We all know that practice is essential for becoming a better hitter. But keep in mind that not all practice is created equal. In this clip, Don Mattingly says a few words about trying to get the most out of your training sessions and batting practice. … [Read more...]
Baseball Hitting Tips: Avoiding Strikeouts
The keys here are starting slow and keeping your head still. Moving your eyes even a few inches can be devastating for making good, consistent contact. Watch Don's tips for keeping everything in order to see the ball better, maintain a good swing and reduce your chances of striking out. … [Read more...]
Baseball Hitting Tips: The Swing & Follow Through
If you have used good fundamentals in all of the steps leading up the swing, you are probably in good shape. For these initial hitting tips, we want to keep it simple and he swing should just finish the motion you already started. In this clip, Don also touches on the importance of proper follow though. Now, for some of you who are more advanced, you might want to contribute some other points … [Read more...]
Baseball Hitting Tips: Stride & Weight Transfer
This is a great video tip. This is clip 3 in a 7 part series done by Don Mattingly. A lot of hitters get in trouble with the stride so heed Don's advice here. "Watch the first step...it's a doozy". That really holds true for hitting the baseball. If you get yourself into a bad position with a poor first step, it may be difficult to recover. The stride should be a soft step or touch...because … [Read more...]
Baseball Hitting Tips: Batting Stance & Hitting Position
In order to put yourself in the right position for success, a proper setup is critical. As shown in this video with Don Mattingly, if you put yourself back in the batter's box, you have a little more time to recognize and react to the pitch. You also want to have your feet in pretty much of a straight line to be able to see the ball and rotate the hips...without being so open that you can't hit … [Read more...]
Baseball Hitting Tips: The Proper Baseball Hitting Grip
Heres's the first video in a 7 part series put on by Don Mattingly of Mattingly Sports. This first video focuses on the critical element of the grip. That grip may seem simple but it can cause a lot ofmajor problems if done wrong. Some of the key elements of a proper grip are to have the bat in the fingers...not the palms and to line up the "door knocking" knuckles. Here's the first … [Read more...]
Staying Back…What Does it Really Mean?
Here's a video that was made to demonstrate what is meant by "staying back". It's a bit technical and a little long but there are some good points here. I would also add that if you can "stay back" and not lunge at the ball, you will be able to keep you head more still, which allows you to better see the ball. You will also have a much better chance of hitting an off speed pitch. … [Read more...]
Another Cool Insider Bat Video
Here's a cool little video showing a young player using the Insider Bat. Looks like the Insider Bat batting trainer is working for this kid. Notice how he is quick, directly to the ball and then extends through impact. Nice stroke! … [Read more...]
New Informational Video – The Insider Bat
Here's a new video from Justin Ruchti, a member of the 2003 National Champion Rice Owls and former member of the Seattle Mariners. It's a little long at just under ten minutes but if you are curious about what the Insider Bat is all about, you should check it out. He gives an in-depth breakdown of what it's good for, how and why it was designed, which hitting problems it solves and which … [Read more...]
Hitting Off the Tee
Here's a nice video from Ripken Baseball talking about using the Tee for batting practice. We all know that when you bring out the tee at practice the kids start to groan. But as we learn in this video, even the major leaguers hit off the tee every day. The key in this video is focusing on practicing the coil and weight shift. Since the ball isn't moving, you can really take your time and … [Read more...]