Baseball Hitting - The Mental Side of the Action
Every year millions of fans marvel at the feats which are made by multi-million dollar baseball players. The home runs, hitting streaks, guys who go deep into the count and fight off foul ball after foul ball before driving one off the wall in right center for a stand up double. It’s a family event for entertainment, but most people don’t sit at a game and think about every thought going through a baseball hitting coaches or players mind during the week leading up to the game or all the baseball pitching styles each batter will see. Hitters are faced with split second dilemmas and deal with their short comings differently. Hopefully, this will give you a glimpse of what really goes on.
The Player in a Slump
Anyone who has ever been caught up in a 0 for whatever slump understands the thoughts that go on in our minds from when we are eight to ten years of age all the way to high school and college. Even pros go through the same issues that end up branching out to superstitions and various other beliefs to get rid of it. It doesn’t matter if you’re a player or fan, the next time you know someone is in a slump watch them while they walk up to plate and think about what you would be thinking in the same situation.
Everything would start with the long walk from the on deck circle thinking to yourself, "keep your eye on the ball, be patient, swing level, choke up a little, shorten your stride, does my helmet, batting gloves, and grip feel comfortable, what’s this guy going to throw me, does he have a lot of different pitches, will I catch up to his fastball, should I stand closer to the plate, am I missing anything?" A common issue many players experience at one time or another, but eventually everyone gets back on track.
The Technical Batter
This hitter revolves around the science of the game and uses the technical evolution to decide how each at bat will get better with the proper stance. It happens around high school or college when some players start to feel this way and get everything down before the game. All for good reason, too, especially when science provides answers to trajectory and velocity issues within the game. The thought process is much like a golfer’s before he/she takes a swing off the tee.
A vote of confidence walking up to the plate, the technical batter has thoughts roaming in his/her head that sound like, "Alright, dig back foot in so I can get a little extra power behind the ball, is my body aligned right, shoulders square, head in the right position, back elbow raised, remembering not to dip it during the swing, firm grip around the handle, not too hard or soft, remember to step toward the plate, okay here we go." You think that’s a lot to think about, just imagine if the technical batter falls into a slump, it’s hundred times worse.
The Strategic Batter
These batters are the most interesting to watch because they are the ones who already feel confident about their swing even during the slumping times. As they reach the plate they already know the inside scoop on the person they’re facing, what he/she likes to throw, what strikeout pitches are used, and several other scouting report type tendencies. In the pros, most everyone is some sort of strategist because they do watch films on the opposing pitching staff, but it’s the younger generation where you can tell who is going to go far in the game of baseball.
When the strategic batter gets up to the plate they thought process is by each pitch and goes a little something like this, "Okay, he’s been throwing fastballs on the first pitch all day long, but has been losing control in the later inning. I’ll take the first pitch, expect him to be throwing the curve on the second pitch since I didn’t swing at the first. Okay, so he’s got me 0-2 with that second pitch change up I didn’t really see coming, so I know now his next pitch is low and away, basically in the dirt, then we can look for the fastball again on the following pitch."
The best things about these batters are that they have patience and are not afraid to get behind in the count. Each issue has its pros and cons, but the end result is what matters and the next time you go to the ballpark, think about what the baseball hitter and baseball pitcher is thinking in certain situations. It can only build your knowledge of the game to greater heights for the future, giving you a more in depth vision on whats happening out there on the baseball field.
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