Hitting Slumps - Pitch Selection

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We talked the other day about timing. If your timing is off in your approach, your consistent hard contact will suffer. Coaches will say a lot of things to help hitters get out of slumps. “Swing at the first pitch,” “Don’t let yourself get to two strikes,” “Be aggressive,” “Take until you get a strike, see some pitches.” What does all this stuff mean to a hitter? The bottom line, your hitter may be swinging at bad pitches or letting good pitches go by. Once you get into your season and you feel your timing is good, pitch selection is the now the key.

Understand yourself as a hitter. What pitches do I hit best? Is it the pitch up, down, in, away? Do not rely on your coach to say what pitch you can hit best. Batting practice and/or game swings will dictate to yourself what pitches you hit best. Remember what types of pitches you hit well. Look for those pitches when you are at bat. Many times, hitters will swing at bad pitches or let good pitches go by and end up getting themselves out.

Corrective Action:
Be ready to swing on every pitch. Expect the pitch in “your” hitting zone every time. You are swinging until the pitch isn’t where you want it, then you take the pitch, up until two strikes when you have to expand your zone to cover the plate.

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