Prepare for Your Next At Bat

What Should You Be Doing To Prepare For Your Next At Bat?

Weak hitters start preparing when they get in the batters box. Average hitters start in the on deck circle. Good hitters start when they get to the field and great hitters never stop preparing.

So what makes a hitter great? Are they born with a bat in their hands or is it the time they put in to the art of hitting? Great hitters are the ones that listen to their batting coach and work on the things they give them all week long. They’re the ones that don’t need a coach to call practice to make sure they get their tee work in. Great hitters are the ones that seem to drift away from the others when they get to the field but yet what they are really doing is focusing on their game plan. The ones that pay attention to everything the pitcher is doing when no one is on & when runners are in scoring position. Is she an up pitcher or a down pitcher? Does she throw a strike every first pitch? Does she work ahead in the count or always have to work her way back? All of the above are what separates weak and average hitters from good and great hitters.

In this story we will hopefully give you some insight as to how you can elevate your hitting game.

The Strike Zone

The strike zone is the size of the plate which is 17” x generally a hitter’s knees to their letters (chest). Now let’s make a couple of points about this. First the, up and down of the strike zone. This will vary on each hitter as the knees to the letters are different for everyone. The umpire will generally call each hitters natural batting stance when they step into the box (or at least they are supposed to).

It’s also good to understand that two hitters both standing 5’5” can have very different strike zones. Hitter number one squats low while hitter 2 stands tall, both will get called from their knees to their letters but hitter one’s strike zone might be as much as 6-10 inches smaller.

Side to side, as we have stated above this should be 17” (the size of the plate) because that is what we have been told. However, this is not the case because you need to take into account that the strike zone may in fact be 8” wider than that to factor in the size of the softball (4 inches) and any part of that softball crossing the out edge of either side of the plate. When setting up in the batters box good and great hitters understand the complete strike zone in and out and up and down.

The Pitcher

All pitchers are different; some wind up nice and smooth and throw hard, some have a herky jerky motion and throw slow. The fact is when facing a pitcher, timing is everything.

All pitchers warm up and most of them like to warm up in the dirt near home plate before the game begins. This is the start of where you begin to hit. Try to begin your timing work while she is warming up. See what pitches she is working on and which are working or not working. Continue to focus on what the pitcher does as she works. Great hitters never stop paying attention to every detail.

Once the game begins, ask yourself is she throwing a lot of first pitch strikes? Does she work up and down? In and out? Does she work ahead in the count? Behind? What pitch does she go to when she is in trouble? Is there a difference when she throws different pitches (tipping pitches)? Does she take longer to grip the change up? Does she slide to a different spot on the rubber when she is throwing a screwball? Some pitchers will even focus on the location that her catcher is asking for and you may be able to pick that up in her eyes. Study each and every pitcher and all her quirks to give you an advantage during every at bat. Hitters that focus and study the pitcher no matter how the game is going is the hitter that will be best prepared to get a hit.

Situations

It is very important to understand all that goes into situations. The understanding of situations will allow you to become a better hitter. What will you need to do for the team in each situation (become selfless)? Do you need to move runners in scoring position? Do you need to get the runner in from 3rd base with less than 2 out? What do you need to do to get the runner in from 3rd base with 2 outs (make sure to put the ball in play)? On a hit and run is the shortstop covering or the second baseman? Knowing what needs to be done in all situations will greatly reduce the stress you may feel and help you get the job done.

Positive Thinking

This is the most important part of hitting. Baseball greats will tell you that hitting is 90% mental and 10% physical. While this would appear to be correct for a mechanically sound hitter, most players not sound will still have their troubles when getting in the batters box. It is true that a clear and positive mind will produce greater results but without sound mechanics it becomes difficult to have a clear and positive mind.

It is very important to do whatever it takes to become sound in your mechanics. You must work hard with your instructor and again work diligently on the tee as much as you can so thinking about mechanics never enters into the equation while preparing for your next at-bat.

Mechanics and muscle memory are done at home while trust and planning is done at the field. Positive thinking becomes easier when you are physically prepared. Understanding the difference between positive and negative thinking are essential to becoming a great player and hitter.

Thinking about what you don’t want to happen will create the image of exactly what you don’t want. For example, DON’T strike out, DON’T swing at the rise ball, DON’T mess-up…don’t, don’t, don’t. These are all negative thoughts. This will only engrain them in our brains even more. Coaches are also guilty of saying what they believe are positive statements, but in actuality are really not. Instead think, see the ball down, drive your pitch (a hitter should know their pitch), focus on a good at bat. These are more positive and are some examples of what a hitter should be saying or thinking prior to his/her at bat.

Know and work from your strengths. If you like the ball low, work for the low pitch. Tell yourself if she throws it down you are going to drive the ball. Have a vision; see it happening before it happens. If she is a rise ball pitcher it shouldn’t matter, see yourself driving a pitch down in the zone and wait for it to happen. Give yourself a chance by staying positive, seeing it happen and then sticking with your plan. Stay away from the negative thoughts.

We at Fastpitch World hope this will give you a little insight as to some of the things that it takes to become a great hitter. Discuss with your hitting instructor your strengths and weaknesses. Ask them why you’re doing what you are doing. All hitting instructors should be able to explain to you “why” you’re driving this pitch and not that pitch, why you're pulling off pitches, why you are early or late…etc. Ultimately, a smarter hitter is a better hitter. Knowing why gives you more confidence about the game….knowing more about hitting does the same for hitting. So please ask your coaches why and use all the tools listed above to propel your hitting to the next level.

