A good hitter has to be able to deal with the ups and downs of the game. Most kids see the MLB players they look up to on TV and recognize that the best ballplayers in the world only hit the ball successfully on three out of every 10 at-bats. They get that conceptually. But they often forget that fact when they experience it firsthand.
It's easy for a young athlete to start getting down on himself when he's failing on seven of 10 attempts. Soon, the player is going up to the plate thinking more about what they don't want to do (here's their internal monologue: "Don't strike out. Don't strike out. Don't…") rather than what they do want to do.
So what's the solution? Give the athlete the tools they need to win at the plate mentally, then work on the physical stuff.
"I always tell young hitters that the key to gaining confidence is awareness and learning positive self-talk," Beck says. "When they step into the box, they let go of thinking about their batting average. Their mind should be on one thing only: "Hit the ball hard somewhere."
Beck points out two ways a coach can help a young athlete prepare for this mental side of the game.
The next step in teaching a young athlete how to hit requires you to shift your mindset a bit. It's going to sound weird, but stick with us here: To teach a young player proper baseball hitting mechanics, you don't actually want to think about mechanics. Instead, you want to think about "movements and feel."
"The word mechanics implies that 'X' part of your body MUST BE HERE, or some other body part MUST BE THERE," Beck says. "Efficient body movements that begin from the ground up (legs and core), on the other hand, allow a hitter to remain athletic and react to different pitch locations and speeds. They can see the ball well and be successful as a result of efficient movements."
There are certain elements of hitting, such as the athlete's stance, that are purely up to them. Whether or not they prefer a wide stance or a narrow stance is their choice. But what's consistent across all batters, Beck says, are movements that allow a hitter to get into a strong hitting position, especially the "Load-to-Launch" phase of the six step hitting progression program Beck uses to teach hitters to be athletic at the plate. Those six steps are:
1. The Setup – The setup is a pre-pitch routine that you perform consistently the same way every time you come to the plate. "I like my players to do something before each pitch to get themselves mentally back in tune, like stepping out of the box, taking a practice swing, taking a deep breath, whatever," Beck says. "It may seem silly, but it comes in handy when a player hits a ball poorly or swings ugly. Having a consistent routine is like hitting the 'reset' button, and keeps the mind nice and clear."
2. Load – "Loading is the process of gathering energy," Beck says. "At this point, you're getting down into your legs and core by using the biggest and strongest muscles of your body. When a hitter gets down into their legs, their shoulders and head can't rise, meaning you're less likely to "pull" off the ball or take your eyes off the ball due to excessive head movement. Getting both heels connected to the ground prior to launch is the key." You want to teach an athlete to load their legs on every pitch. Watch MLB players and you'll see they do this on every pitch at every at bat. Their legs load so they have all of their power ready to swings should they want to do it.
3. Launch – The pitch is on the way and you like it. You're going to take a swing at it. What's next? The stride toward the ball. "As you stride, you are down into your legs and ready to deliver a controlled and powerful swing. The rotation of your hips is sending power to your shoulders and hands."
4. Contact – The point where you hit the ball is going to vary depending on pitch location and pitch speed. "Of course, you're always trying to hit the ball on the sweet spot of the bat. The trouble is that's hard to do," Beck says with a smile. "The trick is to get the barrel of the bat on the same path as the pitch early. The trick to that is to see the release point of the ball." All that visualizing the athlete has been doing at the batting cage should be helpful here.
5. Extension – Just like a track coach teaches his athletes to run through the finish line (rather than stop at it), you want to teach your athletes to drive through the ball when you make contact. "Hitters who don't extend roll over a lot," Beck says. "They wind up losing momentum, hitting the ball off-course, or missing entirely."
6. Finish – The athlete's goal at the end of the swing is to make a full 180-degree turn. "On a hitter who has an effective finish, you can see the name and number on the back of their jersey in the opposite batter's box," Beck says. "People think the batter's belly button should be pointing at the pitcher when they're done swinging, but really, it should be pointing at the third base dugout. We call that 'swinging from "A to Z" rather than just swinging from "A to P.'"
One final note: Work each of these drills in the cage enough, but not too much. That means about five to seven reps at a time, whether it be off the tee, front toss, or live batting practice. Between each round, have the athlete work on their setup, and remind them to visualize the release. As with all things, sound practice habits increase the chances performing at top levels.