Posted by: George () on Wed May 2 19:32:01 2007

> 2 questions
> 1)without seeing what I am describing try to give me possible solutions. A 9 year old right handed hitter is continously hitting all pitches to right center or right field. occasionally he may pull one or hit one up the middle. I have suggested to his dad to change his bat. His dad has told me that this is the perfect bat size for him according to charts he has found of the internet. I have coached baseball for many years, attended camps as an observer and attended indoor facitlities in which my brother has taught at. I say this just to say I have knowledge of the game of baseball. From my experience, a right handed hitter who consistantly hits the ball to the right side of the field has some swing mechanics or needs to change bats. Dad will hear nothing about changing bats. when this boy swings, his hands drop down about 12" and then he begins his swing and the bat is trailing behind as he comes through the zone. give me your thoughts. What are some ways to test to see if a bat is to heavy or long.
> 2) I have asked many people this question and have not received a good answer. Why do girls when they follow through roll their wrist and hit the middle of their back with the bat. My daughter is 12 and I figured is she is going to learn to hit why not learn to hit the ball the way you hit a baseball. hands to the ball, extension and follow through high. rarely do you see girls that do this. This is how your big time college players hit, why do not high school coaches teach this.
>
> thank you for your time

Gary Edwards. It can be a chore trying to convince a parent something other than his own views. And in the parent's defense he/she will be the one to have to live with the decision.

The chart stuff is not a one way fits all deal, but may be a starting point. More has to do with the strength and motor skills of the kid. If a kid can whip the bat through his swing thats a good indication the the bat is a good fit. But results are the best way to measure. If the kid is getting jammed its a good indication the bat is too heavy.

Hitting the ball to the opposite field is not bad in itself. Julio Franco almost 50 yrs old has made a living of doing just that. The majority of your top avg players are opposite field hitters. The girls swing stuff described is merely the result of a lack of fundamentals for those particular girls. Women who are not overly developed should have know problem executing good technique if taught correctly.