| When looking to solve a baseball hitting problem, | | | | 7) Possibly the bat is wrapped too far around |
| always look for the easiest "fix" first. Here is a list | | | | your head. Again, the bat will have to travel too |
| of some possible solutions if you are swinging late | | | | far and you will be late on the pitch. |
| and not catching up to the pitch: | | | | 8) You don't want to have your hands too far |
| 1) Make sure you are not using a bat that is too | | | | away from the body, which causes the front arm |
| heavy for you. That's the easiest fix of all. | | | | to straighten out too soon. This will cause a longer |
| 2) Make sure you are loading up early enough and | | | | and indirect swing, causing you to be late on the |
| giving yourself enough time to get the bat into | | | | pitch. |
| the hitting zone. You never want to load up late | | | | 9) Maybe the bat is being held too much straight |
| so if needed, load up earlier. I've seen many 10 to | | | | up and down. If you are doing this, try a |
| 12 year olds going back toward the catcher when | | | | compromise of half way in between straight up |
| the pitch is already on its way. This makes hitting | | | | and down and parallel to the ground. |
| the ball impossible. Watch for this with younger | | | | 10) Maybe you are gripping the bat too tightly. It's |
| players. I've seen it may times. | | | | a known fact that you can swing the bat more |
| 3) Many youngsters in particular, have the bad | | | | efficiently and quicker by NOT gripping it too tight. |
| habit of loading up twice. You go back once, not | | | | It's the same exact principle as a pitcher gripping |
| twice. They load up once and then they make the | | | | a pitch tighter to slow down the speed of the |
| common mistake of loading up a little bit more a | | | | pitch to fool the hitter. Gripping the bat too tightly |
| second time. Very common hitting problem. | | | | will slow down your bat speed just like it slows |
| 4) You are possibly taking too long a route to the | | | | down a pitch from the pitcher. |
| ball. Be more direct when going from point A, | | | | In summary, there are three things I would look |
| where you are "loaded up," to point B, where you | | | | for right off the bat, no pun intended. |
| make contact. | | | | First, make sure you don't have "too much bat" |
| 5) The first movement after you are loaded up | | | | and that you can handle the weight of the bat |
| should be DOWN toward the ball and the bat | | | | comfortably. |
| should level out only at the point of contact. Many | | | | Second, make sure you are being direct to the |
| weak hitters have the bat parallel to the ground | | | | ball. One of the best baseball tips on hitting is that |
| at the beginning of the swing and this is wrong. | | | | you go from point A to point B in a straight line. |
| 6) Another possibility for being late is the bottom | | | | And thirdly, always remember one of the best |
| of the knob of the bat is facing too far back | | | | baseball tips on hitting is to keep the front elbow |
| toward the catcher. This will cause the bat to | | | | pointing down at the very start of your swing |
| have to travel a much greater distance to get to | | | | and the swing levels out only at the point of |
| the ball and make you late on your swing. | | | | contact. You will be shorter and quicker to the ball. |