for
&
Batting Stance
To
improve the hitter's batting stance thus improving the ability to hit.
The hitter assumes the regular batting stance with the coach checking the placement of the feet, knees, hips, shoulders, head, and eyes.
|
Added April 1, 2003 |
Stride Drill
Help the batter learn to automatically step to the ball instead of stepping out while hitting. After enough practice this will become a natural reaction
Have a coach lay face down (with a batting helmet on) and hold the batters ankles. The coach will control the batter's step and prevent the batter from stepping out. This will be uncomfortable for the batter, but a few reps every practice for awhile will really pay off.
|
Added April 1, 2003 |
Wrist Roll Drill
To enhance bat speed and control by facilitating the maximum efficiency in "throwing" the bat at the ball
Players place themselves in the contact position, and then roll the bat forward and backward causing the bat to touch each shoulder as it completes a full arc. Players should use only their wrists and forearms to rotate the bat. You should be able to do about 60-80 wrist rollers in 1 minute.
|
Added April 1, 2003 |
Top Hand/Bottom Hand Drill
Develop
strength and skill for hitting
One hand isolation drill. This is a soft toss drill with the coach, tossing the ball waist high, First, the batter bats using just the top hand. Gripping the bat at the top of the grip and using the bat like a tomahawk, the batter tries to get over the top of the ball and hit it into the ground, keeping the palm side of the hand down. Second, the batter bats using the bottom hand. Gripping the bat with the bottom hand in its regular position near the knob of the bat, the hitter hits the ball into the backstop keeping the palm side of the hand up.
|
Added April 1, 2003 |
Drop Drill - Hitting
To
increase bat speed
Procedure:The hitter takes his/her normal batting stance facing a fence or net that is about 6-8 feet away. The coach stands about 1-½ steps in front of the hitter so that the ball will drop directly in the contact zone out in front of the hitter. The coach simply drops the ball in the contact zone, the hitter must see the ball and hit it before it hits the ground with a level swing and proper stride. Begin dropping the ball from over the head and slowly begins dropping the ball from lower heights.
|
Added April 1, 2003 |
Lead and Follow
The lead hand swings allow a hitter to establish proper timing and power with the lead side of the body, giving the hitter proper contact with the ball. The follow hand swings establish the feeling of throwing the bat at the ball.
Hit off a tee, imaginary ball, or soft-toss. When executing swings with the lead hand, you should concentrate on keep the hand above the plane of the ball. If the lead hand drops under a pop out, strike out, or fly out will usually occur. The hitter must also turn the hips quickly for proper timing and power. The lead elbow should not extend fully before contact with the ball, since that will promote a slow bat due to an excess of arm arc in the swing.
By concentrating on keeping the lead hand on top of the ball and turning the hips quickly, a hitter can establish proper timing and power with the lead side of the body. The lead hand/follow hand action creates timing and power. Both hands should snap straight into the ball precisely the same instant. This will help you establish proper bat speed and control.
|
Added April 1, 2003 |
Hip Rotation
Development
of quicker hips and the relationship of hip speed to the entire swing.
Place a bat behind the waist, horizontal to the ground, and use a glove as home plate. While holding the ends of the bat in the hands, assume a normal batting stance and watch an imaginary pitch being delivered. Execute a stride and quick turn using the bat to help turn the hips faster. Finish in the proper contact point position
|
Added April 1, 2003 |
Quick Hit Drill
1.)
To increase the strength and quickness of the hands for hitting
.
2.) To increase the number of practice swings a hitter can perform
using the correct technique.
The hitter stands 12-15 feet away from a screen or fence. The tosser kneels on one-knee 12 feet in front and to the side of the hitter and tosses the ball underhanded at a fast rate into the hitter's strike zone, so the hitter can take a full swing. The hitter swings hard at the ball, and after each swing, the bat is rapidly returned to the ready position.
|
Added April 1, 2003 |
Rocking Drill
Help players develop an inward turn for more hitting power
Break down your player's stance and inward turn into a four step process. Position the hitters in their stance and have them begin rocking back towards the catcher and forwards towards the pitcher lifting each heel off of the ground in a rhythm. The four steps are rock towards the pitcher, rock towards the catcher, rock towards the pitcher, rock towards the catcher. The motion is not exaggerated but is very slight. As the players rock back and forth call out 1, 2, 3, 4 to help them develop rhythm.
|
Added April 1, 2003 |
Fence Drill
Help players develop quicker bat swing by not extending the arms too quickly.
