HOW TO GIVE YOURSELF THE BEST CHANCE TO HIT

HEY EVERYONE, MY NAME IS KEVIN. I HAVE PLAYED BASEBALL EVER SINCE I CAN REMEMBER. I EVEN HAD THE GREAT FORTUNE TO PLAY PROFESSIONALLY WITH THE GIANTS ORGANIZATION FOR ABOUT 4 YEARS. SO FOR WHATEVER IT IS WORTH I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE A WASTE IF I DID NOT PASS ON TO OTHERS WHAT I WAS ABLE TO LEARN AT SUCH A HIGH LEVEL OF PLAY.

ON THIS PARTICULAR POST I AM GOING TO TEACH YOU WHAT I KNOW ABOUT HITTING, AND HOW TO GET YOU PREPARED TO GIVE YOURSELF THE BEST CHANCE FOR SUCCESS. NOW I CAN'T STAND IN THE BOX AND HIT THE BALL FOR YOU BUT I CAN TEACH YOU THE TOOLS YOU NEED TO PRACTICE TO DO SO.

#1 THE FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT YOU NEED IN ORDER TO BE A GOOD HITTER IS CONFIDENCE. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE CONFIDENCE THEN YOU WILL ALWAYS DOUBT YOURSELF WHICH WILL BRING FAILURE. NOW WE ALL KNOW BASEBALL IS ALREADY A GAME OF FAILURE, BUT THE NAME OF THE GAME IS TO HAVE LESS OF IT THAN YOUR OPPONENT. BY HAVING CONFIDENCE IN WHAT YOU DO WILL GET YOU ON THE RIGHT TRACK FOR SUCCESS.

#2 THE SECOND THING IS TO HAVE A GOOD STANCE. THAT IS THE FIRST THING WE DO WHEN WE STEP INTO THE BOX, WE GET OUR FEET SET AND GET INTO OUR STANCE. THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO STAND IN THE BOX BUT FIRST AND MOST OF ALL JUST BE CONFIDENT AND COMFORTABLE. THE STANCE THAT I PREFER TO USE IS HAVING YOUR FEET A LITTLE MORE THAN SHOULDER WIDTH APART WITH YOUR WEIGHT ON THE BALLS OF YOUR TOES YOUR KNEES SLIGHTLY BENT AND ALSO BE SLIGHTLY BENT AT THE WAIST. HANDS SHOULD REST AROUND YOUR REAR ARMPIT OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE IN A RELAXED MANOR. YOUR HEAD SHOULD BE TURNED SO THAT BOTH EYES SEE THE PITCHER EQUALLY. I LIKE TO HAVE 60% OF MY WEIGHT ON THE BACK FOOT AND 40% ON THE FRONT.

#3 THE THIRD THING IS YOUR GRIP. THIS IS THE WAY YOU HOLD THE BAT IN YOUR HANDS. I LIKE TO TEACH PEOPLE TO LINE UP THEIR KNUCKLES. THE KNUCKLES I AM REFERRING TO ARE THE ONES YOU WOULD USE IF YOU WERE TO KNOCK ON A DOOR. THIS GRIP IS GOOD BECAUSE IT MAKES IT EASIER TO SNAP YOUR WRIST THROUGH THE ZONE. I WILL TEACH YOU ABOUT THIS LATER.

#4 THE FOURTH THING IS YOUR HANDS. I LIKE TO CALL THIS THE HALF MOON. AS THE PITCHER STARTS HIS MOTION YOUR HANDS SHOULD START TO MOVE. THEY SHOULD MOVE BACK IN A HALF MOON MOTION GOING DOWN TO UP. YOU WILL FIND THAT IN BASEBALL IT IS ALWAYS BEST TO WORK FROM DOWN TO UP IN EVERY PART OF THE GAME. NOW THIS HALF MOON MOTION SHOULD NOT BE FAST IT SHOULD BE NICE AND SMOOTH ALL IN TIMING WITH THE PITCHER. REMEMBER THIS, THAT HITTING IS WITH THE HANDS. THE HANDS ARE WHAT HELPS YOU MAKE CONTACT ALL THE OTHER STUFF DOWN THE LINE HELPS YOUR HANDS CREATE MORE POWER AT CONTACT.

#5 THE FIFTH THING IS THE STRIDE. THE STRIDE IS A TIMING DEVICE FOR THE PITCH YOU ARE OR MIGHT OFFER AT. THE STRIDE SHOULD BE SHORT AND ON THE INSIDE BALL OF YOUR BIG TOE. WHEN YOU PICK YOUR FOOT UP IT SHOULD COME DOWN VERY GENTLY AS IF YOU WERE STEPPING ON AN EGG TRYING NOT TO BREAK IT. YOU SHOULD BE FINISHED WITH YOUR STRIDE BEFORE THE PITCHER RELEASES THE BALL THIS WAY YOU ARE READY TO ATTACK THE BASEBALL. TRUST ME IT IS VERY HARD TO HIT ON ONE LEG LET ALONE HAVE ANY POWER DOING IT.

PRACTICE THESE 5 THINGS AS FOR THIS IS A LOT TO GO OVER IN ONE SITTING.
LOOK BACK LATER FOR MORE ON HOW TO GIVE YOURSELF THE BEST CHANCE TO HIT. FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE ONLY ABOUT HITTING.

REMEMBER THAT CONFIDENCE IS A BIG PART OF SUCCESS.

ONE LAST THING IF I EVER TEACH YOU ONE THING LET IT BE THIS, GOOD-BETTER-BEST NEVER LET IT REST UNTIL GOOD IS BETTER THAN YOUR BEST.