Basic Rules of Hitting for a Young Player

by Bob Boutin director of Frozen Ropes in Plymouth MA

If you are trying to develop as a young hitter, it’s good to remember a few basic rules. First, start with a comfortable, balanced athletic stance. Feet should be a little wider than shoulder width apart and the knees bent so as to bring your weight to the balls of your feet. Don’t bend over at the waist much, as this will place your head and eyes at an awkward angle making it more difficult to see the ball.

Elbows should be pointing down, but not locked against your body. Make sure your front shoulder is not turned in too much. Keeping your bat at a 45 degree angle will help prevent that problem. To complete your stance, keep your hands within 4" to 6" (inches) of your back shoulder and your head at a natural angle so that your eyes are level

By obeying the first rule you’ll have your body in a workable position to obey the second rule which is striding correctly. Timing is everything here! If you stride correctly with your front foot (2" to 6") and either bring your hands back a little or just leave them where they started, you have a good chance to take a good swing. But, you must take this stride right before the ball has left the pitcher’s hand. If you stride after his release, you don’t have time to stride and then swing, so you end up trying to stride and swing at the same time, which is not a prescription for success.

We’ll talk more about the path of the swing in future issues, so for now remember these two last rules. One, try to hit the ball on a line from left-center to right-center. This will force you to wait for the ball and prevent lunging with your stride. It will also help you to not wrap around the ball by using pre-extended arms and will help you defeat the habit of trying to pull every pitch.

Finally remember the Golden Rule. See The Ball. Try to watch the ball hit the bat. Think of your head as the steering wheel for your bat. If your head moves too much in your swing, it will steer your bat away from your target.

Try these basic rules out. Once your get good at them, you’re on your way to becoming a consistent solid contact hitter.

Bob Boutin has been one of the most successful hitting instructors in New England for almost 10 years.  He continues to spread his love for the game, one batter at a time, as the General Manager of Frozen Ropes in Plymouth MA.