Set up your players against a solid surface, such as a chain link fence, that is at least six feet tall. A backstop, concrete wall, or brick wall will work, but a free standing net will not. Position your players with their feet in a parallel stance a foot to a foot and a half away from the fence. To check for proper distance have the players reach out with their back arms and touch the fence. If they are in the correct position, their arms will be slightly bent. The object of the drill is to take as normal of cut as possible without making contact with the fence. It is important to go through the drill as slowly as possible the first few times. Have the players take a slow motion cut the first few times. The player should take a stride parallel to the fence.
Top-Hand Drill
The top hand on the grip is the hand that takes the bat to the ball. It is important to develop strength and skill with this hand. To do this we do a one-handed isolation drill. The batter uses just the top hand. Gripping the bat at the top of the grip and using the bat like a tomahawk, the batter tries to get over the top of the ball and hit it into the ground. The batter has a coach or player soft toss the ball above the waist. The batter hits the ball from the top and drives its straight into the ground.
Suggested - 25 Swings - 3 Times a week
|
Added April 1, 2003 |
Beginner Slide Drill
Great sliding drill for teaching beginners how to slide.
Line up your player in a single line, space arm length apart. Talk to them about the cadence of the slide. Left, right, left sit. Then have the player's start walking left leg first, right leg, left leg and then have them fall to their butts with the right leg extended and the left leg folder underneath in a figure four. Once the players get better and cadence then begin having them slowly run the three steps, left, right, left sit.
|
Added April 2, 2003 |
Tee Drill
Learn how to drive through the ball, and consistently hit line drives
Equipment: Bats, baseballs, Hitting Tee, Backstop
Place a ball on a
tee about 10 -20 feet in front of the backstop
Have players pair
up; one feeds (sets the ball on the tee) and the other hits
Have the hitter hit
line drives into the backstop.
Key Points
Adjusting the tee to
different heights simulates hitting low and high pitches.
If a player hits
under the ball, he or she will hit the top of the backstop.
If a player hits on
top of the ball, he or she will hit a ground ball that rolls into or
hits low on the backstop.
|
Added April 2, 2003 |
Top & Bottom Hand Isolation Drill
By isolating each hand you are training the hands individually to work together.
Equipment: Bat, Baseballs, Backstop
Have players pair
up; one feeds (soft toss) and the other hits
Player kneels
opposite batter with a bucket of balls
Player softly tosses
balls into hitting zone of batter
Batter is using a
shorter bat or is choking up on his own bat.
Batter swings with
only one hand, alternating hands
Key Points
I liken this drill
to using a dumbbell in the weight room.
By isolating each
hand you are training the hands individually to work together.
drill helps people
that are described as being dominant with a particular hand
It also is a step in
the process of achieving correct muscle memory
|
Added April 2, 2003 |
Basketball Drill
Learn how to drive through the ball, and follow through with your swing.
Equipment: Bat, Basketball (deflated), Hitting Tee, Backstop
Place a deflated
basketball on a tee about 10 -20 feet in front of the backstop
The batter takes a
normal swing and follows-through right through the basketball
Key Points
Make sure the
basketballs are deflated
Unless the player
makes a good strong follow through, the ball will not go far
|
Added April 2, 2003 |
Soft Toss Drill
Works on Eye hand coordination - More batting reps
Equipment: Bats, baseballs, Backstop
Have players pair
up; one feeds (soft toss) and the other hits
Player kneels
opposite batter with a bucket of balls
Player softly tosses
balls into hitting zone of batter
Have the hitter hit
line drives into the backstop.
Key Points
Live hitting with
out the need of a batting tunnel or field
If a player hits
under the ball, he or she will hit the top of the backstop.
