14U Swing help

[Top_Notch]

Need some tips for a first year 14U player. Normally a good contact hitter, lately has seen a lot of strikeouts. We may be trying a new batting coach if something doesn't click. I won't mention what I see to sway replies, but would like comments on what can be done better.

 

[Tango]

Has she gotten taller lately?

 

[RichK]

I like her a lot athletically. I was bummed to hear the third base coach after the first miss say 'remember what we talked about?' That tells me coaches/people are getting into her head during at bats. That won't work (though I've done it as a coach as well). Hitters need to walk into the box with the work done, ready to go and just battle. Part of her struggles might be that over-in-game-instruction and over-thinking pitch to pitch.

That said, in my mind she flattens her top hand at takeaway/load and slices/pushes into contact. I like a tip and turn I think it widens the hitting zone and squares up more balls. That's a big change and many here will disagree and this will turn into a TTB war but hey that's what I see.



Right at this point her top hand/wrist should be apply pressure into the handle rather than laying back as it is starting to do here. That would cause the bat to point toward the pitcher. Instead, you can see the wrist breaking backward. That lay back also moves her shoulders out of attack position. I'd like to see her rear shoulder higher than her front at this point and then reverse via tilt into contact.

All of these things are connected and feed off one another but to me it starts with that weak top hand position.

 

[_MIA_]

You can see the wrist breaking backward. That lay back also moves her shoulders out of attack position. I'd like to see her rear shoulder higher than her front at this point and then reverse via tilt into contact.

This is the first thing I noticed..very Derek Jeter like with respect to the lay back of the hands.



Jeter also had a bit of bat drag too (at least in this swing)..amazingly enough. Lay back of the hands is not necessarily the cause of the bat drag but it certainly doesn't help.


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[Tango]

Has she gotten taller lately?

Maybe to close to the plate. Looks like she is pulling her hands in. Her load is off IMO. Nothing around the hip and the knob of the bat is towards the pitcher instead of at the catchers feet. Split your helmet or close to the neck slot. Elbow slots early that causes bat drag. Nothing to hold her back once she starts forward. Bat doesn't work rearward much and not much tilt. Don't know the kiddo but looks like she is pressing a little but not sure about that. Watching a called 3rd strike doesn't help. One of the least talked about aspects of hitting is swinging at strikes and letting balls pass. IMO, this is the most important thing when in a slump.

 

[Top_Notch]

View attachment 14257

Right at this point her top hand/wrist should be apply pressure into the handle rather than laying back as it is starting to do here. That would cause the bat to point toward the pitcher. Instead, you can see the wrist breaking backward. That lay back also moves her shoulders out of attack position. I'd like to see her rear shoulder higher than her front at this point and then reverse via tilt into contact.

All of these things are connected and feed off one another but to me it starts with that weak top hand position.

One of (many) things she is working on is getting the knob of the bat to point towards the catcher. I also agree that her hands come in too far. I also noticed her step is slightly away from the pitcher.

And yes, this kid is growing like a weed in spring. She's a pitcher by trade, but she needs to help her own cause.

 

[4 girl's dad]

Is she seeing better pitching?

 

[TDS]

Pick a pattern that your comfortable with and don't attempt to mix..

Core pattern

Her current movement doesn't allow for her to get leveraged into her legs (fyb) before the hands are tugged (pulled) by the core to whip the barrel.

ttb pattern
If your in the ttb pattern allow the hands/forearms to be in control of the sequence while stretching against the coil.. This should help her with the flattening issue as well.

 

[Top_Notch]

Is she seeing better pitching?

She's been playing A level ball for years, so no.

 

[RichK]

Pick a pattern that your comfortable with and don't attempt to mix..

Core pattern

Her current movement doesn't allow for her to get leveraged into her legs (fyb) before the hands are tugged (pulled) by the core to whip the barrel.

ttb pattern
If your in the ttb pattern allow the hands/forearms to be in control of the sequence while stretching against the coil.. This should help her with the flattening issue as well.

Turn the barrel is not a pattern, it is a hand action. Carpenter turns the barrel better than just about anyone.