Youth Baseball Digest: One Cause of Poor Hitting Performance that Often Goes Undetected

By Nick Dixon

Have you ever had a kid that had the perfect baseball swing but sometimes has difficulty hitting live pitching? In drills, the player simply kills the baseball. Every soft-toss rep is a line drive. Every front toss rep is a line drive with power. The player is perfect in every drill that your team but has difficulty hitting live pitching. The player often struggles to hit in games although he has one of the best swings on the team. What could cause a player to perform perfectly in practice but have a difficult time hitting the ball when a pitcher is pitching from regulation distances?

I am speaking from experience here. I once had a right handed player on my high school team that was absolutely a dream hitter in practice and a nightmare hitter in games and live inter-squad games. He would dominate every hitting station with his high velocity bat speed, precision bat control, and unbelievable ability to adjust to every pitch location with the perfect swing adaptation. However, when he faced live pitching he simply looked like "Ned in the First Grade". He would miss or be late on routine and average fastballs. He would be late or completely misjudge curve balls and when he should attack them.

I quickly realized that there was a problem and began to do some research. I soon found some definite performance tendencies. In day games, when he made contact, he almost always hit a ground ball to the second baseman. On ball he should pull, he nearly always got jammed. At night, he hit for 150 points less than in day games. With all these facts considered, we realized his cause for poor hitting. The cause was poor eye sight. We sent him to have his eyes checked. He had extremely poor vision in his dominate eye. He could perform well in our hitting stations and toss drills because they were all done at short distances. When the distance the pitch came from was increased, his ability to see and pick the ball up quickly was diminished. A new set of contact lens got him back on his "A" game. He quickly became as dominate in games as he was in drills.

So the moral of is that if you have a kid that is inconsistent from his hitting in practice to hitting in a game, make sure to have his vision checked. Poor eye sight may be the cause of his poor hitting performance.

I hope that you found this article to be informative and useful. I thank you for taking the time to read it. For more great articles on coaching baseball visit the Baseball Coaching Digest, Youth Baseball Digest, Little League Digest, and the Baseball Parent Guide. Good luck to you and your team. Have a great day, Nick

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest.com, the YouthBaseballDigest.com, the BaseballParentGuide.com, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

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Baseball Coaching Digest - The Top 10 Worst Youth Baseball Coaching Excuses of All Time

If you coach baseball, you are going to hear your share of excuses from other coaches. If you are like me and most coaches, you absolutely hate to hear anyone make an excuse for bad behavior or poor performance. But, it really make me furious when I hear a coach make an excuse. Coaches are in the job of teaching kids to be accountable and responsible. They should never try to justify a mistake or poor team performance by making an excuse.

Most coaches refuse to make excuses. They understand that behavior and actions have consequences. However, there is that small percentage of coaches that are always ready with a reason or excuse for poor team performance.

The Baseball 2Day Coaching Journal surveyed baseball coaches. One of the questions was "What was the worst excuse you ever heard from a coach?"

Here are the top 10 worst coaches excuses of all time:

#10..."I forgot how many outs there were. The umpire should have told me"

#9...."They are only kids... they don not know any better. They are not a very smart bunch."

#8...."You should give up your practice time because I scheduled a game on this field without consulting the field schedule because I helped found this league."

#7...."I Can not get my short stop to come to practice. He has not practiced in 2 weeks." (shortstop started the game and made several crucial errors)

#6...."That kid is not coachable. He knows it all at the age of 12." (When talking of a kid)

#5...."I was too busy talking to my wife to watch that play." (coach missed a great defensive play by his third baseman)

#4...."I was riding around town and I did not know what time it was." (assistant coach missed a scheduled practice)

#3...."I thought the game was canceled because of the rain." (Assistant coach arrived late for the game because he assumed that the game was rained out - it rained at his home, but not at the field.)

#2(tie)...."We do not play good in early games" (youth coach after losing a Saturday morning game)

#2(tie)...."We do not play good in late games" (youth coach after losing a Saturday late night game)

#1(tie)...."I was talking on my cell phone."(Coach of the batting team did not get into the third base coaching box until his team had two outs in the inning)

#1(tie)...."I was texting my wife" (Coach failed to shake hands with the opposing coaches after the game.)

I know that you feel like I do. I feel that many of these guys are wasting their time attempting to coach youth baseball. If their excuses are true indications of their level of commitment and dedication, they need do what is best for the team and resign.