If a player hits on
top of the ball, he or she will hit a ground ball that rolls into or
hits low on the backstop.
Power Hand Drill
A hitters power comes from the bottom or pull hand. This drill develops bottom hand strength. The hitter uses only the bottom hand in its regular position near the knob of the bat. The hitter hits a ball into a screen. The coach must make sure that the ball is above the batters waist. It is best for the ball to be numbers high. The batter steps into the ball and hits its one-handed.
Suggested - 25 Swings - 3 Times a week.
Multiple Location Contact Drill
The hitter is given three pitch locations to practice hitting; inside, away and middle. The ball may be presented to the batter using soft toss or batting tee. On the inside location, the batter must learn to involve the hips and turn on the pitch, pulling it. On the middle pitch the batter hits the ball dead up the middle. On the away pitch, the batter makes sure to take the ball to the opposite field. The coach may want to put spots on the ground showing where the batter attacks each pitch location. The inside pitch is attacked on a spot located in front of the plate. The middle pitch is attacked on a spot located just behind the instep of the hitters' front foot. The away strike is attacked on a spot located just inside of the hitters back foot.
Suggested - 20 At Each Location - 3 Times Weekly.
Long Toss BP
One of the best misconceptions in baseball is that to benefit from batting practice the pitcher must be at regular distance and throw game speed. Much more can be accomplished when the pitcher throws from half the regular distance. At this distance the pitcher has better control and more work is accomplished. The ball is thrown at a steady appropriate speed. The speed at this distance should make the batter develop a quicker bat and great skill.
The coach should never do this drill without an L-screen. This drill can also be performed with regular or golf-ball sized wiffles.
Full Count Game
teaches
hitters to be aggressive and to hit under pressure
This is a great game simulation drill that teaches hitters to be aggressive and to hit under pressure. Two teams face off in a 7 inning game with each batter coming into the box with a full count. Action is quick and players must be alert both offensively and defensively. The count may also be changed to 2-2 and each team can be given one out to start the inning.
Two Ball Soft Toss
The
hitter learns to concentrate and keep the weight back
The coach tosses two balls. The coach calls top or bottom after the balls are released. The hitter hits the called ball into the fence or screen. This drill can be done from different locations. The coach should also fake toss and change the release points as well as vary the speed of the balls.
Tip: Players should Know All Hitting Terms
"Squash The Bug"
- The correct action of the hitter's back foot.
"Trigger"
- The hitter's final inside turn movement before the swing.
"See The Ball Flat"
- See the ball until it goes flat against the bat and comes off.
"Bring-By" Drill
The
purpose of this drill is the increase of bat speed
It is best performed with soft toss. The batter hits a ball that is coming from his back side going toward the pitcher. The hitter must see the ball and "catch-up" with it before it gets by him. The speed of the ball is increased to challenge the hitter more and more.
Backside Barrier Drill
This
drill is used to "shorten-up" a hitter's swing
If the batter is too long to the ball or has that "A to B to C" swing that is considered a slow-pitch softball swing, drills can be used to make the hitter shorten up. The batter sets up with his hands 8 to 10 inches from the fence with the fence behind the batter. The fence should run parallel with the batter's back foot. If the batter casts the hands backwards or loops the bat, he will hit the fence or barrier.
Step in Drill
This
drill is used to combat "stepping 0ut"
One of the most common faults with young hitters is "stepping 0ut". This drill is used to combat that bad habit. The coach may use a Tee. The hitter sets up to start the drill one step behind where he should be when he hits the ball. The hitter will step toward the plate with the back foot first then the front foot. When the front foot hits the ground the batter will attack the ball, There should be no hesitation. Step, step, HIT! The hitter will develop the habit of stepping into the ball when he attacks it. His momentum is going toward the plate during this drill so it is very difficult for the hitter to step out.
