Hitting a grand slam is obviously more difficult than hitting a home run, as in addition to coming up when the bases are loaded, you must overcome the pressure involved in your at bat. Another consideration is that pitchers often change their plan of attack when they are pitching with the bases loaded. A grand slam is usually a game-altering hit, giving you a chance to put your signature on the game by hitting the ball over the fence with the bases loaded.
Step 1
Step into the batter's box and ignore all outside distractions. Don't think about the outcome; hitting the baseball squarely is difficult as it is, so concentrate on the pitcher, the baseball and putting a solid swing on it. If you think about anything else, you will likely fall short of your goals. Concentration is essential when you come to bat at all times, but especially with the bases loaded.
Step 2
Concentrate on driving the ball up the middle with a level swing. When you try to pull the ball out of the ballpark -- often called jerking the ball -- you lose your focus and think about swinging the bat as hard as you can. Swinging hard may impact your visual focus as well, and may keep your head from being still.
Step 3
Watch the pitcher carefully before your at bat begins. Figure out what his best pitches are and what pitches have been working for him on that day. These are the pitches he is likely to use as he attempts to get you out. For example, if the pitcher's best pitch is the hard slider over the inside corner, look for that pitch. If he throws it to you and leaves it a bit high in the strike zone, you have a chance to hammer that pitch for a grand slam. If you are not looking for the slider, you may get a piece of it, but it may not go the distance.
Step 4
Drive the baseball hard into the gaps in right center and left center field. When a player hits a grand slam, most of the time the baseball flies over the fence. However, you can hit an inside-the-park grand slam if you have speed and force outfielders to make a long run to chase down the ball and then make a long throw. An inside-the-park grand slam is a baseball rarity: according to FanGraphs.com, as of January 2011, only 40 inside-the-park grand slams have been hit since 1950. Hall of Famer Honus Wagner hit five of them during his career.
Things You'll Need
- Baseball bat
- Baseball helmet
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