Different Kinds of Bunts in Baseball and How to Do Them Properly

Filed under Hitting by on June 19, 2011 at 11:54 {no comments}

When first learning the sport of baseball, you typically learn that there are two kinds of bunts: sacrifice bunts, and bunts for a base hit. In fact, there are more kinds of bunts than only those two. I like to call these kinds of bunts specialty bunts, simply because they’re only used in certain situations if a player believes it is necessary. Most of these bunts are not as easy to accomplish than the conventional bunt, but if you execute it correctly, it could possibly pay off big time. These types of bunts are normally made use of in very important situations during a baseball game and therefore they must be learned so that if you are ever called upon to perform, you are able to with confidence.

Drag Bunt: This style of bunt is primarily used by left-handed batters mainly because it is a whole lot more effective. However, you can certainly make use of this bunt if you are right-handed, however it will not be quite as effective. The goal of the drag bunt is to get on base, not to sacrifice a runner to the next base. To execute this bunt, you need to wait until the last moment possible to show your intention to bunt and bunt the ball to the same side of the field as you bat (left-handed hitters to first, right-handed batters to the third base side). The trick (especially for left-handed batters) is to start moving towards first base at the same time as you bunt the ball, which is certainly a lot trickier than it sounds! This movement saves valuable time and may make the difference between you being safe and you being called out at first base on a bang-bang play.

Push Bunt: Ordinarily, once a bunt is revealed, the second baseman will go and cover first base while the pitcher, 3rd baseman, and 1st baseman all attempt to field the bunt. The objective of a push bunt is to get a hit by bunting or “pushing” the ball hard past the charging fielders towards where the 2nd baseman would normally stand (but remember, he is over covering first, not covering his regular location). This leaves nobody to field your bunt in time to throw you out at first if you are a half-decent runner. To execute this bunt, you need to push the ball as you’re bunting it. Generally this is a no-no while bunting as you’re supposed to “catch” the baseball with the bat, but in this instance you need to put some power on the bunt to push it past the mound and towards the second base position.

Suicide Squeeze: The objective of the suicide squeeze would be to score a base runner from third, mostly performed with one out. With this particular bunt, you don’t care if you’re called out or safe at first base so long as the base runner scores. With this bunt, as soon as the pitcher commits, the base runner at third base should break to steal home and then it is the hitter’s job to lay the bunt down ideally away from home plate so the base runner can’t be tagged out. This kind of bunt is a do-or-die. As the batter, if you want to protect your runner from almost certain doom, you have to get the bunt down, even if this would mean bunting a bad pitch.

Hopefully, by knowing (and practicing) these various types of bunts, you will be able to execute them during a game whenever your team needs you to. Even though bunting is not usually the thrilling part of hitting, it could be if you execute during the right moments. It is all about doing what you are able to help your team win, and bunting is a significant aspect of doing that. Knowing how to bunt well is a enormous advantage that coaches and scouts look for in a player. Be sure that you do not slack off and learn how to bunt well, as it’s going to be worthwhile later!

Are you interested in improving your game and being the best baseball player you can possibly be? If so, visit the website “best baseball workouts” to find more helpful information as well as baseball workouts and information about plyometrics for baseball that will take your game to another level!

Tips on How to Avoid Your Fear of Being Hit by a Pitch

Filed under Hitting by on June 13, 2011 at 10:35 {no comments}

For some young players one of the largest troubles to overcome in baseball is the fear of being hit by a pitch while hitting. This fear is the reason for various technical flaws while batting, the biggest being “stepping in the bucket” where you step away from the plate as you swing. It is pretty much impossible to be a good hitter when you’re scared of the ball. As former Red Sox player Carl Yastrzemski said, “If you’re afraid of being hit, you might as well not bother going up to the plate at all. You can’t hit the ball if you’re afraid it will hit you.” While this is usually a big fear to conquer, with some persistence it is definitely possible.

The first thing you ought to do for you to cure your fear of being hit by a pitch should be to know why you’re afraid of it. You’re likely afraid of being hit by a pitch because you don’t want to be wounded or in pain. Well, if you find out how to avoid being injured if a pitch is coming at you, you’ll likely be less frightened of the baseball hitting you. If you’re going to get hit with a pitch, the best possible spot to get hit is on the back or side of your body. So instead of stepping out and exposing the front of your body you want to turn towards the backstop in a clockwise direction (if you happen to be right handed) so your back is what gets hit. If you get hit in the back or side you won’t be in as much pain as you would be if you got hit somewhere else.

Now that you fully understand what to do if the pitch is coming towards you, you need to repair your confidence in realizing that if the baseball does hit you, it’s not going to hurt a great deal given that it will hit your back or side. A terrific drill to perform will be to have someone kneel ten feet from the hitter and throw rolled up socks for the hitter to swing at (only if they’re strikes). Occasionally throw a balled up sock at the hitter and have him turn away from the pitch the correct way rather than step away from the pitch. When the batter has got the hang of it using socks, progress to tennis balls, and after that soft tee-balls.