Bunt Pepper
This
is a great drill to develop bunting skills
The drill involves players in each group. The players may use the pivot or square around bunt technique. The batter must bunt the ball to each of the four fielders. The hitter bunts one 10 each and then takes the left fielder's (facing the batter) place. The right fielder comes to bat and the other move over one place. The coach should emphasize that the batters bunt the ball softly to the fielders. The bat should be keep at a 45 degree angle and the batter should change height by bending the knees fielders should catch the ground ball, bare-handed, out front, then square the feet around and throw the next strike to the hitter. This makes a great warm up drill for the beginning of practice defensive skills should also be stressed.
Wall Ball Hitting Drill
Great
Multi-purpose Hitting Drill
Note: This drill should only be performed with foam or poly-wiffle baseballs or softballs.
This drill is actually a hitting game that allows players to build skills, learn to perform under pressure, identify strikes, and develop a line drive swing. Teams of 2 or 3 players compete against other teams. The first team to score 11 runs wins. The drill can be used indoors or outdoors. The game requires a wall; curtain, or sections of fence. The rules are outlined before competition begins. The wall or fence should have a "top line" that represents the top of the scoring zone. Any hit ball that hits the wall, curtain or fence above that line is an "out". To score the batter must hit a line drive that hits the scoring zone without touching the floor or ground. The batter that hits a ground ball keeps the inning alive. He does not score, but he also does not make an out. It player gets one swing and one swing only, per bat. He is either going to hit a score, hit a ground ball or make an out. Any ball that is caught by the defense before it touches the wall or ground is an out. All pop ups, foul balls, and swings without contact is counted as outs. Teams get 3 outs per bat. Both teams must get to bat. Bats are not allowed to touch the ground or floor. Batters must stay alert and jump in to bat as soon as the other batter swings. Defensive players are allowed to "knock down" balls to prevent scoring. Any ball that goes from the bat to the "scoring zone" without touching the floor or ground is a score. If the defensive player touches the hit ball before it hits the wall, the score still counts. The defense must learn to react quickly and catch the ball or knock it down. This drill is best done in a tournament format. Reward the winning team in some way. This is a great drill for indoor hitting. Players get to take a lot of swings. The competition becomes fierce. It will build a competitive fire in your timid players. It will teach players to be aggressive. Make sure to use a "foam lite" or poly wiffle baseballs.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
4 Corners Drill
(Develop Bunting Skills)
Players divide into 4 groups. Have them gather around each of the bases and home plate. A player uses the plate or base as a home plate and stands ready to drag, squeeze, or sacrifice bunt, with another player pitching from his knee about 10 feet away.
Have someone catching, and the other players field with bare hands. Each player bunts the ball 5 times and then everyone rotates until all three types of bunts are laid down correctly, making sure that fundamentals are being done, with a coach at each station.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Bat Speed Drill
(Develop Bat Speed)
Put a weighted donut on your regular baseball bat and hit eight baseballs (overload). Hit eight baseballs with a fungo bat (underload). Hit eight baseballs with your regular bat.
Conduct this drill in a soft toss situation and do 2 sets 2-3 times a week. Over the course of 4 to 6 weeks you should see a positive increase in bat speed.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Birdie Toss
(Hand / Eye Coordination)
Have a coach stand 10-15 feet from the batter and throw the badminton birdies into the strike zone. This drill enables batters to take LOTS of swings in a relatively short period of time. It also allows the coach to place the "pitch" exactly where he wants it, thus enabling the batter to work on weak areas of their swing.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Bunting Technique Drill
(Improve Players Bunting Technique)
A protective screen is in the middle of the pitching area. The drill has two pitchers and two catchers. Pitcher one is in front of the protective screen and throws to home plate. Pitcher two is behind the protective screen and throws to second base. Each pitcher has a bucket of baseballs and each catcher has an empty bucket. The hitters are divided into two groups, with one group at home plate and the second group at second base.
