Posted by: Tim (054467@gmail.com) on Sat Sep 15 15:32:05 2007

Hi Mike,

Graylon gives some great advice! From a non-technical hitter's standpoint I offer the following:

The feeling of waiting for the ball can be caused by a couple things. I attributed my problem with being too early. I never started my initial movement until the pitcher's forward motion was never done. At the point of release, my left leg was up and moving back while prepared for a solid plant and rotation. I adjusted my swing in the same way that you instructed your son to do. When I felt I was waiting for the ball, I also lost power. So, to improve my timing and power, I shortened my initial stance and held my stride a little longer. I also loaded the bat a little further back and straightened my back. My swing became more consistent and things improved greatly. I was able to adjust to the ball coming inside or out - it didn't matter. Basically, my front leg stepped in for outside pitches and opposite field hitting, and just the opposite for inside pitching and pulling. If your son is good at reading the ball spin, tell him to shorten his stride to handle those awkward curves and change-ups.

TS