By Jordan Koch
Just about every ballplayer would like to increase his baseball bat speed. Yet many guys go about this the wrong way. I'll try to explain to you three easy things you can do to increase your baseball bat speed.
Maybe you have heard that your swing starts with the legs? Well that is very true. But in order to really drive with the legs we need a solid base. So, when you step up to the plate, your hands should be right above your shoulder. This allows you to drop the bat right into the hitting slot and speed up your baseball bat speed.
Next, you will need to lead with hands. That means throwing your hands at the ball instead of the barrel of the bat. Wherever your hands go the bat has to follow, so in order to whip the bat and make great contact...your hands have to lead into the hitting zone.
Now is where the legs come in. To get a ridiculously high baseball bat speed, you need to drive off the back leg through the swing. Think of it as a runner pushing off the starting line. You need to stay low so can really push and drive off the leg and whip the bat through the zone.
Follow those three tips and you should see an increase in speed. You will still need to put in some hard work to make consistent hard contact, but you should see an increase in your baseball bat speed.
Dominate the Competition and Learn True Hitting Secrets With Super 8 Hitting Baseball Instruction
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jordan_Koch
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Baseball Pitching Tips - The Worst Baseball Question on Earth
By Larry Cicchiello
I truly believe in my heart that any questions that are asked should be totally respected and answered politely.
I've answered many questions on baseball hitting, baseball pitching, baseball coaching and more over several decades. I can proudly say that not once did I ever think the question was not a worthwhile question and I always showed the utmost respect to the person asking the question. However, there is one question on the topic of baseball pitching that I'm having a hard time coming to grips with. It is way off base, no pun intended. I must have heard it 1000 times. The question is one that is asked to a baseball pitcher about pitching to a real good hitter.
The big question asked to the pitcher is, "how do you pitch to... so and so?"
The sportswriter, sportscaster or baseball commentator is asking a pitcher how he pitches to a certain outstanding baseball hitter. I've learned a lot over the years by simply listening to these guys. For the most part, they are very intelligent and great "baseball people." But like I said, this question irks me!
Does the person asking the question think that the answer may be "breaking balls, low and away?"
Or does the person think the answer is "fastballs up and in?"
Or can it be "changeups down low?"
The proper answer given by any intelligent pitcher will always be the same and I've heard this answer 1,000 times in the last four or five decades. It's almost word for word, the same exact answer.
And the answer to this annoying question is... "I try to mix up my pitches, change speeds and move the ball around on him."
What other answer can there possibly be?
OK, I'm kidding a little bit about being annoyed. In all honesty, the question really doesn't bother me but I want to make a point.
I understand that as a pitcher, you may have a favorite pitch you like to use to a certain very good hitter, but you can't rely on it exclusively. Let's use an outstanding right-handed hitter as an example.
If you kept throwing him fast balls low and away, it's just a matter of time before he creams one to right field or to right center field. If you kept throwing him fastballs up and in, eventually he will cream one to left field or left center.
If you threw him all breaking balls, again eventually he will clobber you.
The point here is that real good hitters do not have glaring weaknesses! That's the reason they are real good baseball hitters. They may handle some pitches better than others, but they have no glaring weaknesses.
And the pitcher has to "mix it up" because the real good hitters will make adjustments.
If a batter is having a hard time with your changeup, you can't simply keep throwing it. The good hitter will go from looking terrible and then on about the fourth changeup he will put the baseball in orbit.
That's why your only approach is to mix up your pitches, change speeds, change locations and there is no set answer as to where you specifically try to locate a pitch or what particular pitch you throw to get them out.
It's not really a bad question but I just wanted to make a point here.
"Different pitches, different speeds and different locations" should be your only approach to be successful against the great hitters. Mix it up and go get em!
Larry is the president of Larwenty Online Enterprises Inc. and also the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." If you are a baseball player or are involved in baseball coaching at any level of play or a parent who wants to help your child improve, you will be fully equipped! His baseball website offers several FREE baseball tips from his very informative and very fairly priced eBooks.
Larry's baseball website is http://www.larrybaseball.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Cicchiello
I truly believe in my heart that any questions that are asked should be totally respected and answered politely.