Have a great day, Nick.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

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Little League Digest - 10 Base Running Tips For Little League Baseball Players

By Nick Dixon

There are several important coaching points that need to be remembered when teaching Little League players to run the bases correctly. This article presents 10 coaching points for little league baseball runners related to first baseball.



Coaching Points related to base running at 1st base:

1. The batter must sprint out of the batter's box and take a straight line path toward first base. The batter base runner must "honor" the base running box. The base running box allows the umpire to determine if a base runner is inside the base line. If a runner gets inside the foul line and a throw ball makes contact with the runner, the batter base runner is out. If a ball is a slow roller in the direction of first base, the batter base runner must avoid contact with the ball. Stepping on, contacting or touching the ball in fair territory will result in an out.
2. When a batter hits the ball his approach to first base is determined by the location of the hit ball as it travels into the field. If the ball is a fielded grounder, the base runner will run through the bag at 1st.
3. If the hit ball gets by the infielder, either as a hit or error, the batter base runner should do a "hook" path as he approaches first base to give him a straighter angle to advance to second base if the first base coach sends him.
4. The batter base runner should run hard through the bag when he is attempting to beat a throw to first. The runner should concentrate on running to a spot about 15 feet past the bag. When the runner touches the bag, the runner's foot should land on the front 1/3 of the bag.
5. The batter base runner should always look to the right when he crosses the bag on a close play. This look allows the batter base runner to see if the throw was missed by the first baseman.
6. If the base runner is sent to second, the runner should only contact the inner corner of the base as he makes the turn toward second base.
7. The runner should always run everything out as if the ball is fair. The runner should hustle and assume that all fly balls will be missed.
8. The runner must run out all foul balls because of the "roll back" rule. If a foul ball hits and kicks back into fair territory between home and 1st base or between home and 3rd base, the ball is fair. The ball will be fair as long as the ball does not contact a bat, fence, dugout, or fielder.
9. The batter base runner that sees an errant throw should not immediately advance to second. The runner must listen to his coach. The coach will make sure that the catcher is not trailing the play.
10. Older or advanced runners may be taught to read the firstbaseman's footwork to detect a possible catch ad tag play. If the throw from the fielder pulls the first baseman off the bag, the only possibility for getting the runner out is a tag. If the runner sees the first baseman coming off the bag toward him, he should slide to avoid the tag.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

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Baseball Swing Instruction - How Do You Practice Your Swing?

By Todd Thomas

I believe that how you practice is as important as the act of practicing itself. Good and productive practice is about more than just getting in your reps. If you're just practicing to mindlessly get your reps in, then you are missing out on how valuable practice can be.

Hank Aaron told noted Sports Psychologist, Dr. Tom Hanson, that practice was the single number one secret to success. Imagine that. Practice. But again, making your practice productive is equally important.

What important in making your practice productive is to have a goal for what you want to improve. If you are having an issue with something in your swing, my first question is do you KNOW what that issue is? How can you really improve or fix it if you don't know what it is? Have a knowledgable coach or instructor help you break it down to isolate what you want to work on. It's even better if you are able to identify the issue on your own through your own self awareness.

Once you begin the practice process of striving to improve or fix a fault in your swing, it's important to stay level headed if it's taking time or if you keep doing the same thing or if you are just struggling to get your swing where you want it to be. It does no good to get upset, frustrated, and angry and then give up. Stay level headed and as best you can, be "aware" of what is causing the problem. Be aware of whether what you are doing to improve is actually making you better.

Know where you are now. Know what your goal is and be aware of your progress. If you see improvement, then you know what you are doing is productive for you. If not, you might want to try something else rather than staying with something that is not helping you to improve.

Every time you are going to practice, ask yourself what you goal is for that practice session. If you don't and you just are "getting in your reps", then you're not giving yourself the best opportunity to reach you ultimate potential.

Todd Thomas is a Baseball Coach and Professional Hitting Instructor for Mike Epstein Hitting. Coach Todd's personal hitting website is http://www.HitItHere.net. Coach Todd also enthusiastically endorses http://PlayMyBestBaseball.com as a place where baseball and softball hitters can master the Confidence, Composure, Focus and Consistency of their game so they can reach their full potential.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Todd_Thomas

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Baseball Hitting Tips - The Top 11

Baseball Hitting Tips - The Top 11
By Guest Author Jeffery A Wise

How many articles have you read that contain the top 10 baseball hitting tips? There are actually dozens of hitting tips but I'm going to go over the top 11. It's time to rev things up and give you some high level tips that will help you immediately.

