Posted by: Jimmy () on Sat Feb 23 07:56:20 2008

> > > > First let me say how happy I am that I found this site.
> > > >
> > > > I have seen fantastic rotational hitting at youth levels. I have also witnessed trainers trying to change this to be more linear. I mostly see this when an instructor is forcing a batter to hit to the opposite field.
> > > >
> > > > What is the adjustment the hitter makes to outside pitches? If the shoulders are rotated away, does the hitter have difficulties outside?
> > >
> > > Yes he will have difficulties with outside pitches, also with off-speed pitches.
> > >
> > > Jimmy
> >
> > No the pitch is hit even with the rear hip and the hips and shoulders dont open as fully on contact. The out side can and is still hit with power.
>
> hi coach!
>
> coaches who endorse a linear swing in order to go to the opposite field have the wrong mindset.. your swing should not change to suit the pitch.. first of all nearly every hitter needs to be more selective on what they are swinging at.. inevitably, we ALL end up hacking at slop.. usually at the worst possible moment..
> rather you should be located in pretty much the same place for every pitch..from there you must have strict discipline in order to take pitches that make you bend at the waist & want to reach out & drop your power hand off the bat & turn into a backhanded tennis player.. DON'T DON'T DON'T !!! this is the pitcher's pitch!! leave it alone!! that is what the winnners do! if you are situated up on the plate where you should be able to reach a strike on the black without reaching, then when you feel the desire to bend at the waist for a pitch... STOP!! why? because it is not a strike!! or at the very least it is a pitch you cannot do much with.. so leave it alone!
>
> only when you are in a situation where you are in big trouble & need to get a run home should you alter your stance... such as with 3 strikes & the tieing run on 3B.. then you will step up a little closer to the plate, & move forward in the box.. thus you will be better positioned to put the bat on an iffy low or outside pitch.
>
> make no adjustments midswing on outside pitches in order to go to the opposite field..i see coaches telling hitters to slow down their swing, or reach out there, or both. instead be positioned close enough so you can put some good wood on the ball without reaching.
>
> going to the opposite field is so simple when you stop to think about it... (assuming you are smart enough to understand you have to have an outside or at least a middle-out pitch that you can actually do something with)using your usual stance as a reference point, SIMPLY MOVE A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE PLATE & ROTATE YOUR STANCE ABOUT 10 DEGREES BACK TOWARDS THE CATCHER!!! your stance is now a little more closed than it was .. and now you are simply faced up to drive the outside pitch straight to the opposite field without changing anything else about your actual swing!! the less you change your actual swing, the greater the chances of success.. just don't forget to swing at an outside pitch.. otherwise you're gonna end up in the toilet..

George,

Where did you learn this stuff? This is terrible advise.

Jimmy