Posted by: Mike (rytel4@verizon.net) on Sun Sep 9 05:45:43 2007

> > When should a batter initially start his movement towards the pitcher?
> >
> > My son is hitting weak fly and ground balls and it seems that his stride foot is not landing early enough though the hitting sequence. I asked him when does he start his initial movement towards the pitcher and he couldn't really answer the question. So I have instructed him to try and have his stride foot land when the pitchers throwing hand breaks from the glove.
> >
> > Is this to early? He seems to be doing better and is making good contact. But he has complained that it seems that he is waiting to long for the ball to arrive. Isn't that a good thing since it seems that he has no problem picking up the pitch?
> >
> > Thanks
> > Mike
>
> Mike,
>
> I read your message and I thought I would give you my opinion. I'm a hitting instructor and have been coaching for 20 years. I have taught different ways of hitting (linear, rotational, and a little of both)in my early years because I didn't frankly know what worked best. After years of breaking down swing after swing I realized that rotational hitting is by far the best way to teach. Now to give my opinion on your question. If your sons foot is landing when the pitcher breaks his hands he is dead in the water until the ball gets in the hitting zone. In other words he has to stay still for to long. He loses his rhythm and timing. If the front foot gets down to early he will be prone to lunging forward. When the front foot lands he needs to go.
>
> His front foot might be landing late, but I would guess that's not the problem. I would say that he is probably "throwing" the knob of the bat forward, which is causing the barrel to drag and accounts for the weak fly balls (probably to the opposite field). This will also, account for the weak grounders because when the barrel drags his brain is telling him to speed up the barrel and he rolls his top hand over to get the barrel in the hitting zone and he tops the ball causing a weak grounder. I hope this helped.

Thanks, I have some video of his hitting that I'll try to look for it.

How would you correct that fault? He used to swing a 33 inch bat but then it seemed that he wasn't getting around on the ball so we went back to the 32 inch. It helped for sometime but he still doesn't generate the power that he used to. He's 14, 5'8" at about 150 lb.

Would returning back to the 33 in. force him to get the barrel out in front? I have the Bat Action hitting machine which we use a lot and the basic hitting tee.

Thanks for your help.

Mike