I find it interesting that we seldom hit a low line drive into a net in any situation. That’s why you should move the stance/tee to simulate inside and outside pitches.
Hitting grounders
- Thread starter NJSwampdragons
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- Jun 8, 2016
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IMO hitting off a tee on a field or long cage is better by a large amount..not always possible of course.
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- Dec 11, 2010
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I agree with hitting in an open cage, which is what we have done for quite a few years.
Seems like the “goal” ends up being hitting to the back of the cage no matter what I say. So- the mistakes end up being balls that would hit in the infield. The 26* blast hits the top of the cage and seems like a pop up.
A short distance goal has some benefit too. I’m trying to come up with some things to work on when dd is home from school, and I think I’m going to dig out the old nets.
This is a problem our warm winter friends don’t have to solve!
Seems like the “goal” ends up being hitting to the back of the cage no matter what I say. So- the mistakes end up being balls that would hit in the infield. The 26* blast hits the top of the cage and seems like a pop up.
A short distance goal has some benefit too. I’m trying to come up with some things to work on when dd is home from school, and I think I’m going to dig out the old nets.
This is a problem our warm winter friends don’t have to solve!
- Jun 8, 2016
- 16,118
- 113
Marcela hits into a net at home when she works on her own, probably twice a week, so I definitely see the utility.
Everybody is aware of what I think Marcela’s movement issues are however she moves much better when hitting off a tee so for her I’ve told her I really want her to internalize how her movement feels on the tee (and just with dry strides in the mirror) so she can bring it to a moving ball..work in progress…
Back in the day in MA there were no indoor facilities so all I would do all winter was dry swing in the garage..
- Dec 11, 2010
- 4,721
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Hitting off a tee has been a big part of both of my kids development for sure.
A couple constants were walk through drills and tip and rips. Did tons of inside outside stuff, especially with younger dd. She got pitched outside a lot and was really good at burning the right fielder which was extra bases with all but the best outfielders.
I built a big wood framed mirror to do mirror drills and I could NOT convince them how valuable it would be!
One of the LSU coaches just posted a vid on Twitter. It felt good that I did a lot of that stuff with my kids even though they were secretly eye rolling me I bet!
A couple constants were walk through drills and tip and rips. Did tons of inside outside stuff, especially with younger dd. She got pitched outside a lot and was really good at burning the right fielder which was extra bases with all but the best outfielders.
I built a big wood framed mirror to do mirror drills and I could NOT convince them how valuable it would be!
One of the LSU coaches just posted a vid on Twitter. It felt good that I did a lot of that stuff with my kids even though they were secretly eye rolling me I bet!
- Jun 8, 2016
- 16,118
- 113
I saw that.
- Dec 11, 2010
- 4,721
- 113
The PVC fence is the best two bucks you can spend.
All the resources they have and you see that being used…
edited to add- the pvc fence would be a good drill for op
I‘d consider Baseball Rebellions Bad Drag Buster too.
And a drill we called “neck slot drill”
Bat is in normal spot, keep it in contact with where neck meets shoulders. Start in good position like the Hank Aaron drill and as she swings, keep the bat in neck slot as long as possible
All the resources they have and you see that being used…
edited to add- the pvc fence would be a good drill for op
I‘d consider Baseball Rebellions Bad Drag Buster too.
And a drill we called “neck slot drill”
Bat is in normal spot, keep it in contact with where neck meets shoulders. Start in good position like the Hank Aaron drill and as she swings, keep the bat in neck slot as long as possible
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FYI, here is an L screen compared to 30 deg launch angle - at only 10 feet away. It's not perfectly to scale 
There is something to be said about going to a coin operated batting cage and hitting: the small balls, the 'open' cage and the fact that it's just 'different'.
One of the fields we practice on has a soccer field behind the backstop. We will take the hitters out halfway between the mound and the plate, turn them around and with side toss have them try to hit over the backstop.
which pvc fence drill are you speaking of? Got a visual?
