(#37)
Over many years, here’s what our Hitter’s Game Plan developed into.
2 approaches and 2 actions.
This is the recurring theme: “Hitting is timing and timing means getting the barrel of the bat in the right place at the right time.“
“Repetition of the same physical action develops into a habit which, repeated frequently enough, becomes an automatic response.” It is a must that the actions you are repeating much be the right actions and performed efficiently.
2 APPROACHES FOR THE HITTER:
The hitter is either ahead or behind on the count. Ahead is selective counts. Behind is protective counts.
APPROACH #1
Ahead on the count (you are always ahead until two strikes).
Selective counts (67% of counts): (0-0, 0-1, 1-0, 1-1, 2-0, 2-1, 3-0, 3-1)
The goals: Looking for one good pitch to hit hard; anticipation, patience, strike zone discipline, pitch selection, and timing in an attempt to consistently get the barrel of the bat in the right place at the right time.
The primary approach is to “hunt a fastball” when ahead on the count and when you get it, to attack it with the barrel. You have set the timing for the fastball, depending on the velocity which you can see on the every scoreboard at every game. You know what’s coming, you get in gear with that velocity and you know where where you are expecting it to show up. If you get it, don’t miss it and don’t take it. If another pitch is thrown, use the big muscles of the legs and put the brakes on and “take” the pitch. When ahead, you hit only what you’re looking for and take everything else. You are not hitting that are too high, too low, too much in or too much out…. tough pitches to get a barrel on; pitcher’s pitches. If you are hunting fastballs, you don’t swing at anything but fastballs when ahead.
The hitter controls what he swings at, not the pitcher and not the umpire.
You only hit what you’re looking for; a specific pitch and in a specific location; middle-in, middle-away, as examples. Know where the ball is going to show up and meet it there. If you look for a pitch over the big part of the plate from mid-thighs to just above the belly button, you’ll be surprised how often it shows up there.
The Rules: When Ahead
1. Decide what pitch you want to hit. You want to hit fastballs every chance you get. It’s the number one pitch in the arsenal for most pitchers. It’s the pitch they throw the most. It’s the pitch you practice hitting the most. It’s the pitcher’s go-to pitch, especially if it’s a high velocity fastball and they like to use it when trying to get ahead or when behind. If you get it, don’t miss it and don’t take it. Use your timing mechanism to get in gear with the anticipated velocity… 95, 90, 85 or on some days even less. Those 78 mph’ers can still cause some 0 for 4’s because you don’t gear down enough to take it away from him. You can’t time them all the same way. Start sooner, start later. Keep evaluating and adjusting. But if you get it, focus on the point of a violent collision between the barrel and the ball; not the handle. Not the capper.
1-0, 2-1, 3-0, 3-1 are always fastball counts; dead-red counts. (33% of counts). This is just playing the numbers and to keep you from getting into a guessing game.
You can sit on breaking ball or other off-speed on 0-0, 0-1, 1-1, and 2-0 counts when the situation or scouting report (or data or AI) dictates and even occasionally on the “dead red” counts. If you don’t get what you’re looking for, put the breaks and take the pitch. Again, do not swing at pitches you are not looking for before two strikes. Sit on one and take the other or vice versa. Know what you’re hunting and know where it’s going to show up. Both are vital.
You cannot just passively stand in the box and swing at whatever the pitcher throws or whatever he wants you to hit. When you are ahead, you dictate what you will swing at; always. The pitcher or the umpire plays no role here.
The physical action on ever pitch is “hit, hit, hit, take” or “yes-no” or “start-stop.“
2. Know where the ball is going to show up and get in gear with it (time it) like the pitch you’re looking for and expect it to be that pitch in that location. If you look for that pitch to be right down the middle at the belt, you’ll be surprised how often it shows up there. You could also look for a pitch middle-in or middle-away.
3. Expect the pitch to show up in that spot. You’ll be surprised how often it will. No pitcher is perfect. Set your timing and start your hands inside that location. You can check off and take the pitch if it’s not there. If you don’t get what your looking for, take the pitch.
4. Set the timing…early or late, and start the hands (swing) to that spot inside the flight of where you expect it to be, leading with the front elbow and knob of the bat. Adjust the hands a little-in or a little-out, a little-up or a little down. Be aggressive on fastball strikes; don’t miss and don’t take it. It must be something you can get a barrel on. That’s your only goal in every pitch of the at bat; ahead or behind.
5. If the ball shows up there, attack it. If not, take it. “Yes-no.” “Hit-take.” “Start-stop.” Start the approach on every pitch.
6. Take balls, take pitches you are not looking for, and take pitches in tough locations (pitcher’s pitches)… when ahead.
7. If the pitcher is pitching you in a certain way (example- fastballs in, breaking balls away, etc.), sit on them, anticipate where it will show up and what is going to do and cheat to that location… when ahead.
APPROACH #2
Behind on the count (all two strike counts).
Protective counts (33% of counts). (0-2, 1-2, 2-2, 3-2; yes, treat a 3-2 like you are behind… because you have two strikes.)
The goal: Every hitter must have an effective two-strike mode. There is no fear of the two-strike count. Fight off tough pitches and get another pitch to handle. Get the ball in play. Avoid the strikeout, looking or swinging. Compete on each pitch. Win the battle.
The pitcher and the umpire control what you must swing at. Hit what you have to hit or fight it off. Never trust the umpire to call every two strike pitch correctly. If he misses before two strikes, you just evaluate and adjust and go to the next pitch.
