Master Batting Tips

Learning how to hit at an advanced level can help a hitter make a name for himself in baseball. For a high school hitter, it can mean a scholarship or a high pick in the Major League Baseball draft. For a college player, it can mean All-America status. For a professional player, it can lead to all-star status and other awards.

Quick Swing

Hitting coaches talk about the best hitters having a "short stroke" when they swing the bat. What they are talking about is that there is not much movement between the start of the swing and contact with the ball. You must have your hands prepared by keeping them up high, then enter the hitting zone and bring them through the ball. The follow through is full and complete with maximum rotation of the hips, but the movement to the ball is short and quick.

Patient Hitting

The best hitters will not try to pull every pitch or hit a home run every time they walk up to the plate. Ted Williams finished his career with 521home runs and was the last batter to hit .400 in a season. In his book "The Science of Hitting," Williams says that his goal was to hit the ball hard every time he came up, not to hit home runs. Williams explained that the longer he could wait to swing the bat, the harder he would hit the ball. Wait as long as you can before starting your swing if you want to consistently hit the ball hard, said Williams.

Weight Transfer

The ability to hit the ball for power coincides with your ability to transfer your weight as you swing. When you set up in the batter's box, your weight is evenly distributed between your front and back legs. When you start your swing, your first move is actually toward the catcher. This move will get the majority of your weight on your back leg and then you will come forward as you start your swing. The initial move back is your trigger mechanism and gets your swing started. If your weight shift is taking place as you make contact with the ball, you can hit the ball with more power.

Pitch Selection

You must be selective when you are at the plate. The more pitches you can see from a pitcher, the better chance you have of hitting your pitch instead of the pitcher's pitch. Working the at bat deep into the count means you will see more of the pitcher's repertoire, which means the chances are better that you can get a pitch that you can drive. Confident hitters are willing to wait because they know that sooner or later they will get their pitch. Hitters who lack confidence will swing early in the count because they fear striking out. Eliminating fear is essential in developing into an advanced hitter.