Starting Swing To Early

I am looking for any suggestions on how to stop someone from swinging to early. How do you correct this problem?

 

One suggestion would be to make sure they know where the point of contact is. Use a tee for that.

Once you're sure they know the correct point of contact but they are still swinging "early" make sure they have toe-touch (with heel Up) BEFORE the ball gets there.

The last paragraph is one of the main faults I've found with a kid being either early or late. I don't know what others call it but I think of it as timing. Mike Candrea said you can't be too early with the toe-touch but you can be too late.

 

when you say swinging early do you mean pulling a lot of balls hard foul? Or is she swinging and missing?

 

She pulls alot of balls foul or down the third baseline.

 

The diagnosis is simple.. the fix may take some time:

She is not staying INSIDE the ball. This is a difficult thing for some to understand because anyone starting out to hit a baseball who did tee work was taught to make bat/ball contact square in the middle of the ball. In reality the great hitters are staying inside the ball (its more than hands inside really, which you hear often) by hitting the inside half.

The best way to visuliaze it is to take a sharpie and draw quadrants on the ball. Put the ball on a tee, place the spot where the lines intersect facing skyward and hit the inside left quadrant when you swing. Make sure you move the tee to various spots on the plate: in, out etc. in tee work the inside strike should be a ball hit to dead LF

The really great hitters in MLB are hitting the inside of the ball: Pujols, Ramirez, Jeter. This makes it easier to hit the ball with authority to the opposite field which many coaches look for and your issue with pulling too many balls foul will go away with some serious tee work.

The problem you have is a lot better than having a "late" swing.

ps: make sure when working on the tee that she understands the "feel" of it.

 

I'd have to agree with the tee work-usually I start with tee work than follow up with a front overhanded toss with tennis balls...Basically setting up a protective screen and homeplate about 20' apart. About 5' from the plate - I'll place 3 pieces of tape(outside,inside,middle). From the protection screen , I'll bounce the tennis ball on 1 of the 3 pieces of tape. While the hitter learns to stayback , plus keeping their hands back- They also, learn to wait & drive on an outside pitch-set back and drive a fastball-turn on an inside pitch...I'll make them "say" what their doing according to the bouncing tennis ball( "wait&drive","drive",or "turn on it"-that way they can recognize the pitch.The tennis ball is to be pitch at about medium to medium-slow speed...TRUST ME!..The 1st couple of swings will be ugly...you'll see improvement in about 2weeks.

HIT-N-RUN

http://carolinahitnrun.googlepages.com/

 

That's a great drill. I especially like the part where they "say" what they're doing. AND, it can be used inside when it's too cold or wet to be outside.

 

Below

Set T on outside corner and hit everything to 2:00 !!

 

Swinging Early

I like what everyone is telling me and I agree that tee work is what she needs but when she works off the tee she hits the ball well. But when it comes to game time she is always early. I think it has to do with when she starts her swing. When I ask her when she starts her swing she says I don't know I just do it. I have done tee work and soft toss with her and she seems to be okay with that.

Maybe I need to find someone to look at her and see if they can help her. Is there anyone around the Hickory area that you can recommend?

 

Here Is Another Drill !!

The problem with change-ups is that kids get out on their front foot ,and all the weight is way out front..get you an egg put under her front heel or if that's too expensive get a squishy ball , and set in same area. Throw the change-up and tell her what is coming as she shifts from back hip to center have her toe tap not dropping the heel plant on the front foot until the ball comes into the zone.If she will learn this by not squishing the egg or ball, until the softball comes into the zone, she will crush the change-up !! Remember the hands need to stay back, and if she thinks 2:00 o'clock she will hit the change-up...trust me !!


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