Before you get to bat

• In Practice – Choose a bat you can handle (bat speed is most important!) – Focus on improvement/quality practice swings/drills

• In the game: – Know your strike zone – and the umpire’s! – Know the count – strikes – hitter’s pitch – swing BIG! – Study your – know his pitches – Discuss with your teammates in the dugout – Know the game situation – Score, number of outs, base runners, weather – Focused, quality on-deck swings – Get your timing down = when to load/trigger; stay loose

Stance

• Athletic position • Toe-to-toe • Wide feet • Bent hinges • Knocking knuckles grip - relaxed • Hands comfortably away from back shoulder (6”-10”) • Back elbow not passed 90 degrees or against ribs • Front elbow down • Head straight • Bat 45 degree angle • Weight about 60-40 back on inside of legs • Relax – tension is the enemy

Load/Trigger

• Cover the plate – notice front foot even or in front of plate – don’t get too far back. • Fluid load with hands and body • Front knee slight turn in • Weight shifts primarily to back leg – prior to stride

• What other sporting activities do you go back before going forward? Almost all! Stride

• Foot needs to land before contact • Try to keep stride short/soft • Step toward the pitcher • Land on in-step with slightly closed front foot (45 degree angle) and front leg slightly bent • Stay balanced – hands stay back Getting to Power Position Power Position • Most swings with less than two strikes should be BIG • Keep your head level and eyes on the ball • Hands to ball • Front foot lands slightly closed (45 degrees) • Firm front leg and side (front leg angled back) • Bent back leg (knee to hip to shoulder aligned) • Hips rotate = twist/explode • Squash the bug = explode like fire cracker under your back foot • Belly button to pitcher • Hands finish high

Power Position Power Position Highlights

Notice aligned: • hit ball out front •back knee • to hip • to shoulder = balance & power Power Position

Notice: Closed front foot Closed front foot Stays back more/front leg firm More of a front-foot hitter & angled back = more power (see front leg angle = less power) Joe Mauer Squash the Bug = explode!

Pivot the back foot to allow the hips to rotate/explode

The power comes from your front foot landing closed, hips rotating, and back foot pivoting! Joe Mauer Bat Route to Angle of Pitch Balance and Follow Through

56-game Major League Hitting Streak = consistency!

If your top hand does come off the bat, it’s okay, as long as your top hand ends up by your ear. If your top hand finishes pointing at the pitcher, you took it off the bat too soon. Fluid/Not Mechanical

George Brett – see the full swing! Relax: Tension is the enemy

The Babe The Sultan of Swat The King of Crash The Great Bambino He was relaxed . . .

“I have only one superstition. I touch all the bases when I hit a home .” – Have Confidence

( – last player to hit .400 in Majors; he had confidence) “The inside half of the plate. That's where history's made.” – Ted Williams Use the entire field

Rod Carew – one of the greatest opposite field and two strike hitters ever to play the game! Mentally Tough Hitters

• Mentally tough hitters realize hitting is a game of failure and if a hitter is successfully 3 out of 10 times at all levels of baseball they will make millions of dollars. • Mentally tough hitters aren’t worried about their box line, other than the “W” column. • Mentally tough hitters don’t let bad umpire calls effect their next at bat and they don’t bring it out to their defense. • Mentally tough hitters don’t let adverse weather conditions effect themselves. • Mentally tough hitters visualize themselves in big game situations and visualize themselves having success in those situations. • Mentally tough hitters compete every pitch, one at a time; and then every at bat. • Mentally tough hitters “give themselves a chance to be good” by working hard physically on every aspect of their game -and when they get better physically they get better mentally. • Mentally tough hitters know it’s not bad to have “anxious butterflies” before games. And they know just “taking a deep breath” does wonders. • Mentally tough hitters find a way to get the momentum…and then keep the momentum. • Mentally tough hitters WIN CLOSE GAMES and the WIN BIG GAMES!