Slumps

Slumps are inevitable in baseball. When slumping, try to get back to basics. Think about hitting the ball right up the box and judge yourself on solid contacts (and not necessarily hits). During a slump, maintain a positive outlook and be a team player. Keep playing solid defense and continue to run the bases aggressively. By doing the little things to help your team win, you will be able to keep a positive outlook...then, the slump will be gone before you know it.

Know your strengths

Know your stengths and weaknesses as a hitter. Try to maximize your strengths and minimize your weaknesses.
If you make a conscious effort to eliminate a weakness in practice, you can make that translate into the game.

The best training tool

The best training tool for hitting is the wood bat. It instantly rewards you if your swing is a good one. By feeling the solid connection, you know you had a sound swing. It also penalizes you for a poor swing with a cracked bat or buzzing hands after poor contact.

Regimen

One of the simplest tips for hitting is to develop a regimen. Do the same pattern as you step up to the plate. Getting into a pre-at bat ritual will help to keep things constant and get you in a groove.

Mechanics

Players who have the most success are those who are properly schooled in hitting mechanics.
Hitting is neurological...it´s muscle memory. By properly practicing techniques and drills, the body will learn to react properly to a specific pitch in a specific situation.

All good hitters have the same basic mechanics. They are balanced. Their swings are short and compact. They have limited movement and a limited stride, yet they have a solid weight shift. Only by practicing drills each and every day does a swing develop into a flawless piece of art.

Three rules

Three simple rules to hit by:
1. Get a good pitch to hit. Not only do you have to know the strike zone, but you need to know your strengths and weaknesses in the strike zone.
2. Be quick with the bat. Bat speed will enable you to wait longer and explode on the ball.
3. Think. Remember what the pitcher likes to throw. Know the scouting report and anticipate pitches (yes, even guess at the proper time).

Working on mechanics

Work on mechanics during batting practice or while doing drills. By the time you step in the batter´s box during a game, all your work should be done. The axiom ´You can´t think and hit´ is often true.

Be athletic

The stance is the foundation that you will build your swing upon. Start with an athletic position. Balanced, strong, and ready for motion. Have some sort of movement in your stance that helps you prepare for your swing. No good hitter hits from a complete standstill. Your stance and pre-pitch approach prepare the way for an effective cut.

Moving the runners along

During batting practice, work on hitting the ball to the right side of the field. If there is a runner on second and nobody out during the game and you need to move the runner to third, a ground ball or fly ball to the right side could get the job done (instead of bunting). The advantage is that you can also punch a hit through the right side.

Learning mechanics

Make sure you start to learn proper mechanics at an early age. As you move up in level of play, proper mechanics will allow you to maintain success. Lessons, clinics, and camps are important to attend...just make sure that the teacher is a qualified professional!

Getting your timing up to speed

Shorten or eliminate your stride. This would be considered baseball heresay by the "step into the ball" believers, but, it immediately cuts down on time preceding the hands. It also makes hitting off-speed and breaking pitches more possible.

Weighted Bats

A great way to develop bat speed is to swing a weighted bat. Not just for the on deck circle, weighted bats are a fantastic training tool. Try to take fifty to one hundred swings a day!

Balance

The first thing to look at with a young hitter is
balance. If you can push a player lightly and
the player loses balance, he or she is not in an effective athletic position to start the swing.

Swing Up or Swing Down

Most hitting analysts say the proper swing is a motion that provides a downward plane. But, ask Ted Williams and you will get a different answer. In his book, The Science of Hitting, Mr. Williams actually is an advocate of a slight upper-cut. This just proves that baseball theory has no true absolutes. How can you argue with Ted Williams?

Drag bunting

Even if you are a power hitter, add drag bunting to your repertoire. Drag bunting will allow you to add a base hit at will when the third baseman plays back. If the third baseman has to play in, you may be able to to poke one past when you swing.

Launch position

No matter where you start the bat, all good hitters get into the launch position. The launch position is the position your body is in when your front foot lands after the stride. The bat should be 4-6 inches from your shoulder at about a 45 degree angle. The hands are back and the weight is distributed about 75% to the rear side. Consult a professional about the launch position for further clarification. It is one of the most important things to think about in hitting!

Focus on where you want the ball to go

You should not be trying to hit the ball high and far, but hitting the ball hard according to where it is pitched. Start by trying to hit the ball hard through the middle of the field, but also learn how to strike a ball properly that is either on the inside or outside part of the strike zone. Bring your bat level through the contact zone and concentrate on base hits. Base hits win, pop-ups lose.

Guess?

Should you guess what pitch is coming? In certain situations, most definitely. Generally, look fastball down, breaking pitch up. Use this approach on every pitch. If a pitcher has an extremely sharp slider or a wicked split finger fastball, try to take that pitch away by sometimes guessing the pitch is coming. You need to analyze a pitcher´s habits and tendencies.

Get help early

If you truly want to play baseball throughout your childhood and on into your teen years, get professional advice early. Taking individual lessons from a professional is a great way to cultivate your talents. Even if you are not overly gifted, proper learning of the mechanics will maximize your play!

Unorthodox stances

Unorthodox stances are acceptable if all other principles are in place (proper launch position, weight shift, and swing plane). Major League stances vary greatly. Most important is the mechanics that develop as a result of the stance.

First pitch curves

You need to lay off the good off-speed first pitch, but the bad ones (the hanging curveballs) can be the easiest to hit. If you have not shifted your weight too far and your mechanics are in place, hack at that first pitch curve up in your eyes!

Absolutes of hitting

Be careful if anyone is directing you toward "absolutes" in hitting. There are different philosophies and approaches. One way works for one hitter and another way works for the other.
Listen to what everyone has to say. Then, carve out your own mold when it comes to hitting.