http://www.usatoday.com/sports/gallery/bonds/flash.htm

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http//www.usatoday.com/sports/gallery/bonds/flash
.htm

• This picture says it all.
• Head down and between his feet.
• Balanced with a good base.
• Hips and hands are on the ball.
• Weight is back behind the ball.
• Front side closed with perfect L.

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The Big Four

• 1. Start
• 2. Load
• 3. Explosion
• 4. Finish

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The Start/Base

1. Base should be comfortable to help you keep
   balance throughout the swing.
2. An athletic position is always a good start.
3. The chin rest on the front shoulder with your
   eyes fixed toward the pitcher.
4. We are preparing ourselves for launch so keep the
   body relaxed only thinking about the approach.
5. The hands grip the bat lightly in the fingers and
   in an area near or around the back shoulder.
6. Knees stay relaxed with our weight on the balls
   of the feet. Never the heels.

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What start is best for you?

• Notice the placement of the head, eyes, hands,
  and feet. Also look at the back and front elbow.
  The weight distribution for each hitter.

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What start is best for you?

• Notice the placement of the head, eyes, hands,
  and feet. Also look at the back and front elbow.
  The weight distribution for both.

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The Load/Launch

1. The load should be short and rhythmic.
2. It can be a slight turn of the hands, a leg lift,
   or rolling knee.
3. Timing of the load is when the mind can adjust
   with the pitch The harder the throw the smaller
   or sooner the load.
4. The load and hands will be almost one with each
   other (the foot comes down the hands should fire,
   the knee rolls the hands explode, etc.).
5. This is the most important part of the swing.
   You have to create movement to generate an
   explosive swing. An object in motion is easier
   to move than not in motion!

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The Load/Launch

1. When you get to your launch the weight should
   stay back.
2. If you stride or have a leg lift you must land
   with a soft toe and a soft front side.
3. Soft front side meaning weight does not shift to
   the front of the stance.
4. In a good launch 70 of you weight will be on the
   back foot and 30 on the front.
5. This will allow us to use are hips and the force
   of our legs to generate bat speed and power.
6. Good hitters can tell when they are out on the
   front foot usually when they take a pitch. That
   is why it is important to establish a good take.
7. Keeping the weight in the proper position will
   allow us to hit with more power and easier to
   adjust to off speed pitches.

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The Load/Launch

1. The hands should be close to the back shoulder or
   ear.
2. The back elbow will be pointed away from the
   pitcher.
3. When loading do not wrap the bat around the head
   because it makes the swing longer to the ball.

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The Load/Launch
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The Load/Launch

1. The head must have little or no movement.
2. Your eyes should now be fixed on the window or
   box at the pitchers release point.
3. The chin is still positioned on the front
   shoulder.

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Explosion!!
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!! EXPLOSION !!
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The Explosion

1. The hips should drive to the ball while keeping
   the weight balanced and not drifting forward.
2. When the hips start, pull the bottom hand through
   without showing the knob of the bat to the
   pitcher.
3. The top hand is the driving force to contact.
   Its just as if you were punching the ball.
4. Our concept will be to keep the hands inside the
   ball. Trying not to go around the ball or
   creating a long swing.
5. We want the angle of the bat to go from A to B

A
C
B
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A controlled explosion!Thunder scares but
lightning strikes

1. We should be able to have balance again during
   the swing to contact and beyond.
2. The head must remain down on contact all the way
   through the swing.
3. The hips do drive through the ball but the front
   side must remain closed. In order to do this the
   front foot cannot fly open or spin.
4. The head will remain between the feet while
   keeping our weight back.
5. For explosive hips try to emphasize pinching the
   knees and creating the L on the back side.
   Remember we do not shift our weight forward when
   trying to accomplish this position. If you do,
   this is a term I call leaking.

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The Drive

• The body should have and imaginary axis going
  down through the head to the ground. Just imagine
  that there is a wall against our front side hip.
• Our axis of rotation should be as small as
  possible.
• Picture an Olympic figure skater. To
  spin faster what do they do with the body? Do
  they make themselves bigger or smaller? The
  smaller or shorter we can make our path along
  that imaginary line the quicker our hands will be
  and the more consistent the swing will be in the
  strike zone. The key is to keep the head between
  the feet.

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Head Down
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Head Down
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The Eyes Have It
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The eyes have it.
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At contact and through contact.
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From contact to finish.
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The Finish

1. We finish where we started!
2. The head should end up in the same place
   throughout the swing.
3. A helpful tip is to think shoulder to shoulder
   with the chin.
4. Stay on that imaginary line an try not to drift
   even during the swing.
5. We should still remain balanced ending up with a
   sound base.

