Learning to Hit a Baseball
The four steps of hitting in baseball are: load, stride, see the ball, hit the ball. Children ages 7-9 can learn to hit a pitched baseball. Players ages 10-12 begin deciding if they want to pursue baseball more seriously.
The Challenge of Hitting a Baseball
Hitting a 90 mph baseball is extremely difficult. Batters have about 400-500 milliseconds to decide whether to swing as the ball travels to home plate. It takes another 150 milliseconds to swing the bat. Choose proper batting gloves and bats when attempting to hit baseballs.
The ball and bat are round making solid contact difficult. Great hitters make it look easy, but hitting a baseball is one of the hardest skills in sports. To improve hitting, have confidence at the plate, practice hitting regularly, and keep your eye on the ball with a smooth swing.
Types of Hits in Baseball
- Singles: allow the batter to reach first base.
- Doubles: let the batter reach second base.
- Triples: allow reaching third base.
- Home runs: score runs as the batter circles the bases.
Singles are the most common type of hit, but the easiest is bunt singles, where the ball is intentionally tapped softly into play.
Techniques and Strategies for Hitting
Hitting coaches often preach to hitters to hit through the baseball, which requires an inside-out swing approach and good extension through the contact zone.
To hit a baseball:
- Stand in the batter’s box with your knees slightly bent and toes pointed toward the plate.
- Hold the bat angled about 45° over your rear shoulder.
- When the pitcher throws, keep your eyes on the ball.
- Shift your weight to your back leg.
- Take a short step toward the pitcher and swing the bat, using your hips and shoulders to rotate.
Properly gripping the bat is crucial. The way you grip the bat can significantly impact your swing. Mental strategy through the game plan is also key to success in hitting a baseball.