| Recognizing a curve ball quickly is not an easy | | | | that to improve at recognizing a curve quicker, |
| thing to do. Hitting a well located curve is not easy | | | | you must see more than ten per week. If you |
| either.That's why you will hear the expression, | | | | are serious about baseball hitting and having better |
| "he's a good fastball hitter" ten times for every | | | | at bats against the curve ball, here is what I highly |
| one time you will hear, "he's a good curve ball | | | | recommend you do. I have seen these things help |
| hitter." I'm well aware that part of that is because | | | | several players. |
| there are many more fastballs being thrown, so | | | | Whenever you have batting practice with your |
| of course more fastballs will be hit harder. But I'm | | | | team, ask your pitcher to mix in some curve balls |
| also well aware that the movement on the curve | | | | during your last ten or twelve swings. |
| ball makes baseball hitting much more difficult and | | | | If one of your pitchers is pitching batting practice, |
| the slower speed disrupts timing. The quicker you | | | | stand behind the backstop and practice trying to |
| can recognize that it's the curve ball that the | | | | recognize his curve ball as quickly as possible. |
| pitcher is throwing, the better chance you will | | | | If one of your pitchers is throwing a "bull pen," go |
| have of hitting it well. Like we've said many times, | | | | stand nearby and watch him closely. Try to read |
| a fraction of a second is an eternity when it | | | | the curve as quickly as you can. (If you're serious |
| comes to baseball hitting and it most certainly | | | | about your baseball hitting, you will manage to find |
| applies here. That's why pitchers who have "late | | | | the time to do these things.) |
| breaking" pitches are usually very successful, | | | | By doing the things listed above, you may very |
| because the batter does not realize it is a | | | | well be seeing 50 curve balls per week instead of |
| breaking ball until it's a fraction of a second too | | | | only 10 per week. I'm well aware that it's not as |
| late. | | | | efficient as if you were up there hitting in a live |
| Ways to Recognize the Curve Ball Quickly: | | | | game but it will help you recognize the curve ball |
| Watch the release point of the pitcher very | | | | quicker. How can it not help? It has to to help you |
| closely. The pitcher's release point may be slightly | | | | and it will help you. |
| different from the fastball point of release. | | | | Hitting the Curve Ball: |
| Watch the trajectory of the ball as soon as it's | | | | Quick hands are a necessity for successful |
| released by the pitcher. It could very well have a | | | | baseball hitting. If your hands are quick, you can |
| slight arc to it that is not present on the fast ball. | | | | "stay back" longer. By staying back and not over |
| Watch the pitcher's arm angle. There's a strong | | | | committing, this is extremely useful when |
| possibility that with the fastball, the pitcher may | | | | attempting to hit the curve ball. There is much |
| come almost directly overhand and with the | | | | less of a chance you will be fooled by it and be |
| curve ball he may drop down a little bit. This | | | | off balance and too far out in front. There is no |
| happens very often because most pitchers are in | | | | substitute for having quick hands. |
| love with lateral movement! My preference is | | | | "Hit it where it's pitched." An old cliche but still one |
| downward movement. (The bat is longer than it's | | | | of the better baseball tips on hitting to remember |
| wide, right?) | | | | is that a tough low and away curve ball with very |
| Practice watching as many curve balls as possible. | | | | good downward movement is not an easy pitch |
| Let's say you play three times a week and get | | | | to hit. I highly recommend hitting it to the |
| about ten at bats per week. Out of those ten at | | | | opposite field. Very few well located low and |
| bats, you see about one curve ball per at bat, | | | | away curve balls are pulled by a batter and hit |
| which is about ten per week. I strongly suggest | | | | well. Very few. |