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The number one reason why hitters don't hit
They
stand frozen, bat glued to shoulder, afraid to move. Here's what to do about it. 1. Learn how to duck. Turn your back to the pitch. Scrunch your head down into your shoulders - so the helmet protects the neck. And pull the bat down too - otherwise the ball could hit it which would count as a foul ball at best, or create a pop up or even accidental hit. COACHES: You might start this training out with RIF balls or even by putting a catchers chest pad on the backs of your batters. 2. Do the no blink drill. Another way to conquer the fear - this is a catcher's training technique. Put on the mask and learn to take balls in the face without blinking. While not directly related to being hit by a pitch it is a fear-battling exercise. 3. Fill the bucket. Stepping in the bucket is what happens when a batter pulls his stride leg back, away from the plate. The result is an ineffective swing, most often a miss. Get him to put his mitt on the ground (in practice of course) so that he must stride and stay on the plate side. This can also help encourage him to do the duck turn.
Stepping Out on the Pitch This generally begins because of fear of the ball and may continue later simply because of habit. To help correct this habit, place a ball glove or something flat to the left of the hitter's stride area (for right-handers), so they know when they are stepping out. If they realize they are stepping out and continue doing it, they may have a balance problem. Have them lift their front heel off the ground during their stance and stride. This will help them keep their weight forward toward the plate. Stepping out may also be due to the desire to pull the ball. Discourage strict pull-hitting. The hitter should develop the mental image of hitting the ball straight back at the pitcher and hitting to all fields. If fear is a factor, it is important to convince the player that he is safer when striding straight at the pitcher than when bailing out. The proper movement of the batter when a ball is thrown at him is to turn inward toward the plate and then toward the catcher (while dropping his head if the pitch is high). This protects his head and chest (the two dangerous places to get hit). Bailing out opens the hitter up and usually results in exposing the chest and head to the ball. Also, I know several young players who have overcome their fear through on-deck prayer.
Fear at the plate may be overcome (at least in part) by knowing what to do when the ball is thrown at a hitter. The proper movement of the batter when a ball is thrown at him is to turn inward toward the plate and then toward the catcher (while dropping his head if the pitch is high). This protects his face and chest, which are the two most dangerous places to be hit with a ball.
This is illustrated below. Staying relaxed at the plate will also help the hitter pick up the path of the ball and avoid being hit in an area that could cause serious injury. As hitters get more experience, they can begin trusting their reflexes and their ability to see that a pitch is wild well before the ball reaches them. For several players, prayer before going to the plate has proved helpful.
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