How to reduce bat sting

[Fedhead]

My 11 year old daughter has had a lot of trouble with bat sting lately. She hits the ball hard and fine of the tee.

When I pitch to her or she hits of the machine, she frequently stings her hands. She uses batting gloves and has been using a new bat - the problem also occurred with her old bat, so I am thinking it is something she is doing. It is not obvious to me.

After the sting occurs, she is then timid for the next several pitches (which I don't blame her).

Any advice?

 

[Amy in AZ.]

It is in her mechanics. She is missing the sweet spot. Show her on the bat, where it is supposed to hit the ball. Throw her tennis balls, etc. until she fixes her swing.

I would also take her to a hitting instructor.

 

[calgofo]

She's missing the ball with the sweet spot of the bat. The reasons for this are flaws in her swing. What those flaws are, without video, is difficult to know. Post some vids of her swing and I'm sure the hitting gurus can help.

 

[halskinner]

I am no hitting instructor. However, I would be teaching pitching in one lane and the other 5 had hitting going on with instructors.

Many times they would have the same problem and they would switch to a bat with a little wider diameter grip. That seemed to solve the problem MOST of the time.

Their hands DO grow and last years bat might not fit anymore. The new one might be too skinny in the grip.

Hope it helps

Hal

 

[SBFAMILY]

Some sporting good stores will have bat tape that will show you where you are making contact with the ball on the bat. I use my own. I take a ball in put black marker on it and use white tape on the bat. It will leave a mark where you are making contact. Most of the above is true. Mainly a poor first move, I see many kids casting the hands at the ball, and they hit inside the sweet spot, or pulling out on the front side and hitting it on the end of the bat. I suggest doing this first and finding out where she is hitting the ball on the bat , as the first step.

 

[Fedhead]

Thanks for all the replies.

If she had poor form, would it also sting off the tee?

I filmed her hitting tonight - we were rushing before the sun went down. Please let me know of any suggestions.

The video is at - YouTube - Jamie hitting - july 2009

 

[Ken Krause]

Seems like it's mostly an arm swing. She's kind of swatting at the ball rather than using her body to drive the bat into the zone. My guess is she also has the bat in the palm of her hands instead of up where the fingers meet the palms -- a weaker grip.

Search some of the hitting threads on this site for explanation of the basic mechanics of hitting. You'll find some differences of opinion, but all will agree there has to be some use of the body to drive the bat.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Perhaps the bat is too long, which would result in her hitting the ball off of the handle.

I just bought a bat for a similar girl and it was a 32 in.

 

[obbay]

I noticed what Ken said. She's reaching out for the ball (casting?)
I saw her arms being extended before the ball arrived and the bat was "dragging" behind- (though I don't think I saw what I call 'bat drag' which involves the top hand elbow leading the hands) her 'hands' were not in sync with her arms and body.

Maybe try some one-handed hitting off a tee, especially top hand. you can't hit well off the tee with only your top hand unless you are using your body correctly.

 

[lhowser]

Looks like a pretty athletic girl. I bet she can fly around the bases. Regarding the stinging, it is a symptom of problems in the swing. Looking at the video each of the swings is quite a bit different. Just looking at the first four:

1.Ball way to deep in the zone to hit solidly

2.Much better. If you pause around :07 she is in a very good position at point of contact. Bet it didn’t sting.

3.Casts her arms out and makes contact way to far out front. Bat had long ago left anything close to a perpendicular contact point with the pitch. The bat path had already arced around a good contact point Contact likely was on end of bat and a possible hand stinger

4.If she would have worked her front elbow up instead of down and around she probably would have had her hands above the ball and would not have fouled it off but made good contact.

I would decide where she wanted to be at contact in terms of body position, hands in relation to the bat and ball, hips, legs etc. I would decide this based on looking at clips of successful hitters and duplicate this position. I would start there and slowly work backwards on plane with the pitch to the launch position. Then try to learn how to get from point A to Point B along that path.

She must swing harder with greater intent.