Baseball is a thinking man's game so you really need to read these tips and think about them before running out to the field and trying them out. You should also visualize yourself putting these tips to action and then you're ready to hit.

Be a confident hitter. Every time you go up to bat you should have the confidence that you can hit any ball in the strike zone. Be patient and always be ready to attack the ball.

Know your mission. Every time you go up to bat you need a mission. Is there a runner on third base that you need to get home? Is there a runner on second base with no one out that you need to get over to third? Be mentally prepared for your mission.

Know the strike zone. Be patient and disciplined and wait for a good pitch to hit in the strike zone. If you do that the pitchers will be less likely to throw you anything out of the strike zone that you might otherwise chase.

Have consistent hitting preparation. Whether you're on the bench waiting for your turn to hit or on deck, always have good mental preparation. Check the pitcher out and see how he pitches and look to see what kind of pitches he's throwing. Look at where all the fielders are positioned and understand the best you can the kind of calls the umpire is making.

Find a comfortable hitting stance. The key is to be as comfortable as possible in the batters box. Find foot positioning that is right for you. If you are uncomfortable in the box then it will mess with your head and your other mechanics will be off.

Strive for a consistent swing. Whether the ball is pitched outside or inside, be sure to keep the same smooth swing. You may need to adjust your timing or what part of the zone you swing at, but never change your swing.

Shake slumps quickly. Nobody likes to be in a hitting slump but even the pros have them every now and then. Avoid the mental slumps by never doubting yourself at the plate. If you're striking out a lot it's because you're swinging at bad pitches. Try and be more selective.

Hitting zones. Know the different types of hitting zones and master them, whether it's the back of the plate, middle of the plate or front half of the plate.

There's more to hitting than just home runs. Try to be a consistent hitter and hit to all fields. This will make the defense play you honestly. There are many other things to do in hitting than home runs. Hit and run, bunts, opposite field hitting and more.

The final two tips I have are to recognize each pitch that is thrown and remember that each spot in the lineup has a purpose, whether it's leadoff, cleanup or the number 9 spot.

Jeffery A Wise invites you to learn the proven system of baseball hitting tips so that you can learn how to hit a baseball better. Start learning today at http://www.baseballhittingtipsonline.com by reading our information and downloading our free report.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeffery_A_Wise

Batting Average - How to Increase It

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Batting Average - How to Increase It
By Bryan Ciconte

So you want to learn how to raise your batting average as a hitter. Well you came to the right article. I will keep it short, simple and to the point. I will cover a few tips and topics to raise your average 50-100 points.

Tip 1) Develop a game plan. So what do I mean by developing a game plan. I want you to develop an approach that you use every single time you step up to the plate. A good approach would consist of understanding how to count hit. By count hitting you will be able to anticipate what type of pitch you may see roughly 80% of the time.

Advantage Counts: 0-0, 1-0, 2-0, 3-1, 3-0
Approach: In these counts your goal is simple, look for something you can hit hard. If the pitcher throws you a pitch in an area that is not in your hot zone, don't swing. Do not swing at off-speed pitches during these counts, look for fastballs. Reality is if the pitcher throws an off-speed pitch during these counts more often than not it's going to be a ball and put you in a greater advantage. Of course there are exceptions. The only time you may want to swing at an off-speed pitch during this count is if relates to one of your strengths or the pattern percentages anticipate one.

Neutral Counts: 1-1, 2-1, 3-2
Approach 1: In these counts neither the hitter nor pitcher has an advantage. As I talked about earlier this is where having a good game plan is going to pay off. In these counts you should be able to anticipate what you may see. So trust your percentages and instinct in these counts.

Approach 2: If you are comfortable in hitting with 2 strikes you can treat these counts as an advantage count, hitting to your strengths. Both approaches are great, but which one you choose is your personal preference.

Defensive Counts: 0-1, 0-2, 1-2, 2-2
Approach: This is where you need to develop your 2 strike approach. In these counts the pitcher has you at his mercy leaving you with about a 20% chance of getting a hit. Your goal here is to battle at the plate by putting the ball in play or working the count neutral. A good mental approach for hitting with 2 strikes is thinking about hitting a pitch which speed is between the pitchers fastball and off-speed stuff. By doing so, your reactions will take over and adjust to the movement or lack of movement of the pitch. A good physical approach would consist of shortening your swing or choking-up on the bat.

