| While attending the National Sporting Goods | | | | separates the club players from the recreational |
| Manufacturing show in Las Vegas, I had the | | | | players once they get into high school. My son is |
| chance to sit down with some heavyweight | | | | going through this right now in each of the three |
| baseball people. These were people who worked | | | | sports he plays (football, basketball and baseball). |
| for and represented some of the best names in | | | | He is watching fellow teammates elect to not play |
| the game of baseball. They were people who had | | | | other sports so they can focus on their sport of |
| been around the game their whole life. The | | | | choice in order to excel. The players who are |
| conversation started out being about the qualities | | | | electing to focus on a given sport are the ones |
| in a good hitter. We talked about stance, | | | | who are spending time, getting the repetitions |
| mechanics, quick hands, great eyes, terrific | | | | they need to develop their confidence and |
| hand-eye coordination, and follow through | | | | become better players. The time to spend on |
| techniques. This was all great to listen to and | | | | repetition is the key to becoming a clutch hitter. |
| participate in the conversation but then one man | | | | The conversation then turned to what the right |
| who had been around the game for more than | | | | amount of repetition is in order become a great |
| 20 years said straight out that while all of the | | | | clutch hitter. One coach said it was 200 swings a |
| prior conversation was correct, the thing that | | | | day. That is was former hitting champ Pete Rose |
| made a great hitter stand out from the rest was | | | | used to take every day so it should work for |
| confidence. | | | | everyone. The issue that most players face with |
| Confidence is a funny thing among most | | | | getting that level of repetition is the reality of |
| ballplayers. Most players are subject to ups and | | | | who will throw that much batting practice to them |
| downs as they go through a season or even a | | | | during the course of a day, 5-6 times per week. |
| game. He said that the players who hit the best in | | | | My shoulder aches just thinking about it! |
| clutch situations want to be up in those situations | | | | The answer to that question is a pitching machine |
| and also have the level of confidence that they | | | | and a batting cage. Both are needed to become a |
| can perform. They have practiced their craft | | | | great clutch hitter. The reason both are needed is |
| enough so that in any situation they are the | | | | that they are the perfect combination. The |
| player who knows they can come through. | | | | pitching machine can save the arm of any |
| Confidence is born from repetition and repetition | | | | coaching assistant and the batting cage will keep |
| comes from practicing the proper mechanics until | | | | the balls in a close enough proximity that they can |
| it is second nature. Players need to repeat the | | | | be picked up and reloaded quickly enough to get |
| process of hitting until they are confident that | | | | the workout completed within 30-40 minutes. |
| when they swing, they will make solid contact | | | | Any player who has the desire to be successful |
| with the ball. | | | | can afford to spend 30-40 minutes working on |
| I think this level of desire and confidence is what | | | | their craft on a daily basis. |