Hitter 1 bunts a specific bunt and runs to first base, while at the same time, hitter 2 bunts a specific bunt and runs to third base. Then the hitters jog to the ends of the opposite lines. For time efficiency, the balls not contacted by the hitter are placed in the catcher's ball bucket, thereby allowing the pitcher to prepare for the next pitch.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Elastic Batting
(To allow a Large # of Practice Hits)
With the ball hanging from the ceiling, set the height at which you want to hit. Take a stance which will give the ball a position you want to practice at. Hit the ball. The ball will come back to you so that you can repeatedly practice your swing. You can raise or lower the ball so that you can hit at different heights and locations. If you are fast, try to hit the ball on the rebound. You can use this for bunting practice, too.
Coaching Points:
For safety it is best to use a tennis ball or rubber ball and a net. Make sure that the ball is well secured onto the elastic cord.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Face the Fence
(Develop Bat Speed)
The player stands with a bat facing a fence. He should then take the bat and put the end against the fence lightly. The end of the handle should make slight contact with the player's mid-section. He can now take his normal batting stance at that distance from the fence and take about ten or fifteen swings. If the bat is making more than light contact with the fence, the batter is not bringing his hands through first, which is what he should be doing.
To get a player to bring his hands first, have him take his normal step as if to swing, only have him "throw" the end of the handle towards the ball. If he continues to do this, it will increase his bat speed and he will probably hit the ball harder.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Fast Ball Drill
(Develop sense of what quality of
pitch to swing at depending on the count)
|
COUNTS (0-0, 1-0, 1-1): hit only fast ball you like (in your "zone") (2-0, 3-1): zone fast ball you hit best (2-1): most cases.... zone fast ball. HOWEVER ... take into account pitcher's ability and previous 3 pitch selections; may have to look curve or change (3-0): take unless in your zone (the pitch you came to the park to hit) if swinging.... don't jump on just any pitch but rather look for a pitch in your zone (0-1): no change in attitude.... get a fast ball (2 strikes): attitude changes.... always look fast ball but react to curve and change. |
Remember that the strike zone is widened to black
edges of the plate.
THE FARTHER AHEAD IN THE COUNT YOU GET, THE SMALLER
YOUR STRIKE ZONE BECOMES; THE FARTHER BEHIND IN THE COUNT YOU GET,
THE BIGGER YOUR STRIKE ZONE BECOMES.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Four-Base Target Bunt
(Develop ability to bunt ball to a
particular area)
Split the team into four groups. Each group goes to a base on the infield, which serves as a home plate for the drill. Mark a series of semicircles on the infield to the left and right of each base. A designated pitcher for each group throws three balls to each batter, who alternates bunting them to the specified locations. After a turn at one base, the bunter advances to the next base and gets three more balls. The drill is over when players are back at the bases where they started.
Coaching Points: This fun drill gives everyone plenty of chances to work on bunting. Make sure that your players aren't so eager to move on to the next base that they fail to concentrate on hitting the target.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Golf Ball Toss
(Hand & eye coordination)
Make a couple of bats from broomsticks about 30" for little league. Purchase practice plastic golf balls at any sporting goods store. Have players break up into two groups of four, one player pitching, one hitting and two others for retrieval. At first players will have difficulty making contact but with concentration on point of contact, they will begin hitting consistently.
An old shovel handle cut to 30" works well also.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Hip Turner Drill
(Develop quicker hips and the
relationship of hip speed to entire swing)
Place a bat behind the waist, horizontal to the ground, and use a glove as home plate. While holding the ends of the bat in the hands, assume a normal batting stance and watch an imaginary pitch being delivered. Execute a stride and quick turn using the bat to help turn the hips faster. Finish in the proper contact point position.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Hit & Run Game
(To give players specific
game situation training)
The team is divided into two squads. Runners are placed on the different bases prior to each inning. The teams play an intrasquad game with each batter going to the plate in hit & run situation. The defensive and the offensive teams play the hit and run game with the same rules that they would play a regulation game.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Hit or Die!
(To help batter learn how to
hit inside pitch)
HIT OR DIE! That's what I call my latest drill to catch their interest before they know what it's all about. Ever get tired of telling the hitter he needs to stay back and wait in order to hit the outside pitch? When they go the "other way" the whole swing changes, they loose their hips or twist their torso to inside out the ball?
