Hitting a baseball consistently is one of the most difficult things to do in sports. Pitchers can throw an array of pitches -- including fastballs at speeds that approach 95 mph -- that are designed to overpower or fool hitters. Pitches can come in from several angles, and that makes it a challenge to hit the ball hard. Hitting the hard takes a consistent mental approach when you come to the plate.
Patience
This is one of the key factors when you come up to the plate. Pitchers want you to be aggressive at the plate because that means you will swing at the first pitch that looks good to you. You may swing at a breaking ball that appears to be heading over the plate when it leaves the pitcher's hand even though it ends up in the dirt. A patient approach will end up giving you one or two hittable pitches to swing at during an at-bat. Good hitters are happy to take a walk if the pitcher doesn't come through with enough strikes.
Small Stride
Start with your weight on your back foot and position your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. When the pitch comes in, take a small stride toward the pitcher and shift your weight forward as you swing. Taking a long stride will take away your balance and your potential power. If you spread out in your stance and minimize your movement in the batter's box, you will have a clearer view of the pitch and a better opportunity to hit the ball hard.
Going with the Pitch
Don't try to pull every pitch. Even if you are a power hitter, you are better off driving the outside pitch to the opposite field, hitting the pitch over the middle to center and pulling the inside pitch. When a right-handed batter tries to pull the outside pitch, it is possible for him to hit the ball hard and drive it a long way. However, it's much more likely that he will hit a ground ball to shortstop. If that same batter waits a split second longer and hits the outside pitch to the opposite field, he has an excellent chance of hitting the ball hard and getting an extra-base hit.
Pitch Recognition
Make good use of batting practice time. Many players struggle when hitting the curve ball and slider because they don't see enough of them in batting practice. You are much better off if your batting practice pitcher throws an array of breaking balls during batting practice instead of simply lobbing in easy-to-hit fastballs. Make your batting practice session like a game. Have the pitcher throw a variety of pitches without telling you what's coming. This will help you recognize pitches and learn how to hit them.
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