Hitting

We all have opinions, and theories, and it is clear that we wish ALL to espouse them - and have them accepted by our peers. But fine-tuning the mechanics of a 15-17 year old is decidedly different than teaching a 9U to hit live pitching for the first time. I guess this is the old geezers way of saying there are apples and oranges. What might well be applicable for the HS player and the college player, and the potential draftee, is NOT necessarily applicable to this timid, scared, frail 8 year old.

Chip, I come for the old school - the school of simplicity. I am a physicist, and I understand quantum mechanics, and I can talk to you about particle physics until the cows come home. But none of that has to do with anything practical as far as this site is concerned. I don't teach physics here - nor am I trying to even teach hitting. I only know what, after three decades of teaching young people - what seems to work for us.

I personally respect the Bear, and in a lot of ways, I wish I had continued in baseball - one of the purest of sports in it's beauty, complexity, and team/individual performances. I don't know Jack. Well, I do, I think - but I don't know THIS Jack. Nevertheless, it is clear that he is as devout in his concepts and opinions as anyone here. Therefore, I respect his opinions as well. But what do we do when opinions differ - or in the case of my feeble mind - are SO complicated and technical as theories - that I cannot put them to practical use. Chip, I think that is what you are saying.

For the 9-10U, facing live pitching for the first time, we have to put into play PRACTICAL considerations. First, the young player is afraid of the ball - afraid that he will be hit by the pitch. So, the first thing that I teach - is how to avoid that horrid possibility. I teach them, using tennis balls, how to "turn and back" - so that if they ARE hit, it will only be a hit on the back or the rump. After they are comfortable knowing that they have "an escape" then we work on watching the pitch and hitting it. Again, I come from the school of simplicity - because (for us) it has worked. The objective of hitting at this age is simply to put the bat in the plane of the ball for as long as possible. You know, this is harder than it sounds. We want good stances, and weight transfer, and rolling wrists, and good bat speed, but guys - be practical - you can't teach that kind of thing to an eight year old!

We work on hand-eye coordination (using ping-pong size balls and a broomstick), bat speed (using a heavier wooden bat and a tee), and a simple stance/hand placement that will ensure that they - given their age and strength - can keep the bat in the plane of the pitch for a maximum amount of time. In most cases, this requires them to (perhaps) "lay the bat back" (toward the screen) more than they will later (with their hands back in a "loaded" position. But guys! This is NOT a time to develop a complicated swing! All we want - and all THEY want - is to hit the ball - regularly - and hard.

This last year was a typical year for us. Every boy on the team (16 games - 2 innings minimum play) had at least FOUR legitimate base hits! [I had two kids that had never played in their lives! One got nine hits - seven for extra bases!] They probably would have walked more, but we emphasize swinging. The Pete Rose approach! The aggressive hitter approach!

Gentlemen (and ladies), I am not trying to generate (or perpetuate) a hitting debate. Nor do I suggest that the methods that we have found successful here in a Houston suburb Little League will necessarily be appropriate for all (even the same age groups) of you. But we HAVE had success - thirty years of success - with NO TEAM EVER FINISHING LOWER THAN THIRD PLACE - even in "rebuilding years." And our major team (and a competitive district have finished first in the state (TEXAS) seven times in the last fifteen years.

I guess I am saying that I don't want to be confused by all the technical mumbo-jumbo - and all the name-dropping. I simply know what has worked for us - and is continuing to do so. I encourage technical discussions for those at higher levels. But I don't coach there (although one of my former LL assistants now coaches baseball at a major college).

Render unto the youth only that which is appropriate for them!

Cheers,

-b-