TRY THIS. Turn the hitter sideways in the tunnel as if you were to do flip ups into the net right in front of him. Now stand directly to the side of him so that you are facing directly at his chest. Give him a few soft tosses right at him and make keep his same swing. After a couple now back off to about twenty/twenty-five feet and pitch overhand directly at his belt buckle. Obviously, you are not throwing your hardest, but keep the speed up so the ball isn't arcing, a moderate pitch. Now when he strides, he must keep his hands back or the ball hits him. I'm not nuts guys, believe me, they hit the ball AND they stay back. They can now say they survived HIT OR DIE!
Remember that when a batter has a good swing, any kind of hitting drill is good for him. Variety is the spice of life.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Hitting Motion
(Teach correct hitting mechanics
& develop quick hands)
STATION 1
|
1) Top hand should hold bottom thumb to simulate holding a bat. Top hand should also hold a ball. Throw the ball into a net for all direction of hits (pull, middle, opposite field). The throw causes arms to extend and rolls wrist to attain a down and in or out swing. 2) The "Slap" technique involves two players. Have one player kneel in front of batter with a hand outstretched in the strike zone. The batter then swings at the outstretched hand and slaps it with both hands. This keeps the front shoulder in. 3) For a player that sweeps stick a batting glove under the front armpit to ensure that the swing stays closed and the batter doesn't fly open. |
STATION 2
(Make sure that on these drills, the batter is in his
full stride, but weight is back)
|
1) Rapid Fire: Use three balls and soft toss them immediately upon contact, one right after the other. This develops quick hands. 2) Drop ball: Have a batter and tosser stand parallel with each other with the left foot in line with the left foot of each. The tosser drops the ball from eye level and from a knee. You may think that the players may be too close to each other, and that is a legitimate concern. If the batter doesn't swing correctly, he will hit the tosser. A little encouragement for the batter. 3) Fastball Drill: It is soft toss but from a distance and with more speed. Tosser stands to the side of batter and about 10 feet away and tosses underhand with a little bit more on the ball. 4) Back feed Extension: It is soft toss from behind the batter. Stand about 5 feet directly behind the batter and toss ball into strike zone. The batter can look at the tosser the first few times, but then must do it blindly. Develops quick hands. |
STATION 3
|
1) Batter kneels and tosser throws ball to bill of cap to emphasize that the batter chops down at the ball. 2) Batter stands and same drill as above, except tosser throws to nose level and out in front. 3) Use two "T's". Place a ball on the front "T" about two inches lower than back "T". Swing to hit ball on front "T". |
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Lead & Follow Hand Swings Drill
(Establish proper timing &
power with lead side of body)
Hit off a tee, imaginary ball, or soft-toss. When executing swings with the lead hand, you should concentrate on keeping the hand above the plane of the ball. If the lead hand drops under a pop out, strike out, or fly out will usually occur. The hitter must also turn the hips quickly for proper timing and power. The lead elbow should not extend fully before contact with the ball, since that will promote a slow bat due to an excess of arm arc in the swing.
By concentrating on keeping the lead hand on top of the ball and turning the hips quickly, a hitter can establish proper timing and power with the lead side of the body. The lead hand/follow hand action creates timing and power. Both hands should snap straight into the ball at precisely the same instant. This will help you establish proper bat speed and control.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Multi-Phase Offensive Drill
(Develop offensive skills)
First Round
1. Begin round with runner on 1st base.
2. Have defensive players at each position.
3. Runner on 1st base will take his best lead.
4. Pitcher will stretch and play on runner at 1st base one time and then he will throw to the 1st hitter.
5. The first hitter will bunt one, (the runner on 1st base will advance to 2nd base on the bunt, and then will go to defensive position or end of hitting line). On hit two, the batter will run the second hit out and stay there. The pitcher will play on the runner one time and throw to the second hitter in round one. This procedure should be followed through all of the hitters.
Second Round
1. Begin round one with runner on 2nd base.
2. Pitcher will play on runner one time, using middle infielders.
3. Hitter will bunt two, (sacrifice runner to 3rd and then squeeze the runner home). Hit two, run the second hit out to 2nd base and stay there. Continue this procedure through all hitters in second round.
