3 Ways to Improve Your Hitting Approach

With less bunting, less situational hitting, and more selfish at-bats (trying to hit a homerun every time) we see among MLB players, it may be hard for younger athletes to solidify a quality hitting approach.

Here are a few tips that all players must acknowledge in order to increase their likelihood of a quality at-bat, increase their success at the plate, and ultimately help their team win. * If you think creative enough, you can see how you can use these same bullet points to improve your life beyond your sport! *

1️⃣Be Unselfish - As a hitter, your main objective needs to be to help the team to the best of your ability. With a man on third with the infield back, to fly out to first base is a sin when all you needed to do to score the run was get on top of a ball and hit it to shortstop. Think unselfishly, be a TEAM guy, not a ME guy.

⚾️
2️⃣Preparation - It is critical that you are watching the game carefully when you are not at the plate so you are prepared. Is the pitcher missing up? Away? Is he pitching backwards? Know the playing conditions - is the grass wet? Is the wind blowing in? Create your plan based on what you already know from what you have been watching.

⚾️
3️⃣Understand The Situation - It’s so important to be able to read the defense and know where to put the ball in certain situations. For example, with runners on first and second and you asked to bunt, your bunt should be fielded by the third baseman. Why? Because your goal is to move the runners over and if the first baseman fields it, he can throw the runner out at third. Goal not achieved. This also includes pitch selection. If there is a runner on third and the infield is in, you need to hit a ball in the air that reaches the outfielder that will score the runner. So, to roll over on a curveball is silly. Find a pitch up in the zone that you can DRIVE, not ground out on.