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What Should You Be Doing To Prepare For Your Next At Bat? Weak hitters start preparing when they get in the batters box. Average hitters start in the on deck circle. Good hitters start when they get to the field and great hitters never stop preparing. So what makes a hitter great? Are they born with a bat in their hands or is it the time they put in to the art of hitting? Great hitters are the ones that listen to their batting coach and work on the things they give them all week long. They’re the ones that don’t need a coach to call practice to make sure they get their tee work in. Great hitters are the ones that seem to drift away from the others when they get to the field but yet what they are really doing is focusing on their game plan. The ones that pay attention to everything the pitcher is doing when no one is on & when runners are in scoring position. Is she an up pitcher or a down pitcher? Does she throw a strike every first pitch? Does she work ahead in the count or always have to work her way back? All of the above are what separates weak and average hitters from good and great hitters. In this story we will hopefully give you some insight as to how you can elevate your hitting game. The Strike Zone The strike zone is the size of the plate which is 17” x generally a hitter’s knees to their letters (chest). Now let’s make a couple of points about this. First the, up and down of the strike zone. This will vary on each hitter as the knees to the letters are different for everyone. The umpire will generally call each hitters natural batting stance when they step into the box (or at least they are supposed to). It’s also good to understand that two hitters both standing 5’5” can have very different strike zones. Hitter number one squats low while hitter 2 stands tall, both will get called from their knees to their letters but hitter one’s strike zone might be as much as 6-10 inches smaller. Side to side, as we have stated above this should be 17” (the size of the plate) because that is what we have been told. However, this is not the case because you need to take into account that the strike zone may in fact be 8” wider than that to factor in the size of the softball (4 inches) and any part of that softball crossing the out edge of either side of the plate. When setting up in the batters box good and great hitters understand the complete strike zone in and out and up and down. The Pitcher All pitchers are different; some wind up nice and smooth and throw hard, some have a herky jerky motion and throw slow. The fact is when facing a pitcher, timing is everything. All pitchers warm up and most of them like to warm up in the dirt near home plate before the game begins. This is the start of where you begin to hit. Try to begin your timing work while she is warming up. See what pitches she is working on and which are working or not working. Continue to focus on what the pitcher does as she works. Great hitters never stop paying attention to every detail. Once the game begins, ask yourself is she throwing a lot of first pitch strikes? Does she work up and down? In and out? Does she work ahead in the count? Behind? What pitch does she go to when she is in trouble? Is there a difference when she throws different pitches (tipping pitches)? Does she take longer to grip the change up? Does she slide to a different spot on the rubber when she is throwing a screwball? Some pitchers will even focus on the location that her catcher is asking for and you may be able to pick that up in her eyes. Study each and every pitcher and all her quirks to give you an advantage during every at bat. Hitters that focus and study the pitcher no matter how the game is going is the hitter that will be best prepared to get a hit. Situations It is very important to understand all that goes into situations. The understanding of situations will allow you to become a better hitter. What will you need to do for the team in each situation (become selfless)? Do you need to move runners in scoring position? Do you need to get the runner in from 3rd base with less than 2 out? What do you need to do to get the runner in from 3rd base with 2 outs (make sure to put the ball in play)? On a hit and run is the shortstop covering or the second baseman? Knowing what needs to be done in all situations will greatly reduce the stress you may feel and help you get the job done. Positive Thinking This is the most important part of hitting. Baseball greats will tell you that hitting is 90% mental and 10% physical. While this would appear to be correct for a mechanically sound hitter, most players not sound will still have their troubles when getting in the batters box. It is true that a clear and positive mind will produce greater results but without sound mechanics it becomes difficult to have a clear and positive mind. It is very important to do whatever it takes to become sound in your mechanics. You must work hard with your instructor and again work diligently on the tee as much as you can so thinking about mechanics never enters into the equation while preparing for your next at-bat. Mechanics and muscle memory are done at home while trust and planning is done at the field. Positive thinking becomes easier when you are physically prepared. Understanding the difference between positive and negative thinking are essential to becoming a great player and hitter. Thinking about what you don’t want to happen will create the image of exactly what you don’t want. For example, DON’T strike out, DON’T swing at the rise ball, DON’T mess-up…don’t, don’t, don’t. These are all negative thoughts. This will only engrain them in our brains even more. Coaches are also guilty of saying what they believe are positive statements, but in actuality are really not. Instead think, see the ball down, drive your pitch (a hitter should know their pitch), focus on a good at bat. These are more positive and are some examples of what a hitter should be saying or thinking prior to his/her at bat. Know and work from your strengths. If you like the ball low, work for the low pitch. Tell yourself if she throws it down you are going to drive the ball. Have a vision; see it happening before it happens. If she is a rise ball pitcher it shouldn’t matter, see yourself driving a pitch down in the zone and wait for it to happen. Give yourself a chance by staying positive, seeing it happen and then sticking with your plan. Stay away from the negative thoughts. We at Fastpitch World hope this will give you a little insight as to some of the things that it takes to become a great hitter. Discuss with your hitting instructor your strengths and weaknesses. Ask them why you’re doing what you are doing. All hitting instructors should be able to explain to you “why” you’re driving this pitch and not that pitch, why you're pulling off pitches, why you are early or late…etc. Ultimately, a smarter hitter is a better hitter. Knowing why gives you more confidence about the game….knowing more about hitting does the same for hitting. So please ask your coaches why and use all the tools listed above to propel your hitting to the next level.