Third Round
1. Begin round with runner on 1st base.
2. The runner on 1st base breaks on the first pitch to the hitter and goes all the way to 3rd base.
3. The hitters try to take the first pitch to right field. If they execute the hit and run successfully, they should be rewarded with an extra hit. After they hit two or three, they run out the last hit and stay and 1st base.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
One Handed Bunting
(Improve bunting skills)
Players get into groups of 3 or 4 for bunting. The drill is to grip the bat with the top hand at the balance point of the bat, then bunt the ball that way. All the things you try to teach such as grip, bat angle, 'catch the ball with the bat etc. happen naturally just by bunting one handed. It is a simple finishing job to add the bottom hand to steer the ball, and leads easily into drag and push bunts. A few minutes of practice gives lots of skill and leaves more time to HIT.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Painted Baseball
(To teach "picking pitches")
Paint several baseballs with different bright colors and place in a bucket behind mound. Have assistant place ball in glove of pitching coach (ball hidden from batter). Pitcher checks color of ball then calls out any color or the actual color of ball in glove. The batter can only swing at the ball that matches the color the coach called out, and if the pitch is in the hitting zone.
Variation-
Soft toss two balls at once. Just before tossing, coach tells batter which color to hit. If you only have white baseballs - tell batter to hit top or bottom ball.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Reaction Drill
(To help players learn to move
quickly from hitting to bunting position)
Spread a number of bunters 4 feet apart in a semicircle around you. Players start in a hitting position, then -- on command -- they drop down to a bunting position.
Coaching Points: Emphasize quickness, and stop each time to check the fundamentals. Later, go through a pitching motion so that players can get used to reacting to the delivery.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Roll Away - Fence Drill
(To reduce player's fear of the baseball)
Fear of the baseball is often one of the biggest obstacles to good hitting. It can lead to "stepping in the bucket", poor balance and "pulling the head" (or pulling off the ball). Although it's normal to have a healthy respect for the ball, abnormal fear of being hit by the ball can cripple an otherwise good hitter. Any player who has trouble rolling away from a pitch thrown at him, needs to practice this drill until it becomes natural. Here's how:
First explain the importance of rolling away from a pitched ball. Ask the players if they would rather be hit in the face, throat, stomach, groin or back. Most of them will say back. Demonstrate how to roll away, then proceed with the drill.
Find a fence or backstop the hitter can stand behind. It must be high and wide enough so he cannot be hit with the ball thrown from the other side. The hitter stands behind the fence with a bat. The pitcher stands pitching distance away on the other side of the fence (the fence separates the two). Place a glove or portable base down (on the batter's side) to act as home plate while making sure to leave enough room for the batter to take a full swing. The pitcher throws to the plate and the batter swings normally (if the pitch is a strike). Of course he won't make contact because the ball will be stopped by the fence. Throw a few strikes then mix it up and watch for the proper reaction.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Shortscreen Drill - Indoor Cage
(Develop quick hands)
Station a tosser, seated behind an L-screen, approximately 30 feet away from the hitter (tosser should wear helmet and stay well behind the screen.) The tosser can pinpoint the corners and move the ball up and down throwing a high percentage of strikes from this distance. The hitter is forced to react quickly. To further the effectiveness of the drill we have the tosser shout a count just before delivering the ball (i.e. 3-0, or 1-2, etc.).
This forces the hitter to think about the type of hitting situation that he is confronted with before offering. For example, in a 3-ball situation the hitter may decide to take a questionable pitch for ball 4 whereas in a 2-strike situation they must protect the plate. Also, vary the situational hitting by having the tosser shout out where runners are as well as the out count. This further reinforces the concept of productive at bats while giving a mental focus, to what can otherwise become a repetitive drill.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Soft Toss
(To improve weight transfer, body
control & timing)
This drill uses at least two players, a net or fence to hit into, and dozen or more balls to hit. Set up the hitter with a partner kneeling about 10 feet away, just off the hitter's front knee. The feeder triggers the hitter's swing by dropping his hand just before tossing the ball. The feeder should float the ball to the inside, outside, and middle part of the plate. The hitter must drive the ball into the net or fence.
