Posted by: THG () on Wed Nov 12 14:44:15 2008

> > > > Our players have a habit of going after high pitches a lot. They all drop their hands below the level of the ball and swing up on the ball. What is the proper way to hit a high pitch?
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> > > >>I think your guys would benefit best by learning to lay off high pitches and I am not sure how high you refer to.Discipline at the plate however is your best friend.To be short on a low pitch you tilt back and over the plate more and thus swing up more ,on high pitches since you usually start the tilting action for the low pitch you then have to adjust your tilt more upright in both tilts as you begin your swing ,this levels out the swing and allows the bat to swing 90 degrees to the spine as it does with the tilt on low pitches.It is hard to make this adjustment even when you train for it and that is why the high heat dominates so often and laying off is the best answer usually.However if you choose to look for it stand taller in the stance and stride and think about a high pitch.Let them learn with a tee on top of a 5 gallon bucket and see how hard a letter high is to hit and feel the difference in leveling out.
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> > If they insist on swing at high pitches they will have to eeither 1) swing sooner (anticipate the high pitch) as to effectively get their bat on the plane of the ball or 2) use the tomohawk approach in an effort to get on top of the hich pitch. (See Dusty Baker's book and or video "You can Teach Hitting".)
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> HI
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> Sorry THG but never teach them to tomahawk the ball. It leaves a huge hole in their swing and is the wrong way to hit the high pitch. You hit a high pitch the same way you hit every other pitch and that is with your hands above the ball. Your top hand must punch up to get the barrel up high enough to get to the ball.
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> You are right though about hitting it sooner. You must hit high pitches out in front of the plate so th ehands can get higher.
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> Dave P


Dave P. I understand where you are going with regard to not having a whole in the swing. But the high pitch creates a unique problem. That problem is that in many instances there is a hesitation in the swing in which the hitter takes a fraction of extra time on whether or not he should swing at the high pitch.

The hesitation is enough to cause the hitter to miss the ball completely as there is a point in which the barrel of the bat is rotated to the connection level. And if there is a hesitation the hitter tries to force the bat to that area which creates the whole in the swing. This is why when a hitter is late he almost always swings under the ball.

The tomohawk or fence drill creates a means for the hitter to increase his chance to connect since the bat is more likely to be in line with the pitch. Such drills also allow gravity of going from up to down. Note though these approaches may reduce batspeed, the head of the batting being already in the zone helps to make up the difference. And if there is a choice between contact or no contact the hitter is better off putting the ball in play.

I do respect our rights to agree to disagree.