Arlington, Virginia
Hitting Mechanics*


Practice the mechanics with practice swings and in team hitting drills.  When hitting off live pitching, take a deep breath, focus on the pitch, and let your muscle memory do the work.
- Bat: If a bat is light enough for you, you can hold the bat out in your dominant hand with your arm extended parallel to the ground for about 20-25 seconds.
- Grip: Line up middle knuckles (or slightly more cocked if that grip feels better); rest bat across callus lines and on fingertips; do not push bat back into palms.
- Stance: Spread feet slightly farther apart than shoulders.
- Flex knees; keep upper body loose. Be balanced like a basketball defender.
- Eyes parallel to ground, both eyes facing pitcher, and focused on pitcher's cap, shifting to the ball when the pitcher's arm comes forward.
- Arms/Hands: Hands should be above the top of the strike zone (e.g., shoulders) because you swing down to the ball (instead of sweeping with a level swing, which takes longer).
- The hands, two shoulders, and front elbow form a box.
- The shoulders are relaxed and elbows point down.
- Show Hip and Cock: When the pitcher raises his front leg and shows his hip, you show your hip so that your front knee, hip, and shoulder all curl in slightly.
- With "inward turn" or this coiling, your hands move back about three inches.
- Cock hands back (c-shaped motion) so that the bat barrel extends through the slot between your helmet and back shoulder (so bat will come down during swing).
- Cocking is easier if bottom wrists are slightly out and up ("radial deviation").
- Stride: When the pitcher moves hand forward to pitch, take a short, 3-inch stride towards the pitcher (or as some experts recommend, 45% towards the plate).
- Swing: Come down on the ball with barrel above hands for most of swing.
- Do not sweep or swing level, which takes longer for the barrel to get to the ball).
- "Squish the bug" with the back foot so that the knee points towards the pitcher and your back leg forms an "L" shape during swing. (Front leg is straight.)
- The explosion in a swing comes from the hips quickly twisting the upper body.
- Bring knob and hands directly towards the pitcher; keep elbows close to the body.
- Contact: At the contact point, the front arm straightens, and hands are palm-down, palm-up.  Hit pitch on inside 1/3rd of plate 2 feet in front of plate, middle 1 foot, outside at plate.
- Contact: At the contact point, the front arm straightens, and hands are palm-down, palm-up.  Hit pitch on inside 1/3rd of plate 2 feet in front of plate, middle 1 foot, outside at plate.
- Follow-Through: Remain balanced as you bring the barrel of the bat around to the back of your body; hips fully open to the pitcher; you end with chin over your rear shoulder.
*By Casey R. Triggs, Commissioner, Majors I, Arlington Little League, Spring 2003.