12/20/2023 0 Comments Tony gwynn season swing and miss![]() ![]() This is a picture of Brandon Lowe making contact with a ball he hit for a Home Run in the 1st inning against the Dodgers in Game 2 of the 2020 World Series. This is because the sweet spot of the bat is 2-3 ball widths down from the end of the bat. The thought process is more than likely, ‘Can the end of my bat reach the outside edge of the plate?’ We must understand that covering the plate with the end of the bat is not nearly enough. To help in further understanding point #2 above: ‘kids thinking they need a longer bat to cover the entire plate’. In my experience working exclusively with the 12u age group over the past dozen years, I estimate that a majority of kids swing a bat that is two inches longer that what would work best for them some are swinging bats that are three inches too long. The first step to improving kids’ success at the plate is to get a shorter bat in their hands. ![]() A batter is not going to notice a difference that small in the relationship of their stance to the plat Instead of a bat that is 1-2 inches longer, they can stand 1-2 inches closer to the plate. They think they need a longer bat to reach the outside part of the plate ***. Older kids, who the younger kids look up to, use a longer bat and little kids naturally want to be like the bigger kids (or older brother/sister). Why do kids want to swing a longer bat? Two reasons I hear from parents and players: And it is understood that a longer lever puts more stress (the feeling of weight) on the muscles in the wrists and arms. Regardless of weight, the longer the lever (bat), the more difficult it is to control. When the discussion of bat size comes up, the common question is weight length is not given much thought. What is responsible for looping swings, pop-ups and hit weak ground balls to the opposite side of the infield? There are mechanical reasons, but a major factor for many, is they use a bat that is too long. Pitch number three: weak ground ball to the first baseman …out again. OK, buddy you’ll get the next one …pop-up foul alright, good, we made contact on that one. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |