1 of 4

Write now Article Tools

Page 2 of 2

broadcasters are referring to when they say the hitter is "flying open."

This is accomplished by staying back and relaxed in the batter's box, and just meeting the ball when it's in the strike zone in front of the plate. And keep your swing simple. Every hitter (with Hall-of-Famer Paul Molitor seemingly the only exception I've ever seen), needs a mechanism to trigger their swing. A short, compact hitting stroke is accomplished by making sure your front shoulder is tucked tighly toward your back shoulder, in your stance, as you wait for the pitch to be delivered. This will cut down the backward rotation of the front shoulder - the trigger's time to start the swing, and help the batter hit that fastball, out in front of home plate. If you're still late on the heater, make sure the bat, while in the hitting stance, is on an angle, at least a little parallel toward the ground, instead of straight up from the ground at a right angle, again to save time between the start of the swing, and contact with the ball.

Most hitters want to hit a fastball, while ahead in the count. When the count gets to two strikes, it's important to protect the plate, meaning if a pitch is near the inside or outside corner, try to foul it off, and keep the at-bat alive. And keep the hands back on the curve, or other off-speed pitches. That will enable you to foul those slower pitches off, or put them in play, when the count gets to two strikes. Seeing the different rotation, just after an off speed pitch leaves the pitchers hand, makes it less likely the pitch will fool the hitter and cut down the chance of chasing a pitch that breaks out of the strike zone.

As for the stride, if you are the kind of hitter that stands in the batter's box with your feet at shoulder width, either pick up or twist your front foot straight up as you start your swing, to protect against overstriding, or if that's uncomfortable for you like it is for me, just stride a few inches forward. If you are overstriding, something that when it's happening can be seen by your footprints in the batter's box dirt, widen your stance out past shoulder width, as I have done for the past several years. A left-handed hitter with a wider stance has a better chance against tough left-handed pitching and stay with a curve breaking away. Hit it to the opposite field - where it's pitched - after the break.

So see the ball... and practice, practice, practice!

Learn more about this author, George Littler.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

• << previous page
• 1
• 2

Add your voice

Know something about The mechanics of a baseball swing?
We want to hear your view. Write now!