I've answered many questions on baseball hitting, baseball pitching, baseball coaching and more over several decades. I can proudly say that not once did I ever think the question was not a worthwhile question and I always showed the utmost respect to the person asking the question. However, there is one question on the topic of baseball pitching that I'm having a hard time coming to grips with. It is way off base, no pun intended. I must have heard it 1000 times. The question is one that is asked to a baseball pitcher about pitching to a real good hitter.
The big question asked to the pitcher is, "how do you pitch to... so and so?"
The sportswriter, sportscaster or baseball commentator is asking a pitcher how he pitches to a certain outstanding baseball hitter. I've learned a lot over the years by simply listening to these guys. For the most part, they are very intelligent and great "baseball people." But like I said, this question irks me!
Does the person asking the question think that the answer may be "breaking balls, low and away?"
Or does the person think the answer is "fastballs up and in?"
Or can it be "changeups down low?"
The proper answer given by any intelligent pitcher will always be the same and I've heard this answer 1,000 times in the last four or five decades. It's almost word for word, the same exact answer.
And the answer to this annoying question is... "I try to mix up my pitches, change speeds and move the ball around on him."
What other answer can there possibly be?
OK, I'm kidding a little bit about being annoyed. In all honesty, the question really doesn't bother me but I want to make a point.
I understand that as a pitcher, you may have a favorite pitch you like to use to a certain very good hitter, but you can't rely on it exclusively. Let's use an outstanding right-handed hitter as an example.
If you kept throwing him fast balls low and away, it's just a matter of time before he creams one to right field or to right center field. If you kept throwing him fastballs up and in, eventually he will cream one to left field or left center.
If you threw him all breaking balls, again eventually he will clobber you.
The point here is that real good hitters do not have glaring weaknesses! That's the reason they are real good baseball hitters. They may handle some pitches better than others, but they have no glaring weaknesses.
And the pitcher has to "mix it up" because the real good hitters will make adjustments.
If a batter is having a hard time with your changeup, you can't simply keep throwing it. The good hitter will go from looking terrible and then on about the fourth changeup he will put the baseball in orbit.
That's why your only approach is to mix up your pitches, change speeds, change locations and there is no set answer as to where you specifically try to locate a pitch or what particular pitch you throw to get them out.
It's not really a bad question but I just wanted to make a point here.
"Different pitches, different speeds and different locations" should be your only approach to be successful against the great hitters. Mix it up and go get em!
Larry is the president of Larwenty Online Enterprises Inc. and also the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." If you are a baseball player or are involved in baseball coaching at any level of play or a parent who wants to help your child improve, you will be fully equipped! His baseball website offers several FREE baseball tips from his very informative and very fairly priced eBooks.
Larry's baseball website is http://www.larrybaseball.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Cicchiello
Friday, December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!
Be sure to rest young arms during these winter months. Play different sports. Have fun and be active!
Coach Bob
Be sure to rest young arms during these winter months. Play different sports. Have fun and be active!
Coach Bob
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Baseball Pitching Tips - Don't Ever Be Intimidated by Any Hitter!
By Larry Cicchiello
There is no reason on earth why a pitcher should ever be intimidated by any batter! I don't care how good or how great a baseball hitter he is. My thought process is that first of all, it comes down to simple math.
Even the great baseball hitters make outs more often than they get hits. So if I'm facing a hitter that has an average of.400, that means 6 out of 10 official at bats I will win the battle. If I'm a slightly better than average pitcher, that means that I probably will get him out about 7 out of 10 times or possibly even a little more often.
Several advantages the pitcher has over the hitter:
The pitcher knows what type of pitch is being thrown and the hitter does not.
The pitcher knows the speed of the pitch and the hitter does not.
The pitcher knows where he wants to locate the pitch and the batter does not.
Last but not least, the pitcher is standing on "the hill" and is throwing a very hard baseball in the batter's general direction.
As a baseball pitcher, there is no logical reason whatsoever to feel any intimidation.
On the other hand, if a pitcher has a batter intimidated, part of the job is done before the first pitch is even thrown!
It is a pitcher's job to make the batter uncomfortable at the plate. I am NOT implying that a pitcher should throw at a batter! What I am saying is that I strongly believe there is nothing illegal or immoral about throwing a pitch six inches or so off the inside corner of the plate.
The batter's box is six inches away from the plate, right? I have every moral and legal right to throw into what I call that "neutral area." And if my pitch goes an inch or so beyond that neutral area, I won't lose any sleep over it.
