Hitting approach

Description
As players advance to higher levels, they'll need to learn how to come to the plate with a plan in place. By watching the pitcher from the dugout, players should identify the strengths and weaknesses of their opponent on the mound. Knowing their own strengths as a hitter, they can then come to the plate knowing which pitch to look for until they find themselves in a 2-strike count - then it's all about protecting the plate.

Age Appropriate
13 and older

Problem
A hitter might be crushing the ball in practice when he or she knows what's coming, but struggling to get hits during games. This could be an issue of confidence, but it could simply be the need for a plan when stepping into the batter's box during a game.

Drill Objective
Learn from batting practice what pitches a player excels at hitting and identify where in the zone the hitter can really groove the ball. Then, review with the hitter and develop a plan based around those strengths.

Set-up
During batting practice or a simulating game, work your hitters through a series of pitches without letting on what you're going to throw - fastball, change-up, curveball, slider, etc. Change the locations and note which pitches the hitter struggles with as well as those pitches the hitter has success on.

Developing and Executing the Plan
Review with your hitter the pitches that he or she is best at hitting. These are the pitches the hitter should key on when stepping into the box during a game. If the hitter is great at hitting the outside fastball, then encourage him or her to look for that pitch alone. If a curveball comes in for a strike on the first pitch, have the hitter just ignore it.

The hitter gets three strikes for a reason, so use them. Don't waste an at-bat by swinging at the first strike, even when it's a pitch the hitter knows he or she can't drive.

When the count gets to two strikes, it's time to adjust. The original plan to look for the outside fastball has to go, and the hitter must now focus on defending against the third strike.