These are just a few ideas on how to hit in an advantage, neutral, or defensive count. Throughout your career as a hitter you may find something else that works for you.

Tip 2) If your a good bunter and have speed utilze it, By either showing bunt or by bunting, more often than not you will put the 3rd of 1st basemen in a position that will create more holes in the infield creating a better chance for getting a hit.

Tip 3) Hit to your strengths not your weaknesses. Understand that by doing so you will enable yourself to be more confident at the plate and be more aggressive. Leave your weaknesses at practice.

I hope the few tips helped improve your game!

Thanks and good luck Bryan @ [http://www.hittingmadesimple.com Hitting Made Simple]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bryan_Ciconte

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The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!

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How to Create Consistent Hitting Mechanics

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Article Title: How to Create Consistent Hitting Mechanics
By Nate Barnett

I'm sure you know from experience that hitting a baseball consistently for any length of time is one of the most difficult and frustrating things to do in sports. There are two areas of your overall baseball preparation you'll need to develop on a regular basis if you want the most consistency possible as a competitive athlete - the mental game of baseball, and proper hitting mechanics. If you're interesting in learning more about baseball psychology there are quite a few resources online as well as my blog. This article is reserved for teaching a little on the topic of hitting mechanics.

I get the chance to work with dozens and dozens of athletes individually each year. It's truly a rewarding experience much of the time, though at times it can be extremely frustrating to see such talented athletes fail to put in the necessary work to achieve some consistency in their swing. I never have a tough time getting the athletes to work hard when I work with them in the cage. It's when athletes have to motivate themselves to work outside of their practice days when their work habit breaks down.

In order to become a highly consistent and effective hitter, I prescribe the following "medicinal procedure" to be used away from practice:

1. Dry Drills: These are hitting mechanics related drills that are meant to reinforce muscle memory. It is impossible to only put in two to three days on a specific hitting technique and make it stick long-term. The problem you'll run into is that during a game your focus will be placed on the pitcher and not your mechanics. If you have failed to put in the necessary time to build quality muscle memory, you'll revert back to the problems you were initially trying to fix.

2. Mental Rehearsal: The mind is a powerful tool for good or evil. When you use your mind for positive imagery or visualization you will increase your effectiveness as a hitter. If your mind pollutes your body with thoughts of failure, your body will respond in a negative way. Lack of confidence and fear can destroy a good hitter. To make sure you are conditioning your brain in the right way, it's highly important that you replay mental video clips of yourself succeeding offensively. This is easy to do, many of you do it all day long in other areas. Sometimes your mind wanders in church or school and you lose focus as to what is occurring around you. If you can slip into this mode and daydream about your performances, you can truly become a master of the mental game of baseball.

Nate Barnett is owner of BMI Baseball. His website is devoted to teaching the mental game of baseball and hitting mechanics. After finishing a professional career in the Seattle Mariners Organization, Nate pursued his coaching and motivational training career.

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Baseball Tips - The Lost Art of Switch Hitting

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Baseball Tips - The Lost Art of Switch Hitting
By Tom Read

My son, who is in high school, recently attended a baseball showcase with four hundred other invited players. To stand out in this large crowd, you had to put up some great stats. My son was performing well, in the upper ten or fifteen percent of each category, but he was not turning heads. The last baseball drill was hitting.

Each player got ten swings from the pitching machine. My son did good from the right side of the plate. Then the professional scout who was running the showcase told him, "OK, switch to the left side". All the college recruiters and pro scouts standing behind home plate looked up and took notice. They grabbed their pens and started making notes. This was what turned heads for my son. He was the only switch hitter out of four hundred invitees.

Switch hitting is such a valuable tool; almost everyone will agree. Yet there are very few switch hitters because it takes a lot of work and time. Most hitters feel they need to work on their natural swing, not start something new from the other side of the plate. They might switch over and try a few swings, but they feel awkward, and seldom have success at the start. No need to waste anymore time tiring this they think.

A few college and minor league players suddenly realize what an advantage there is in switch hitting. They give it a shot, trying to save or jump start their careers. If you are a right handed hitter and move to the left side, you are automatically two steps closer to first base. And if you have ever been at bat and seen a nasty curve ball coming in, you know you would be better off on the other side of the plate. Those are the two main advantages, and I mean big advantages, of switch hitting.

Mickey Mantle is the greatest switch hitter to have ever played the game. His dad taught him to switch hit at a young age. The Mick did not want to do it. He tried to talk his dad into just letting him hit from the right side, but his dad would not give in. In his major league career, Mickey had 164 home runs from the right side, and thanks to his dad, 372 from the left side.