Coaching Points: Use this drill to help players lose their fear of getting hit by pitches. Have the feeder switch to safety balls and throw harder. Watch each batter's front foot and head. Work with players who bail out or move their head back. Give them plenty of praise for good technique, especially on inside pitches.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Tee Ball
(To help hitters develop a smooth,
compact swing)
Set up a batting tee on top of home plate about 6 feet from the backstop. Using the plate allows hitters to orient their stances to the plate and not the tee. Have players work in pair's one placing balls on the tee while the other hits. Move the tee to different areas on the plate so players can practice hitting different pitches.
Coaching Points: This drill is a great introduction to hitting for any young player. It develops all the skills required to make good contact on the ball. Stress to the players that they concentrate on contact and watch the ball as they swing. You can easily construct a batting tee out of radiator hose, pipes and a wooden base.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Tee Drill
(Make players aware of the
bathead's position & keeping eyes on the ball)
Use a tee and a youth bat, about 28 inches long. Set the tee like a low outside pitch and have the players hit a ball off it. This should be done at first with large groups because everybody will get a good laugh to see their teammates swing wildly in the air. After a while they learn to aim the bathead at the ball instead of merely swinging the bat through the strike zone.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Tire Drill
(To help hitters develop strong
wrists, hands & forearms)
Equipment: One or more car tires. One or more steel fence poles. Cut holes through the tread of the tire top and bottom so that the fence pole can go through them easily. Drill a hole through the fence post and put a pin through it so the tire will sit at about the right height to cover the strike zone. Hammer the fence post into the ground deep enough so that it will stay when the tire is hit with the bat. Thread the tire onto the fence post.
Description: Set up the hitter alongside the tire as if in the batter's box next to the plate. Have the hitter cock the wrists, pivot on the back foot, and drive the bat into the tire, forcing it to spin.
Coaching Points: This is a good drill to help players develop the feel of driving through the ball. Have the batter simulate swings on an inside pitch, a pitch down the middle, and a pitch on the outside.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Tire Swing
(Develops players vision & bat speed)
Hang a tire from an available rafter or Basketball goal. Spray paint a white circle on ONE SIDE of the tire, in the strike zone. Have the player stand in position, and hit the white circle with the bat. This will cause the tire to spin. Then they must continue trying to hit ONLY the white circle. Teaches great vision, and bat speed.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Two Strike Game
(To train players in 3rd strike situations)
The team is divided into two squads. Players go to the plate with a two-strike count. With a two strike count players must choke up and shorten their swings protecting their at bat and battle with the pitcher until a pitch comes down the "pipe". You can add runners on base if you like.
|
Added April 6, 2003 |
Wiffle
(To perfect a player's swing)
You break your team up into groups of five, One tosser, one hitter, and three fielders. The fielders only need to be 10-20 ft away, because of the type of balls used. They are wiffle balls the size of golf balls or slightly bigger. The kids don't need to lay off their swing, due to the fact that they won't damage the balls. The tosser, or coach, kneels down off to the side facing the batter, about 4-6 ft, depending on the batter, and just tosses the ball underhand to the batter.
All this drill is intended for is perfecting the swing, to achieve a good, level swing, and the coach is right there to instruct on areas needing improvement. Let the batter hit 5-10 balls, the fielders will of course field, and your rotation will go clockwise. The batter now becomes the "left fielder" and so on. The "right fielder" collects the balls as he comes in to bat and hands them to the tosser, or coach, and the cycle continues. This continues for 15-20 minutes, all players are kept busy, so boredom doesn't set in.
Click the button above to go back to the web page or
web site you were at before coming to this page
[Official Little League Rules & Regulations] [Parents] [Players/Kids]
Learn How to:
[Hit]
[Pitching]
[Infield]
[Outfield]
[Catcher]
[Baserunning]
[Coach]
Copyright © 2000 Brookside Little League, Inc. All rights reserved