The Rules:
1. Set the timing to load later, look middle-away and hit the ball up the middle or away.
2. Look for the fastball first and adjust to the slower stuff pitch.
3. Expand the strike zone…higher, lower, wider. Let the ball get deeper, take balls that are clearly balls and fight off the close ones or tough ones, inside and outside.
4. Use the three-finger choke, shorten the stroke for more bat control and timing; finish the swing below the front shoulder; the long swing is not needed here. Keep the hands inside the flight of the ball and lay the barrel on and through the ball… return the serve. The shorter stroke with two strikes improves timing.
Look middle-away and go middle-away. The line drive into left field with two strikes is a work of art for a left-handed hitter as is the line drive down the right field line by the right-handed hitter.
Don’t waste an valuable at bat with the strikeout. Do not get “rung up” on anything close or because you are guessing (wrong) with two strikes. Do everything you can to make them catch the ball for 27 (or 21) outs. Balls put in play find holes, gaps, and fences.
2 ACTIONS FOR THE HITTER:
ACTION #1
LOAD and STRIDE: Load to get back, then stride, while reading the pitch and reacting to what you see. Expecting a strike in a particular area of the zone will make it easier on you. “Get back to go forward.”
The load sets the timing according to:
1. The type and speed of the pitch.
95 mph fastball, 85 mph fastball, 75 mph fastball, breaking balls, or other off-speed pitches.
2. The ball/strike count.
Ahead on the count (before two strikes)
Behind on the count. all two-strike counts)
3. The game situation.
On the hit and run; runner at 2nd, no outs; runner at 3rd, less than two outs go into two strike mode for the entire at bat to make sure the ball gets in play and the runners get moved. PS- you can also use the two strike mode with that 78 fastball guy, the guy who throwing breaking balls more than fastballs and ever with the guy throwing gas that you’re having trouble catching up with it. Shorter is better. And the aluminum bat is your friend. You don’t have to over-power the over-powering pitcher.
Early timing – Get back early – Pull the ball with authority if the pitch is middle-in. (Ahead of the count, looking middle-in, good fastball if you’re late.
Late timing- Get back late – Drive the ball up the middle or away. (All two-strike counts, looking middle-away, sitting on breaking ball or other off-speed pitch, situational hitting, average fastball, if you’re having trouble staying back.
ACTION #2
READ and REACT:
The stride follows the load and occurs during the read. Stride to hit.
Short stride with the weight riding the back hip and comes forward with the swing. Keep the eyes (head) back; lock-in on the point of contact throughout the swing.
Read the release and flight of the ball and react “yes” or “no.” Yes means attack. No means take.
When ahead on the count (before two strikes)
“Yes” means it’s the pitch/location you’re looking for… attack it!
“No” means it’s not. Take it.
When behind on the count (all two-strikes)
“Yes” means the pitch will be called a strike. Put the ball in play or fight it off.
“No” means it’s a ball. Take the pitch, but don’t be two trusting to the guy in blue. The shorter stroke will help here.
It’s a reaction, not a conscious thought or decision. There is no time for this. React to what you’re seeing.
You must expect each pitch to be a “yes” in order to be in time with it. You can change from “yes” to “no,” but you can’t change from “no” to a “yes” and hit the ball with authority.
After each pitch, evaluate and adjust on the pitch selection, location, approach, and timing. Reset to default and repeat.
Load and stride. Read and react. Evaluate and adjust. Reset to default. Repeat.
A wide supportive base. Equilateral triangle. The width of the feet is the length of the inseam. All three sides the same length. Square stance, not open or closed. The width of the stance calls for the stride to be up and down with the weight staying back and then moving forward with the swing. That stride is pretty much up and down; on the circular poly spot. Pull, pop, flip. Follow-through below the front shoulder. Don’t let the follow through be too long…. the ball is already gone. Short follow-through and sprint. John Scollinas, Cal Poly – follow through with one hand, two hands, long follow through or short…. f it, the ball is gone.
Hands back up and in. In the lag position.
We really want to square up the ball and let it go where it wants to.
Tennis return serve.
Adjust in and off the plate… if you are getting jammed or when looking away or needing to go away.
Stance- crotch lined up to point where plate angles. Distance off the plate- reach where the barrel is is knee high on the outside corner.
Keep the eyes locked in on the point of contact.
Zero fear of striking out.
The barrel is club. The emphasis is a controlled violent collision with the barrel and ball in the right place at the right time.
There must a timing mechanism to help you get in gear with with the 95 and gear down to the 90 or 85 and more times than you think…. the 78. A timing mechanism when sitting on a breaking ball or slider.
Every player must commit to an efficient and effective two strike mode. Look middle-away, go middle-away. FB first and adjust down. The emphasis is to be quick and on time to what you see. No big helicopter swings. No pull craziness. Go the other way. Use the allies. What would you BA be if you stayed in the gaps and middle. Use two strike mode on pitchers, fast or slow, that you are having trouble catching up with, on H & R, 2nd, nobody out,, 3rd, less than two outs. Know when you have to make contact to pick up the RBI.
Get a plan before you step in and then go into a thinkless buzz. See the ball and react. See the release. Recognize the pitch. Know where it’s going to show up.
Play pepper, return the serve, pop the barrell, stick the bat out if you have to. Make contact. Eliminate the k’s Do not guess off speed with 2 strikes. See it and flick it.
Rick Clarke's Diary of a Mad Baseball Coach 