Obviously, starting to switch hit at a young age is the best time. But like those college and minor league players, it is never to late to start. And it will help you turn heads.

If you want more tips on how to turn heads, please visit this site http://baseballtip.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Read

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The Categories they have are: BatAction Hitting Machines, Hurricane Hitting Machines, Batting Cages, Pitching Machines, Jugs Equipment, Game and Practice Baseballs, Protective Practice Screens and Nets, Portable Pitching Mounds, Baseball DVDs & Books, Clearance Items on Sales, NEDCO Bataction Replacement Parts, Baseball Training Equipment, Youth Baseball Training Equipment, Training Bats, Pitching & Throwing Trainers, Defensive Trainers, SKLZ Hurricane Replacement Parts and Much Much More! Visit Baseball2U.com today!



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Youth Baseball Digest - Batting Order Basics For Little League Baseball

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By Nick Dixon

Little league and youth baseball coaches must know how to make out a batting order. They must know the roles and responsibilities of each batter in the line-up. They must know what are the physical requirements and hitting skills needed to perform the task associated with each spot in a team batting line-up. This article discusses the roles and duties of each player in a baseball batting order.

A straight batting order is the most popular and commonly used. There is one #1 batter, one #2 batter, one #3 batter, and the order goes on down the order to the nine spot. The various jobs and responsibilities of each spot are as follows:

#1 Batter- Called the lead-off batter, the first batter must get on base a lot. He should be a good contact hitter with good speed and base running skills. He must be a patience hitter at the plate that has the capability to take a lot of pitches. He is a good two strike batter that can go deep in the count and still swing the bat with confidence. He must have a good eye for balls and strikes. He must know that getting on with a base on balls is as good as a hit when you are the #1 batter in the order. The #1 hitter should not strike out a lot. The #1 hitter is a plate setter for the #3 and #4 hitters.

#2 Batter-The #2 batter should have the highest on-base-average on the team. He must also have the capability to go deep in the count and still hit with confidence, the #2 batter must take pitches to allow the lead-off batter base runner to steal second base. He must be a good bunter and a good bat handler capable of executing the hit and run play. His biggest responsibilities in order are is to move the runner on first to second with by getting on base safely, moving the runner to second or third base with a ball hit to the right side of the diamond, or to sacrifice bunt the runner to second base. The #2 hitter should not strike out a lot. The #2 hitter is also a plate setter for the #3 and #4 hitters.

#3 Batter-The best hitter on the team always hits in this spot. He must be a contact hitter. He should be the best power hitter on the team with the highest number of extra base hits. He should have one of the highest batting averages on the team. He should also be a capable base runner. The number #3 batter should have average speed. Putting a slow base runner in the #3 spot can cause a "log jam" on the bases. The #3 should continue to set the plate for the #4 cleanup batter.

#4 Batter- The #4 spot is known as the cleanup spot. The most powerful batter on the team should bat in this spot. His job is to "clean the plate" set for him by the batters before him. He should be an aggressive batter that has the best bat speed and power on the team.

#5 Batter-The five spot is always considered a spot for a power hitter. He should be the second most powerful batter on the team behind the #4 batter. His foot speed is not considered a major issue. His is there because he swings a powerful bat.

#6 Batter- The 6th spot in the order is often used for a lead-off player type batter. The 6 hitter should have a lead-off batter approach at the plate and good speed on the bases.

#7 Batter-The seven spot is the "left-over" spot. It is often used for an average player that is in the lineup because of pitching or defensive duties.

#8 Batter-In most cases, the #8 hitter should be a player that loves to hit the fast ball. The theory is that the 8 hitter will often be overlooked with the #9 hitter on deck. Also, it is thought that many teams will show little respect for the bottom three batters in the order and feed them a lot of fast balls. The number 8 hitter is normally a player that is in the lineup on a regular basis.

#9 Batter-The #9 spot is considered by many coaches as the 2nd lead-off batter. The 9th spot in the order is often used for the next best lead-off player behind your #1 hitter. The 9th hitter should have great base running skills and above average speed.

Coaching Point: Every batter that is the lead-off batter, starting an inning, should know the duty of a lead-off batter. The duty of the first batter in the inning is to get on base and to start a "rally". The lead-off batter that gets on base, to start the inning, score the majority of the time.

