times as the ball.
4. Batter in the hole -- The batter after the on-deck hitter.
5. Batter on-deck hitter.-- The next batter in the inning.
6. Can of corn -- An easy fly ball catch made by an out fielder.
7. Caught looking -- When a batter is called out on a third called strike.
8. Cycle -- When a batter hits a single, double, triple and home run in the same game.
9. Dish -- Home plate.
10. Fungo - To hit balls to a defensive player during practice or during the game warmup.
11. Fungo bat - A bat used by the coach to hit balls to defensive players during practice or pregame warm-up.
12. Gap - The two areas of the outfield between the three separate fields; right, center and left fields. Also referred as an "alley."
13. Gapper - A ball hit into one of the two gaps or alleys.
14. Heat -- A good fastball. Also "heater."
15. Hot corner -- Third base.
16. Painting the black -- When a pitch is thrown on the edge of the plate.
17. Pepper -- A game or batting practice exercise where one player bunts brisk grounders and line drives to fielders who are standing in a row about 15 to 20 feet away.
Punch out - The plate umpire uses this motion to call a batter out on a strikeout.
18. RBI - Run Batted In.
19. Ribbie -- Another way of saying RBI.
20. Rubber game -- The deciding game of a 3, 5 or 7 game series.
21. Run-down -- When a base runner gets caught between bases by the fielders.
22. Seeing-eye single -- A weakly hit soft ground ball that finds its way between infielders for a base hit.
23. Southpaw -- A left-handed pitcher.
24. Texas Leaguer -- A weakly hit fly ball that drops between an infielder and outfielder.
25. Utility player -- A player who fills in at many positions.

I hope that this article help you prepare to coach youth baseball. Visit the Baseball Coaching Digest Blog for daily posts and articles on every aspect of coaching baseball.

The Baseball Coaching Digest Blog has a great selection of of baseball coaching articles.

Check out the Bat Action Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon


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Youth Baseball Coaching Tips

HurricaneMachine.com - Baseball Trainer

By Trevor Sumner

There are many ways to ensure that your players perform better on the baseball diamond. It is important that baseball coaches are aware of coaching tips that they can impart to their players. You will see that these youth baseball coaching tips will make a difference in the performance of your team and your enjoyment of the season.

Here are a few youth baseball coaching tips that will improve the team's play:


Defensive Mentality -One of thepremier youthbaseball coaching tips concerns itself with your team's defensive mentality. You must ensure, as a coach, that your team is prepared defensively on what to do with the ball on every pitch to the plate. The best preparation is to instruct your players to ask themselves these questions prior to every pitch when they are out on the field, and the opposing team is up at bat. The question is: "What do I do if I get the ball on the ground, in the air, and on a line." Your players should also remind themselves about the number of outs, often talking on the field to make sure the team is on the same page. These defensive mentality questions will keep your players more alert and prepared to make the correct play if the ball is hit their way.
Pitch to the Target -One of the better youth baseball coaching tips concerns pitchers and their focus. One of the keys in pitching is to throw to the catcher's target. You must instruct your pitchers to key their eyes focused on the catcher's glove throughout their windup and through the release of the ball. Many pitchers lose eye contact with the catcher's glove, accounting for their inaccurate pitches. Similarly, a catcher should practice giving the right target for the pitcher and learn how to frame the pitch to help his pitcher be successful. Often catching technique is overlooked and it is wise to prepare a good array of youth baseball catcher's drills.
Focus on the Release Point - One of the best youth baseball coaching tips concerns itself with the discipline of hitting. A key to hitting is the ability to pick up the speed and spin of the ball as it leaves the pitcher's hand. As a coach, you must instruct your hitters to focus on the release point of the pitcher. The focus needs to concentrate on the ball as it comes out of the pitcher's hand. Batters must not allow themselves to be duped by a fancy windup or other deceptive attempts on the part of the pitcher to hide the ball from the batter until it is released. The later that the ball is picked up by the batter, the less time for the batter to identity the type, speed and location of the pitch as it travels to the plate.
While this is just a quick distillation of basic youth baseball coaching tips focusing on fielding, pitching and hitting, it is surprising how often baseball coaches lose focus of these basics. There are many elaborate baseball drill libraries on the Internet such as those at Weplay. While a coach should select a variety of age-appropriate drills for coaching his team, focusing on these basics and making them fun for the team will often lead to greater success.

