Youth baseball players begin their careers playing tee ball, swatting a stationary ball from the tee until they develop the necessary skills to hit a pitched ball. While they may seem like kid's stuff, batting tees help even professional baseball players hone their skills. Softball players also benefit from using batting tees with drills designed to improve hitting technique and smooth out troublesome swings.
Balance Beam
Hitters must have excellent balance throughout their swing. To improve balance, place a two-by-four on the ground next to a batting tee. Stand on the wood in your normal batting stance and take a cut. If properly balanced, you should be able to drive the ball off the tee without falling from the two-by-four.
Hip Turn
Softball hitters utilize hip rotation to generate power and explosiveness through the hitting zone. To work on proper hip turn, place a ball on the tee at hip height. Hook the bat behind your hips and assume a normal batting stance. Knock the ball from the tee using only a hip pivot. This drill teaches how to roll the hips through the ball for maximum effectiveness.
Location
Batting tees provide the perfect way to work on pitch location without straining pitchers or suffering the frustration of repeated missed targets. To work on hitting inside pitches, the batter simply places a tee on the inside half of the plate and swings away. Move the tee to the outer half if you want to work on hitting the other way. Adjust the tee height to work on high or low pitches.
Two Tee
This drill eliminates any loops in a batting swing and teaches hitters to have a smooth, level stroke. Place two hitting tees, one in front of the other. Place a ball on only the front tee. Lower the back tee so it's slightly shorter than the front tee. You should be able to drive the ball from the front tee without a problem. If the bat contacts the lower tee, it means you have an unwanted loop in your swing.
Two Tee Target
Place one tee slightly in front of home plate. Now place a second tee 2 to 4 feet in front of the first tee, with the balls at the same height and in a perfect line. Place a hard level swing on the first ball in an attempt to drive it into the second ball on the front tee. This drill works on bat control and swing command. Once hitting the second ball becomes easy, move the front tee farther and farther away to increase difficulty.
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