I hope that you found this article to be useful and informative. Good luck to you and your team this year. Have a great day, Nick.

The CoachesBest Baseball Store has a great selection of 1400 Baseball Products. Check out the BatAction Hitting Machine baseball pitching simulator. This high speed training machine is 100% Guaranteed to raise Batting Averages and has a full year warranty.

Nick Dixon is the President and founder of Nedco Sports, a sports training company established in 1999. Dixon is also an active and full time high school baseball coach with over 25 years experience. Coach Dixon is better known as the inventor of the BatAction Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Derek Jeter Hurricane Hitting Machine, the SKLZ Target Trainer, the SKLZ Derek Jeter ZipnHit Pro, and the SKLZ Strikeback Trainer. Dixon is also a contributing writer for BaseballCoachingDigest, the Youth Baseball Digest, the Baseball Parent Guide, the Baseball 2Day Coaches Journal, and Blog4Coaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Dixon

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Youth Baseball Digest: How to Prevent Hitters From Popping Out

By Jack Perconte

There is only one way for hitters to pop a ball up and that is to hit the bottom of the pitched ball. The good news is that the hitter made contact but the bad news is that pop-ups are caught at least 90% of the time. Having said this obvious point, there are two causes for why players hit the bottom of the ball. The most common cause for the bat barrel going under the ball is commonly known as "dropping the shoulder." In actuality, with the correct baseball swing hitter's back shoulder will drop below the front shoulder in order to arrive at the correct palm-up, palm-down hands position. What causes the bat barrel to drop under the ball creating a popped up ball is an exaggerated drop of this shoulder due to a "collapsing" rear hip and leg.

To prevent hitters from popping out, they need to improve their weight shift into the ball. This action will prevent the hip and back leg from collapsing which will allow hitters' hips to remain level and allow them to square the baseball up more consistently.

Following are baseball hitting drills to prevent hitters from popping out - these should be done in sequence for best results, but repeatedly doing any of these drills should solve the problem.

Hitting Drill # 1 - Have hitters set their feet together without any knee bend and take swings at different pitches, from high to low. Hitters can turn their hips with this drill but will not be able to rotate their legs as with a normal swing. This drill will take the power out of their swing but will help hitters get the idea of staying tall when hitting and not collapsing. Players with good swings will still hit line drives, even on knee high pitches.

Hitting Drill # 2 - From there regular stance, have hitters swing and pick up their back leg as they swing. This will force a 100% weight transfer and force hitters to firm their front side while staying tall. The rear hip cannot collapse with this drill, which is the root of the problem.

Hitting Drill # 3 - From regular stance, set a batting tee even with hitters' rear hip and at hip high level. Hitters should practice coming over and missing this tee when swinging to any pitch level.

Hitting Drill # 4 - Set a batting tee in the hitting zone at letter high and have hitters hit balls at this level until they can hit consistent line drives. Players who drop their back side will have trouble hitting anything but pop -ups at this height.

The other less common way hitters pop balls up is by rolling their wrists at contact. This early roll causes the bat barrel to go down, resulting in a pop up. Often, this incorrect swing is only noticed by an experienced hitting coach and can be corrected with hip opening and lead arm extension drills like the following:

Hitting Drill # 5 - Have hitters choke way up on their bat and take some swings with their lead arm only. Their goal is to extend their arm and bat towards the pitcher, keeping their shoulder in and leading to a high, correct finish.

Hitting Drill # 6 - Set a ball on a tee in front of home plate and another ball on a second tee about a foot in front of that one towards the pitcher. Hitters stand in normal position and take swings with the intention of hitting through both balls. This drill forces hitters to open their hips and extend their arms without an early wrist roll. Hitting both balls solidly is the objective. A sign of an early wrist roll would be missing or continually grounding the second ball to the pull side of home plate.

It is important to understand that many young players drop their hands before swinging which can put them on the underside of the ball before they even swing. It is important that hitter--s break that habit in order to prevent hitters from popping out. Previous drill #3 will also help hitters break that habit.

Hitters with normally good fundamentals but in a "pop-up" slump may solve the problem with a couple of slight adjustments to their initial hitting position. Hitters can raise their hands slightly in their set-up and/or stand taller with less knee bend in their batting stance. These slight adjustments can cause hitters to hit a little higher up on the ball, preventing the popped up balls.

Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball hitting lessons advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball
Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his parenting blog can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Perconte


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Advanced Skills Tee
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Hands Back Hitter
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