Extension - Hitting in a big window

The most important component of extension is hitting in a big window. Mechanics are not the most difficult part of the swing; timing is the most difficult part. Therefore, one of the benefits of having good extension is keeping the bat in the hitting zone to maximize opportunities to intersect the baseball. Thus, hitters can afford slight timing errors and still make solid contact.

Those that are familiar with my teaching know that I am big into video analysis. Through my research of literally 1,000 big league swings on slo mo video, three stand out in my mind when I think of extension. I often ask this question to the kids I teach: What do Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, and Joe Mauer all have in common? The answer they start with is usually home run related. Though that answer is true, it's a by product of the answer that these guys hit with a high average every year. Those hitters will continue to do so because their bats are in the hitting zone as far or farther than any hitters that I've studied.

So what I jokingly tell hitters I'm working with that cut off extension is that for them to hit well, their timing has to be better than Albert Pujols' (which we know isn't going to happen) because their bat is hitting in a very small window. The bigger the window, the more of a chance for solid contact. The smaller the window, the likelihood of solid contact decreases unless the timing has to be nerarly perfect.

Bat Path / Extension

My next segment of blogs deals with extention. Extention is simple in thaught and difficult to accomplish. I find myself teaching this less than I have in previous years. Here is why: Extention (or lack there of) is easy to see for an instructor. Because it's easy to identify, instructors immediately begin working to correct this flaw. As a younger instructor, I was guilty of doing the same thing. What I've learned after giving thousands of hitting lessons is that every phase of the swing must be correct for extention to be correct. If there is a flaw early in the swing, that flaw will translate into a bigger one later in the swing. Cutting off extention ends up being the result of several flaws earlier in the swing. The point is, when an instructor sees that extention is lacking, it is usually something earlier in the swing that needs corrected. Finally, when every phase up until contact is correct, extention can then be worked on. Tommorrow, I will post an extention video.

One Knee Tag Drill

Another in the "knee drill" progression. Great lead up drill for those getting ready to start practice indoors.

One knee backhand drill

It's been a few weeks since my last post, as I was on vacation. Here is a great drill for those getting ready to start their indoor practices. Backhands are tough for all infielders. I believe it is easier to learn the backhand from the kneeling position because the eyes stay connected to the glove. Infielders who struggle with this play often straighten their upper body too much, disconnecting their eyes from the glove. Notice throughout this drill that the fielder's chin will always stay over his front knee.

Two knees exchange video

This is the final "two knee" drill, in which the exchange to a throwing position is made. Here, make sure that the fingers of the glove come to the bare hand on the way to the throwing side shoulder. That will make the infielder have a short arm break. This is one reason I do not teach funnelling into the belly button. From the belly button, the break of the hands turns into a longer arm arc. Use this drill in conjunction with my previous "two knee" blog drills.

Walk through drill

This drill is designed to get the hitter to use his back side efficiently. It will also get hitters to start his synchronization from the ground. You will see in this drill that I walk all the way through the tee upon finish. You can also do the drill by walking up and swinging against a firm front side.

Feet Together Drill

This is my favorite tee drill. I like it for several reasons. First, since my last blog was on lower body mechanics, the momentum created by the elongated stride will help the hips pull the foot onto the toe. This ensures that the hips are turning my lower body instead of the foot (for the players that are still "squishing the bug") Next, this drill creates correct synchronization and torque because the hands go back as the stride goes forward. To add, I will soon blog about the "pace" of the set-up. This drill helps control the tempo of the body during the stride.

Lower Body Mechanics

This video is a very simple approach to correct lower body mechanics. During the next week I will post a few videos of drills I like to help teach the lower body mechanics efficiently.

Two knees glove drill

The next progression in the infield series. Starting on the knees makes it easier for the infielder to keep his hands out in front of his chin for first contact with the ball.

Tee Tip

Follow this simple tee tip to ensure you are working inside and through the baseball!

Bare Hand Isolation Drill

This drill helps infielders understand that we must make first contact with the ball out in front of our chin. Starting the players on their knees with a slight chest lean forward will help them learn to keep the glove hand out in front of them. Next, I equate "soft hands" with a "loose wrist" when fielding. You will see the players taking their fingers through the baseball by bending at the "wrist hinge." When this "hinge" is not present and the wrist is stiff, it hardens the hands.

Top Hand Drill

A great drill to learn barrell whip and staying through the ball is another warm up drill we'll do with the top hand. When done correctly it helps a player stay through the ball with added whip.