Once again, I have no intention of hitting the batter with the baseball.
If I see a great hitter get up to the plate and he is just dying to clobber me, I would not hesitate to work him "low and away" with my pitches and occasionally throw the fastball six inches or so off the inside corner of the plate.
The following short story is strictly for your benefit and not mine. Back in the late 1960's, when I was about 15 years old, I used to occasionally pitch against a fabulous hitter named Jimmy.
Jimmy was a feared hitter, strong as an ox, and it was only fitting that he was a catcher. I swear that when he came up to bat I could see smoke coming out of his ears and he was a very aggressive baseball hitter.
Every time we played his team and I was pitching, I would give him my "calling card" by throwing a fast ball inside off the plate, by about six inches or so. Just a friendly reminder to not get too comfortable up there and a reminder that I'm throwing a very hard baseball in his direction.
Once again, I want to emphasize that this is NOT to be confused with throwing at a batter, which is morally and legally wrong. I had a great deal of success in my showdowns with Jimmy and it was not a coincidence.
If I wasn't intimidated by Jimmy, a truly great hitter, I don't want you to ever be intimidated by any batter either!
Larry is the president of Larwenty Online Enterprises Inc. and also the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." If you are a baseball player or are involved in baseball coaching at any level of play or a parent who wants to help your child improve, you will be fully equipped! His baseball website offers several FREE baseball tips from his very informative and very fairly priced eBooks.
Larry's baseball website is http://www.larrybaseball.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Cicchiello
There is no reason on earth why a pitcher should ever be intimidated by any batter! I don't care how good or how great a baseball hitter he is. My thought process is that first of all, it comes down to simple math.
Even the great baseball hitters make outs more often than they get hits. So if I'm facing a hitter that has an average of.400, that means 6 out of 10 official at bats I will win the battle. If I'm a slightly better than average pitcher, that means that I probably will get him out about 7 out of 10 times or possibly even a little more often.
Several advantages the pitcher has over the hitter:
The pitcher knows what type of pitch is being thrown and the hitter does not.
The pitcher knows the speed of the pitch and the hitter does not.
The pitcher knows where he wants to locate the pitch and the batter does not.
Last but not least, the pitcher is standing on "the hill" and is throwing a very hard baseball in the batter's general direction.
As a baseball pitcher, there is no logical reason whatsoever to feel any intimidation.
On the other hand, if a pitcher has a batter intimidated, part of the job is done before the first pitch is even thrown!
It is a pitcher's job to make the batter uncomfortable at the plate. I am NOT implying that a pitcher should throw at a batter! What I am saying is that I strongly believe there is nothing illegal or immoral about throwing a pitch six inches or so off the inside corner of the plate.
The batter's box is six inches away from the plate, right? I have every moral and legal right to throw into what I call that "neutral area." And if my pitch goes an inch or so beyond that neutral area, I won't lose any sleep over it.
Once again, I have no intention of hitting the batter with the baseball.
If I see a great hitter get up to the plate and he is just dying to clobber me, I would not hesitate to work him "low and away" with my pitches and occasionally throw the fastball six inches or so off the inside corner of the plate.
The following short story is strictly for your benefit and not mine. Back in the late 1960's, when I was about 15 years old, I used to occasionally pitch against a fabulous hitter named Jimmy.
Jimmy was a feared hitter, strong as an ox, and it was only fitting that he was a catcher. I swear that when he came up to bat I could see smoke coming out of his ears and he was a very aggressive baseball hitter.
Every time we played his team and I was pitching, I would give him my "calling card" by throwing a fast ball inside off the plate, by about six inches or so. Just a friendly reminder to not get too comfortable up there and a reminder that I'm throwing a very hard baseball in his direction.
Once again, I want to emphasize that this is NOT to be confused with throwing at a batter, which is morally and legally wrong. I had a great deal of success in my showdowns with Jimmy and it was not a coincidence.
If I wasn't intimidated by Jimmy, a truly great hitter, I don't want you to ever be intimidated by any batter either!
Larry is the president of Larwenty Online Enterprises Inc. and also the author of "Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away." If you are a baseball player or are involved in baseball coaching at any level of play or a parent who wants to help your child improve, you will be fully equipped! His baseball website offers several FREE baseball tips from his very informative and very fairly priced eBooks.
Larry's baseball website is http://www.larrybaseball.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Larry_Cicchiello
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