Hitting the long ball in baseball is one of the most exciting moments in the game. When a home run takes the lead or ties the game with a late-inning home run, it provides new hope about the prospects of winning the game. Hitting the ball out of the stadium requires significant bat speed at the moment of impact, as well as strength and timing. Hitting coaches normally try to help players make solid contact. Trying to hit home runs often leads to swing errors and slumps, but there are moments where the hitter will try to hit the long ball.
Step 1
Load your bat before you swing. Loading the bat means having the majority of your weight and strength on your back leg before the baseball leaves the pitcher's hand. As the pitcher throws the ball, your momentum should be stepping toward the pitcher so you can hit the baseball with speed and force. If you can contact the ball with the bat at a point from 2 to 6 inches in front of the plate, you have a chance to hit the ball out of the park.
Step 2
Pick out a bat that you can swing at top speed. You need a bat that is big enough to impart significant force on the baseball, but it can't be so big that you slow your hands down when you swing it. Legendary slugger Babe Ruth used a bat that was 40 ounces. Former Phillies and White Sox slugger used a 38-ounce bat during the 1960s and 1970s. Hitters in the modern era rarely use bats that weigh more than 34 ounces.
Step 3
Drive the ball with a slight uppercut on your swing. If you meet the ball squarely--always an issue when hitting a baseball that is moving at speeds over 90 miles per hour--the ball will rise as it leaves the bat. If you hit it on the bottom half of the ball it will pop high in the air and if you hit the top half of the ball you will drive it into the ground. Hitting the baseball in the middle with a slight uppercut will give you the best chance of driving the ball out of the park.
Tips and Warnings
- Increase your wrist and forearm strength. The moment of impact with the baseball is a quick, decisive movement. By building strength in your wrists and forearms with wrist curls you can transfer more energy and power to the ball at the moment of impact. The late Charley Lau was widely viewed as one of the top hitting coaches in the game's history. His prize student was Hall of Famer George Brett, who was one of the finest hitters of the second half of the 20th century. Lau's top tenet for hitting the ball hard was to stay balanced with the swing and let your hands lead the bat. Increased strength in your hands and wrists helps you do this consistently and will give you the ability to hit the ball out of the ball park.
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