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The Finish

1. The damage is done on contact but in order to
   have solid contact we must follow through to get
   maximum drive or launch.
2. To get a good feel for when the hips and hands
   finish you must know where to be or end up.
3. The hands will finish high and the belly button
   should be facing toward the direction of the
   ball.
4. The backside or but cheeks will be clinched
   together.
5. The head is key making sure it travels from the
   front of your shoulders to the back. The head
   should stay through the zone as long as possible.
   If you lift the head too soon the ball may be
   topped or capped.
6. The back leg will create an L shape and the front
   leg will be slightly stiff.
7. The last is balance. Where you finish after
   contact will determine if the swing was correct.

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Finish Through the baseball!
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Key points to check for a good finish.

1. The head has to remain free from the swing. If
   the head moves so does the ball.
2. If you fall over the plate you are probably going
   around the pitch instead of staying inside.
3. If you have trouble with your balance you should
   adjust your base.
4. Is my head coming off the ball too soon? You can
   tell by the flight of the ball ( topspin or a
   diving ground ball).
5. We are trying to create back spin. Emphasize
   hitting down through the ball.

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The Finish
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The Outside Pitch
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The Outside Pitch

1. When hitting the outside pitch you must allow the
   ball to travel deep into the box trying to hit it
   off of the back leg.
2. To notice pulling off look at the ball in
   reference to the swing. A left hander that pulls
   usually hits the outside pitch weakly to the
   second baseman, and a right hander usually hits
   it weakly to the short stop.
3. Hitting the ball deep in the stance helps you
   drive that ball with the meat part of the bat.
4. This is the only exception with balance on the
   outside pitch. That is you may fall toward the
   direction of the ball after contact.

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Notice the head in position to hitting the
outside pitch.
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AL
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Arod from start to finish
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COACHING POINTS AND PHYLOSOPHY

1. You should always finish where you started.
   (Start where you finish)
2. Emphasize the use of the hands. They are what
   control the bat.
3. Stay inside the ball and not around, trying to
   keep a short quick swing (A to B).
4. Think hips and hands with a controlled explosion
   and good balance (unselfish).
5. Drive the hips and create a good L on the back
   leg with the front foot closed a little flexed.
6. Hit in an athletic stance and on the balls of
   your feet.

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From physical to mental

• Have an approach before you enter the box.
• Fastball! The only pitch I look for in an
  aggressive count. The good hitting counts ex
  00,10,20,21, and 31.
• The box is your property, protect and guard it
  with authority. If a pitcher takes too long call
  time and step out.
• Know the situation before you step into the box.
  Moving runners, driving them in, or the position
  of the fielders.
• Picture in your mind the pitch and see it through
  the infield. See yourself getting a base hit or
  double, etc.

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Hitters Frame/ Pitchers Release
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Release Points

1. Find a spot to focus on.
2. Never stay focused for more than a few seconds on
   one spot because our eyes tire at long periods of
   time.
3. I focus on the glove then when the pitch is
   delivered I find the release point or window.
4. Find something that is comfortable for you. Ex
   hat, jersey, number

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Timing, Timing, Timing

• Timing is the key element to hitting. If we
  cant learn to make adjustments hitting will be a
  difficult task to do. It is important to create
  perfected word habits. How will you work? Take
  this approach! Which is the easiest way to cut a
  tree? Using a sledge hammer or an axe? An axe
  of course! You may think you are working hard
  everyday, but are you working the right way?
  Even the professional hitters have to better
  there swing. Look at it this way! If you want
  to be a 500 hitter than you should get 500
  quality cuts at least everyday. I feel that
  hitting is confidant driven with the more cuts
  you take, along with quality practice, success
  can be achieved. Study the game and especially
  your opponent and the umpire, because knowing
  what you are up against and their tendencies will
  make consistency easier. Never press! Hitting
  requires patience and self confidence. Without
  the two you will always put yourself into bad
  hitting situations. Study film on your swing at
  games and practices. Make sure you are putting
  yourself in the best position to succeed. It
  was said that Tony Gywnn study every at bat after
  every game to perfect his swing (182). Allow
  your swing to develope! Dont go changing you
  swing for every bad day at the plate. Remember 3
  out of 10 is a good hitter. Here are some key
  points.

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Key Points

1. Study/ know your swing and your opponent.
2. Find the release and see the ball.
3. Be a patient hitter.
4. Put yourself into good hitting counts.
5. Controlled explosion with balance.
6. Visualize what a hit feels like and savor that
   emotion.

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This says it all.
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