By Trevor Sumner who works for Weplay.com, a youth baseball community dedicated to providing parents, coaches and athletes the tools and information they need to celebrate the love of the game. Weplay has one of the most comprehensive baseball drill libraries in its active baseball community.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Trevor_Sumner



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Hitting Did You Knows

By Todd Thomas

Did you know...

...a baseball and/or softball bat is one of the few retail products of significant value that comes with no directions on how to use it?

...hitting is at the very least 50% from the neck up and very few hitters are taught the mental side of the hitting equation?

...most hitters and coaches will say on average that a player's mental game of confidence, focus, and composure make up 80% of how they perform in game situations over and above their mechanics. Yet, those same people will readily admit that they spend 2% or less of their time practicing their mental game while practicing 98% on the other 20% of the game. Hmmm???

...there are only TWO hitting techniques? A hitter either comes forward or stays back. If he weight-shifts forward (continuously moves his vertical plane forward out over the top of the front foot)as he swings, the hitter is linear. Rotational hitters also weight-shift, but once they reach the balance point in their stride, they rotate around a stationary axis as they swing. Simply put, hitters that "stay back" are rotational. A hitter CANNOT stay back and be considered linear.

...good hitting mechanics incorporate BOTH linear and rotational movements? A "hybrid" swing is nothing new. Good swings have always been "hybrid".

...that despite all the talk of what "linear" hitting is and what linear hitting isn't, it barely resembles what it was 25 years ago?

...there is no such thing as the one "perfect swing?" The perfect swing is the adjustments a hitter makes to the pitch each different pitch they see. As a result, the "perfect swing" constantly changes!

...that parents and too often even coaches are confusing young hitters by telling them when they are in the batter's box to get their elbow up or down? Having the elbow "up" or "down" is a "style" issue—NOT a mechanics issue?

...the major league average bat speed is 78 mph?

...that bat "speed" and bat "quickness are two distinctly different things?" Bat speed measures bat velocity or the actual speed of the bat; bat quickness measures the time lapse from launch-to-contact. If a hitter has good bat quickness (major league average is .16 seconds), they will have high bat velocity. However, a hitter can have high bat velocity and NOT have good bat quickness. Good bat quickness is a product of good torque in the swing.

...to get the "same" performance/production from a wood bat that hitters get from aluminum, the wood bat should be two inches longer and two ounces heavier?

...there is no "proper" batting stance? It's different for each hitter and is a product of the hitter's "style"—not his technique.

..."no stride" hitting can make it easier for a hitter to focus on the pitch better because of less body/head movement?

...that Rogers Hornsby when asked what he did during the winter when there wasn't baseball said..."I stare out the window and wait for spring." Don't we all!

Now you know...if you didn't already.

Todd Thomas is a Baseball Coach and Professional Hitting Instructor for Mike Epstein Hitting. Coach Todd's personal hitting website is http://www.HitItHere.net . Coach Todd also enthusiastically endorses http://PlayMyBestBaseball.com as a place where baseball and softball hitters can master the Confidence, Composure, Focus and Consistency of their game so they can reach their full potential.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Todd_Thomas

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Baseball2u.com/CoachesBest.com is the ultimate online baseball training and coaching store. With over 1400 products organized into categories Baseball2u.com makes finding that baseball training product easy and simple. Order securely online or by phone. Baseball2u.com is a fully licensed company and has a full time staff available from 8:00 to 5:00 CST. Their toll free customer service number is 1-877-431-4487.