Posted by: RQL () on Mon Apr 30 15:54:18 2001

We've started practicing outside, have scrimmages and games coming up. Indoor work finished 2 weeks ago.
> > > > > > Now, everybody's swings are going to hell - from 3 days a week in batting cages to minimal swings at practice.
> > > > > > How do you give the kids enough BP, live pitching, hitting practice during field practices. Before / after?
> > > > > > Anybody else in this predicament?
> > > > >
> > > > > Your predicament is fairly common. We (HSFP) break the kids up into groups. While a group is working with one Coach on defense the other
> > > > > has 6-7 kids hitting, we then rotate. You either do ths or look at what your weaknesses are and concentrate on them.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > major dan,
> > > >
> > > > one way to make up for lack of swings in field practices is to make the swings that the players get - QUALITY swings.
> > > >
> > > > try this: players rotate from field to batter's box. when a player steps in the box, make the count on him 0 - 2, BEFORE he has seen his first pitch. player remains in the box till he makes an out. every at bat starts with an 0 - 2 count. concentration goes up considerably and the field rotates pretty quickly keeping boredom down and getting in road work.
> > > > also - coaches don't pitch. worst thing in the world, - coaches pitching. let the players pitch to each other or give one of your starters work if he isn't due in the rotation.
> > > >
> > > > ray porco
> > >
> > > p.s. coaches call balls and strikes. ...MD,Hitting is an individual sport you don't become a great hitter batting with a team.If you really want it you will hit before practice or after or both,Sunday's are for hitting and church in that order.Becoming the best means doing things different than all the others.1000 swings a week at least one way or another,bag,tire ,tee,cage ,or live arm.good luck to the dedicated.
>
> rql -
> I have two sons, now ages 13 and 10. Since the late spring thaw, I have had the 10 year old out in the backyard hitting 50-100 balls every night. His Little League team is a joke, they haven't had batting practice yet )@($#*%&. Of course the work we've done over the winter is really taking effect now that he can see how far the ball goes, etc. I have a $5 reward for the first time he hits the house in the air (house is in left center to center)
> When my 13 year old was 11, he started breaking windows, etc. We had to give up the backyard. Partly due to this thread, I realized the other day how much I missed pitching to him in the yard. So I took out some Liteflite balls (approx. 2 oz foam balls from Jugs). I pitch from about 25 feet. If he really rips it he can hit the house but the balls die and don't impact enough to break anything. We are back in the yard!!!
> Your post is at the heart of the matter. Matt (my 13 year old) has hit many hundreds of balls every week all summer since he was 2 years old. That's part of why he is good. Now we're back on track on that one.
> I appreciate your maniacal approach to hitting. It is the only way to separate from the crowd.
> by the way, any ideas on how to get as much hitting as possible into team practices? One advantage there - you have the whole field to hit to. And on Sunday morning, line up behind us for hitting down at the field ..M.D.Wade Boggs and I grew up in Tampa and we both had date palms in our back yard.Later in life I found out we both hit the [dates]about the size of a cherry with a broom stick by the bucket.If you can acquire the hand eye control to hit those then a bat and ball is easy.We did it because it was fun and there was no game boy toy.So there's always a way.For the teamI would set up stations starting with tee work then soft toss and areas where each throws underhand to each other on bunting practice,never seen a team practice that enough and it usually shows in close games.If there's a cage split the hitting up there too.Let them always work up to live on the field last.We once had a pitching machine that through from about 25 feet not real hard,it was small,but we put it behind the cage on the field and practice bunting 25 times while waiting to hit.It also got you use to seeing the ball coming in before B.P.Remember its always a great day to play 3!!