THE OUTSIDE PITCH DRILL

By Charles "Popcorn" Thompson

The outside pitch drill is great for teaching hitters how to control there hands during the swing. The drill should be performed as in the picture to the left.  The tosser should be about 15 feet away from the batter and to the side as in soft toss either sitting or standing (I prefer standing).  Toss the ball to the center of the batter's body which is the same as the hitter allowing the ball to get deep in the zone.  

Three things should be emphasized in this drill.  

1.  Bat lag.  
Bat lag is when the barrel follows the hands to the ball.  Most young hitters have the tendency of "rolling" the top hand on an outside pitch which causes the barrel to get in front of the hands too soon.  This usually results in a weak ground ball to the pitcher or an infielder.

2.  A Strong Top-Hand.  
A strong top-hand is when the barrel does not drop too soon during the swing. When the barrel drops too soon the result is usually a pop-up.  

3.  A Tall Backside.  
Notice that the batter in the picture is not collapsing his backside. This is what I mean by having a tall backside. The batter's upper body is centered with his feet at contact. The tall backside helps to decrease the hitter's chances of poping up.

The Baseball Batting Grip

By Charles "Popcorn" Thompson

The baseball batting grip is one of the most overlooked things in youth baseball. When working with a new student, always start with the grip. The proper grip allows the hands to work together as a single unit, while an improper grip causes the hands to work against themselves. This can really be seen at contact. A hitter will have better bat control and maximum bat speed with a proper grip.

An incorrect grip can be spotted from the dugout. The elbows and wrists are good indicators of an improper grip. If the knuckles are not aligned properly the front elbow especially will be too high. This usually happens when the third (the largest) knuckles are aligned. Another indication of an improper grip is when both wrists are "straight" from the back of the hand to the forearm. I like to see a slight "V" formed at the back of the wrists. This slight "V" along with the front and back elbows at about a 45 degree angle is a pretty good indication that the batter has a proper grip.

Many youth hitters will choke the bat in the palm which doesn't allow them to be in a strong position at contact. Start by holding the bat in the fingers not in the palm of the hand. The fingers should grip the bat in a relaxed manner in the stance. Don't worry about the batter throwing the bat. When the batter starts the swing, the fingers will grip the bat more firmly to keep from throwing the bat.

The grip should be with the "door knocking" knuckles aligned. This will help the hands to work together at contact. This grip should be taught to youth hitters. Many youth hitters will have the second knuckles aligned with the third knuckles and even the third knuckles together (this is pretty extreme). I know that many big-leaugers will have their second and third knuckles together, but notice the knuckles at contact, the second knuckles ("door knocking") are aligned. The reason for this is because they don't have a "death grip" on the bat, and their knuckles align themselves during the swing. Many youth hitters will grip the bat so tight that their knuckles could never get aligned in this manner.