So we’ve made it through the long winter, the cold spring, the nice weather and finally…the dog days are upon us. By now you have undoubtedly gone through the many phases of baseball-the highs, the lows and the in-betweens. The at-bats are piling up and you are getting a good indication of how your season will end up. It is my wish that all are having a great season.

One of the best aspects of a good hitting coach is he can pick out little things to keep you running smoothly. I know it is not possible to see everyone every week. But my experience has led me to this… even the best hitters go in slumps and sometimes they can be avoided. A slight mechanical error can lead to a swing change because you’re not hitting the ball. Next thing you know, you make the change and you’re still not hitting and you make another change. You look up and your swing is not even close to what it was in the spring when life was good. We went through how to get out of a slump earlier, but now your swing has totally changed and getting out is more than just in your mind, it’s physical as well. Time to get back to basics.

The swing is dynamic. Subtle adjustments are made all the time. I’m not talking about those. Those are fine. Good hitters make those adjustments (or should) everyday depending on how they feel, who’s throwing, game conditions, etc. So here is my tip for the month (since I haven’t written in a couple weeks), get back to basics.

Your approach sets the tone for the whole swing. A poor approach can lead to a bunch of different problems. So let’s make sure when we stride at the pitch, our feet remain parallel, stride is toward the pitcher, shoulder and hip are closed and we are balanced with our hands in a good, strong position. Of all the faults I see with young hitters, this is in the top 5. In order to be a good, consistent hitter, you must put your body into a position to be successful, every time.

When the front foot opens up on impact, whether stepping in the bucket or pointing the toe toward the pitcher, it sets off a chain reaction that robs your swing of power. The first thing that happens is the front hip wants to open as well. When the front hip opens, the front shoulder says, “Well, if he’s going, I’m going.” Next thing you know your hips and shoulders are having a party and they didn’t invite the arms, they left them behind. That’s all you have left now. So that’s how you swing, all arms, no power.

Your approach to the ball is something you can control. It takes practice, but you can control it. One of my main focuses in teaching is being able to control the things you can control. Sometimes you can’t control how you swing. Sometimes you can’t control how you throw. Sometimes you can’t control how you go after a ball. Those are all reactions. Your approach to the pitch is an action, not a reaction because it happens before the pitch is thrown. Practice it. Get good at it. Get it consistent. A solid, consistent approach will allow your body to take more consistent swings. More consistent swings mean more solid contact. More solid contact means more hits and more avoidance of the “S” word.