Batting or “putting the wood to the ball”, is the key to the success or failure of the ball club and the individual.

There is no great mystery about what makes a boy a good hitter. He has to have:

A certain amount of natural ability

A mastery of the fundamentals

Confidence in his ability to hit

The phrase “natural ability” covers a great deal. It means strong arms, wrists and hands; quick reflexes, good coordination, perfect eyesight and speed afoot.

Regardless of how much natural ability a boy has, however, he won’t hit as well as he should if he doesn’t master the fundamentals and believe in his ability to hit the ball as it comes through the strike zone. Self-confidence, of course, stems from success. And success in batting comes from practice. The following text describes the mechanics of hitting as they apply to ball players in general. By following the principles involved, the well-coordinated boy could easily become the batting star of his team; the average boy could certainly become a better-than-average hitter.

THE STANCE

If a boy is right-handed, he should turn his left side to the pitcher; the right side if left-handed.

The body should be fairly erect and relaxed with the weight distributed evenly on both feet. The hips and shoulders should be level. The feet should be shoulder-width apart with the toe of the front foot even with the instep of the rear foot. When the ball is being delivered, the batter’s heels should be up slightly, his knees flexed slightly. A most apt phrase is -”stand on the big toes!” Baseball Training - Read More.