NORTH PENN HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
HITTING GUIDE
Hitting philosophy
As a coaching staff, we believe the purpose of any offense is to score runs. That
means “hitting” goes far beyond the ability of each batter to get hits. It involves
everything a batter can do to get on base, move runners, and drive in runs. Everything we
teach at North Penn is an attempt to make the hitting process more efficient and effective
so that we can succeed at the plate regardless of the style of pitcher we happen to face or
the situation in which we find ourselves.
Hitting is often said to be the most difficult thing to do in any sport. When events of
a pitch occur within hundredths of a second, a batter does not have room for much error
and therefore must continually strive to work on the details and sequence of the hitting
mechanics. Below is an explanation of the chronology of an at-bat and the mechanics of
the swing we teach at North Penn. We then look at the overall importance of balance,
rhythm, and timing as well as the importance of hitting with two strikes. We then finish
with some basic practice tips for all hitters.
The information our coaches pass on stems from experience gained from years of
playing and coaching, most of which coming from trial and error. It also comes from
listening to and analyzing others who have had success at coaching this difficult skill at a
variety of levels.
It is extremely important that each North Penn hitter keep an open mind when
listening to and working with our coaching staff. It is true that every hitter has his own
unique style. The coaching staff respects that fact, but we also know that successful hitters
share some common mechanics and characteristics. These common traits, both physical
and mental, are what we intend to teach to all our hitters. It is up to every player to make a
commitment to trust our system, to use it during practice and games, and to continually
work to make themselves the best hitter they can possibly be.
Chronology of an at-bat
1. Gather information. Prior to stepping up to the plate, every hitter should have a pretty good idea
of what to expect from each pitcher. Too many hitters enter the box without knowing some very
important information that can increase their chances for a quality at-bat. Information about the
pitcher is gathered from doing the following:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Watch and study the pitcher when warming up prior to the game in the bullpen.
Watch and study him throw on the mound prior to the inning.
Watch and study him throw during the course of the game.
Share / discuss information about the pitcher with teammates and coaches.
Specific questions to answer while watching:
a. What is his arm angle and release point?
b. What types of pitches does he throw and which one(s) he gives more attention to?
1. What pitch does he use to get ahead?
2. What is his “out” pitch?
3. Does he throw the same way to both lefties and righties?
4. Which part of the strike zone does he use most? (high, low, outer half, all)
c. What kind of movement does his breaking pitches have?
d. How well does he throw strikes with each of his pitches?
e. Is his motion / timing from both the wind-up and the stretch the same?
f. How good is his temperament and poise?
g. What is his velocity and movement of his fastball like?
h. How does he pitch to batters similar to you (RH, LH, power hitters, bottom of the order,
etc)?
As you can see, there is a wealth of information that we can gather before we even step into the
batters’ box. The more information we have, the better prepared we are for success.
2. On-Deck. The on-deck batter has much to do to properly prepare for his upcoming at-bat. It is
not simply a time to swing the weighted bat to get loose. When a hitter is next to bat, he should:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Determine the timing of his stride for this pitcher.
Focus on the pitchers release point and seeing the ball
Remind himself of the key mechanics of his swing using positive key words/phrases
Be aware of the hitting situation he might find himself in. (bunt, move runners, etc.)
Remove the previous hitter’s bat and tell a runner where and if to slide at home plate.
Breathe slowly and relax.
3. At-Bat. This is where all the accumulated information about the pitcher and hard work on
mechanics turns into action. The more you prepare, the more confident and relaxed you will be at
this stage. Things to remember at this stage:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Focus on seeing the ball.
Breathe and relax.
Be aggressive; prepare to swing at every pitch (unless taking)
Make adjustments within the at-bat as needed
Stay positive, don’t be hard on yourself
4. After the at-bat. This time period is extremely important since how you respond to an at-bat will
greatly affect your next at-bat and other aspects of your game. Things to focus on:
a. Stay positive. Hitting is hard. Statistically, you will fail most of the time. Get over it
correctly by focusing on what you did well and what adjustments/improvements you need
to make in the future.
b. Do not pick up your glove until you are over your last at-bat.
c. Do not allow at-bats to effect your defense and vice versa.
d. Keep watching to gather more information.
Mechanics of the Swing
1. “HANG OUT” - Set-Up – Standing in the box and waiting for the pitcher to start his motion.
a. Feet about shoulder width apart, weight 50/50
b. Body upright, tall, and relaxed.
c. Hands loose on bat with proper grip, at back shoulder or above
d. Eyes level and on the pitcher
e. Elbows down
f. Breathe slowly and relax.
