As the baseball playoffs begin, it is a great time to watch and see what the best hitters in the game do. You will not be able to see the preparation they do before the game and in the clubhouse, but you will see each at-bat. The best hitters know the type of hitters they are. They know which pitches they handle best, study pitcher’s tendencies, and wait for their pitch. They go up to the plate with a plan and execute it.

Now there’s a difference between the best hitters in the game and the best “clutch” hitters in the game. Not every great hitter performs at his best during the playoffs. The playoffs bring an intensity that is hard to define unless you’ve been through it. It is the hitters that “stay within themselves” the best that perform the best. In simpler terms, you can’t hit a grand slam with no one on base. The hitters that tend to try and do this end up getting themselves out more than not.

Too often I see young hitters in great hitting counts swing at pitches they can’t handle. Just because the count is 3-1 doesn’t mean you have to swing at the pitch. It’s all about consistency, pitch selection, a plan, and putting together great at-bats.

Take the time to figure out which pitches you hit the hardest, whether it’s up, down, in, out, fast or slow. It’s at that point that you can figure out a plan. When you are ahead in the count, look for those pitches. Great hitters rarely swing at bad pitches before they have two strikes on them.

So here’s a plan of action to generate great at-bats:

   1. Know which pitches you hit the hardest
   2. When ahead in the count, look for those pitches only up to two strikes
   3. See the ball

Your thought process is only is as good as the effort you put into it. Batting practice is the time we learn the strike zone. We also learn what pitches we hit the best. Take the time to swing at strikes during batting practice. Understand the type of hitter you are and take that approach up to the plate every time. This will help you put together great at-bats consistently.

Without getting into another blog, I noticed two things worth mentioning in the Dodgers’ dismantling of our hometown Cubs. The first was Manny Ramirez and his at-bat routine. Notice the two taps on the plate as he steps in the box? That is his way of focusing. A routine he follows every pitch. Lots of players do it, and they are all different. Some step out and adjust their gloves. Some dig in a certain way. Some grab their bat. The point is, they have a routine and they follow it. Routines are a great way to focus your energy and zone everything out but the task at hand.

The second thing I noticed was Jonathan Broxton’s pitching routine. As he was coming set, he would take a big breath. This was obviously his way of relaxing and focusing his energy (right before he threw his 99mph fastball). To play at your highest level, you must be relaxed to allow your body to perform at its best.

Two great examples of routines and how they can impact your performance. Wish the Cubbies had a few routines worth mentioning!

That’s it for now. Remember… know yourself, stay within yourself, relax, see the ball, breathe, have a routine.