John Mallee Hitting Camp Results

John Mallee, Hitting Coordinator for the Florida Marlins, hosted a hitting camp at our facility this past weekend. John is, bar none, the best hitting coach I've come in contact with. A few times a year, I get together with John, break down video, and pick his brain about hitting. What John confirms is that with the amount of body parts moving in the swing, there are a lot of things that can go wrong. Before coaches start to work on fixing one piece or another, there is always one thing that has to come first: Is the synchronization of the swing correct?

Dads will come to me during lessons and tell me they want their son to hit for more power. While I can't magically add twenty pounds of muscle to their son, I can make sure that their synchronization is correct, thus giving them a chance to maximize their bat speed.

The swing begins from the ground, up. To create torque and to maximize bat speed, the hips have to begin to fire while the hands are still back. Kids do not do this naturally very often. 99% of players we have come through the Academy have to be taught this.

Beyond creating bat speed, keeping the hands back at launch allows hitters to recognize the pitch before they swing. While players that have their hands and their stride foot coming forward at the same time, are swinging, then trying to react to the pitch. That is why so many players struggle with fastballs away or any off speed pitch. To wait on those pitches the hands have to remain back.

The stride-seperation drill is a good one for this. Check below in my blogs to find the video for that one. I'll add some more good "torque" creating drills soon!

Underhand feed from second base

The latest video explains the underhand double play feed from second base. Similar in technique, the toughest part of this play is the footwork is backwards from what a infielder is used to. Because the momentum of the second baseman is going from left to right the footwork here differs. Instead of our typical RIGHT - LEFT - FIELD; now, to get our momentum going towards the shortstop, the footwork is LEFT - RIGHT - FIELD - FEED, all in one motion. The timing here again is key in making this a fluid play where the feed is made with the legs.

Bottom Hand Drill

I'm going to continue a series of hitting and fielding drill videos. This one explains the bottom hand drill in hitting. Almost all hitters are one hand dominant over the other. The one hand drills teach each arm how to work independently. I like using these drills quickly as warm up drills. The bottom hand drill teaches path. If done correctly it will quickly clean up a poor bat path. Check the video to see how to execute this drill.

Underhand feeds from shortstop

The underhand feed should be the easiest feed to do, but for some reason, young middle infielders struggle with the technique of this feed. In this video I discuss how to teach this feed effectively.

Infield receive and release drill - 1st and 3rd Defense

This is an infield drill I do that promotes good feet and a quick release. I incorporate this into our daily catch routine.

Stride and Seperate Drill

Most flaws at ball strike are a direct result in flaws of the set up. The stride and seperate drill foucuses on the set up. This is one of the first drills we do with our students. It is one of the few drills we will do that breaks momentum. The reason I believe in this drill is that it is so important to make the first forward move correct, landing in a 50/50 position. By pausing at footdown, players can feel their 50/50 position while walking away from their hands. These two areas are key in the set up.

Elite Hitting Club Homework

Based on your video ananlysis, go to Gettyimages.com and find a picture that represents the correct mechanic of the flaw we discussed in your swing. Save that picture and email it to me at elitebaseballtraining@hotmail.com.

#1 trait consistant in pro infielders

I often get asked by coaches, "What do I look for when evaluating infielders?" or "What makes high end infielders stand out?" My answer may surprise you. . . Great hands: Yes, that is important. Good feet: Equally as important. But those are byproducts of what I think makes high end infielders stand out. That trait is great timing. Most coaches related timing to hitting, but it is equally important as a fielder.

Our goal as an infielder is to play through the baseball without breaking momentum. The most common factors for infielders who fail are 1) Infieders who break down way too soon, collapsing on the ball and letting it play them. 2) Breaking down too late and getting the ball underneath them. This is a result from poor timing in the last two steps before fielding the ball.

The last two steps when fielding are critical. On a play where the infielder is throwing to first base, the last two steps will be RIGHT, LEFT, then FIELD. The feet come down one at a time, as a opposed to a "basketball jump stop." This is so our feet can continue throught the ball in one fluid motion in a RIGHT, LEFT, THROW.
The timing of those last two steps is critical. Too early, and the ball will play the infielder (often getting caught between hops), or too late and the ball gets underneath the fielder.

Finding timing requires a lot of practice. I do drills starting with a stationary ball, then gradually working back at a farther distance with a faster ground ball. Like hitting, you have to have success in practice, slow and close, before you can work far and fast.

In the pictures above of Jeter, you see this Right, Left step demonstrated with perfect timing. There is no one correct answer on when the athlete should break down, because all balls are at different speeds. The one way an athlete can figure this out: 1,000's of ground balls.