2. “BACK” - Weight back – Beginning to store energy
a. Weight sways back slightly (70/30)
b. Back knee unlocks inward
c. Body still upright
d. Knees bend slightly
e. Hands relaxed, loose, and still at the shoulder
f. Eyes narrowing towards pitcher’s release point.
g. Front shoulder turns in slightly
h. Elbows down
3. “STRIDE” – 1st gear; starts the process forward
a. Front foot lifts and lands (toe-heel)
b. Body still upright
c. Weight shifts forward into athletic position (weight 50/50)
d. Hands still relaxed
e. Elbows down
f. Hands/Bat cocked and ready to fire
4. “FIRE” - Take the pitch or Fire the barrel to the ball.
a. Eyes track the ball to contact zone
b. Take a “ball” in a strong athletic position (50/50), track ball to catcher, or
c. Swing
i. Back elbow enters “slot”. (no casting)
ii. Wrists “hammer” the barrel forward to the ball
iii. Belly button “takes a picture of the ball” at contact (fire open hips according to
pitch location)
iv. Extend arms through the ball
v. Body still upright
5. “FINISH” – Follow Through
a. Weight 50/50
b. Eyes down in hitting zone as long as possible.
c. Body still upright
Balance, Rhythm, and Timing
1. Balance – No matter what the sport, balance plays an extremely important role in whether the
participants succeed or not. Hitting a baseball is no exception. From the time the batter sets up in
the batters box until the swing is finished the batter must have complete control of his body
movements and weight. The human body can absorb and exert quite a bit of force but only if the
body is balanced. Hitting is exerting force on the ball and cannot be done most effectively if the
body is off balance. A balanced body allows the hitter to be quicker and more powerful; two
major factors in hitting successfully.
2. Rhythm – Having good “rhythm” as a hitter means the mechanics of the swing flow smoothly and
in sequence. Some hitters have a more “herky jerky” style to their mechanics. In other words,
they have a lot of tense, rigid movements which often results in a longer, slower, and less fluid
swing. Good hitters appear as if they don’t put much effort into their swings even though the ball
seems to jump off their bat. These hitters do, in fact, put a lot of effort into their swings. The
difference is that good hitters have the correct sequence of mechanics and smoothly blend the
steps into one, fluid, graceful looking swing.
3. Timing – A hitter’s job is to arrive to the proper contact area in sequence and on time. The
dilemma that all hitters face is that each pitcher is unique and does not get the ball into the contact
area at the same time. Some throw very hard and some throw very slow. Others may fall anywhere
in between. Timing is a very important yet difficult part of hitting. This is why pitchers are taught
the importance of changing speeds with their pitches to disrupt the batters timing. Coaches will
also back up a hard thrower with a soft thrower, or vice versa, to further disrupt a batter’s timing.
As a result, a batter should understand the importance of the following statement. The time it
takes a batter to rock back, stride, and swing should not change regardless of what type of pitcher
is throwing. What the batter does change is the time at which the process starts. When facing a
hard thrower, a batter might have to time his stride foot to land just after the pitcher releases the
ball. Against a slow pitcher, a batter might have to time it to land when the ball is several feet out
of the pitcher’s hand. This is why watching opposing pitchers during the “Gather Information”
stage is so valuable. It helps each hitter determine the proper time to begin the process of hitting.
Two-Strike Hitting
One of the most overlooked features of good hitting is the ability to be productive with two
strikes. “Old school” baseball required hitters to cut down their swings to simply put the ball in play.
Players routinely choked up on the bat to give them better bat control. Most major league players we see
on TV do not make these same adjustments today. Players at that level commonly think that an “out is an
out” whether it is a ground ball or a strike out. This is somewhat accepted at that level since errors and
defensive mistakes are very uncommon. Also, the reality of major league baseball is that more money is
paid to players who drive the ball which results in more home runs and runs batted in. Many players feel
that cutting down their swings with two strikes will not help to accomplish this and will hurt their chances
at big money. These beliefs are not valid at the high school level for two reasons. First, players are not
paid. Second, an easy play is never a “routine play” at the high school level. Errors and poor decisions by
the defense commonly result in hitters reaching base and/or runners moving up and scoring. Knowing
this, hitters should do everything possible to put the ball in play with two strikes. To do this more
affectively, all hitters should do the following with two strikes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Choke up. How much depends on what you are comfortable with.
Start your hands closer to the center of your chest. “Grab your shirt”
Prepare yourself to hit the ball the other way
Relax, stay positive, and be confident in your ability to hit with two strikes. Practice helps.
Practicing Hitting
During official practice time, the coaching staff will outline the drills to be done and what to focus on.
When you are practicing on your own (and you should be), keep the following points in mind:
a. Focus on perfect mechanics on every swing.
b. Practice hitting a ball in every part of the strike zone. Don’t just practice the ball down the
middle. You may go a number of games without seeing that pitch at all.
c. Frequently work on your two-strike swing.
d. Challenge yourself to stay back longer and be quicker each time with your hands.
e. Watch yourself swing in a mirror to see your mechanics
f. Video tape yourself if possible to see and analyze your swing
g. Work with a partner if possible and discuss hitting
Every hitter wants to succeed. The question is…
How hard are you willing to work to achieve it?