When the player feels safe knowing it does not hurt much if the baseball hits his back or side and he isn’t stepping in the bucket even with soft tee-balls, start using regular baseballs. Pitch some batting practice as you would normally, but throw one or two pitches at him. If he uses the correct approach to turning away from the pitch, he’ll quickly realize that it does not really hurt much to get hit in the back or side even with a typical baseball. His overall confidence while at bat will improve and he’ll be able to hit the ball better than ever as he will be striding towards the pitch rather than away from it.

It’s really depressing that a lot of young baseball players with a lot of potential never flourish and sometimes stop playing all because they are afraid of being hit by a pitch. All of us have fears and it’s necessary, regardless of whether we’re referring to baseball or life in general, to conquer those fears. By working hard and digging deep, it will be possible to get over this fear with no issues and get back to your baseball workouts and doing your best at the game.

Additionally, if you are interested in improving your baseball skills, check out the website “best baseball workouts” to find more useful info as well as baseball workouts and training programs for sale that will take your baseball skills to the next level!

How to Bunt in Baseball

Filed under Hitting by on June 8, 2011 at 13:51 {no comments}

Virtually all baseball players like to hit. Players really enjoy being the one up there at the plate hitting line drives along with the occasional long ball. Players like batting so much that they will do many baseball workouts and hitting drills to improve. Sadly, since everybody loves batting so much, sometimes understanding the way to bunt effectively is overlooked.

Sometimes, players (especially the younger ones) assume that bunting is for the players that are not good at hitting. This just isn’t true at all! Bunting is a very valuable skill in the game of baseball, and can make the difference between your team winning and your team losing. It might not be the most glorious thing to do, but it is critical that you learn to bunt and when to bunt.

When you bunt, you are looking to achieve one of two things. You either want to advance a baserunner to the next base or you want to get a base hit. Occasionally if you’re lucky you’re able to do both!

Sacrifice Bunting: The objective of sacrifice bunting is to move a runner to the next base. When sacrifice bunting, you should begin in your regular batting stance. Before the ball is released from the pitcher’s hand you want to square your whole body so it is facing the pitcher. Squaring up earlier makes it easier for you to see the arriving pitch. Make sure that your weight is on the balls of your feet and you’re in an athletic position with your feet shoulder width apart and your knees a little bit bent. Hold the baseball bat out over the plate with your left hand one third up the baseball bat from the knob, and the other hand two thirds up the baseball bat from the knob, pinching the barrel of the bat with your right hand. It is very essential to keep the bat parallel to the ground or the barrel end of the baseball bat higher than the knob end of the baseball bat while sacrifice bunting. You should bend your knees if you are planning to bunt a low strike as opposed to dropping the barrel of the baseball bat with your hands. If the barrel of the bat is nearer to the ground than the knob, it’s probable that you’ll pop up the bunt.

Bunting for a Hit: When bunting for a base hit, you should use the same exact principles as sacrifice bunting except for two things. The first is you want to surprise the opposing team and reveal the bunt as late as you possibly can. Wait until the pitcher is at least releasing the baseball to reveal the bunt. The later the better. The second difference is your stance. Rather than squaring your body facing the pitcher pitcher, you should stay in your batting stance and pivot both your feet so that your toes are facing the pitcher. This enables you to prepare yourself to bunt quicker so you are more likely to surprise the opposing team. Basically, everything else is the same as the sacrifice bunt.

Are you interested in improving your game and being the best baseball player you can possibly be? If so, you should you should visit www.BestBaseballWorkouts.com to find more useful information as well as baseball workouts and hitting drills that will take your game to another level!

Cliff Lee – Baseball Training Profile

Filed under Hitting by on June 5, 2011 at 10:58 {no comments}

This season, the Phillies are the talk of the baseball world whether or not you like them. And the reason for much of the talking is the Philadelphia Phillies starting rotation. Extraordinary is an understatement. The Philadelphia Phillies basically now have 4 aces on the staff with Cole Hamels, Roy Oswalt, Cliff Lee, and Roy Halladay starting four out of every five games. Right now, I want to talk about Cliff Lee, not merely because he is part of this dream rotation, but due to his good work ethic, and his good outlook towards baseball workouts and training.

Born in Arkansas, Cliff has always been a superb baseball player and loved sports. As he became older, his enthusiasm for baseball grew stronger. He was known for appearing quite passionate and often cocky on the baseball field. This cockiness helped him on the mound nonetheless it also had its negatives. After a loss, Cliff was not somebody you would like to be around. He took just about every loss personally. His family, friends, and teammates sometimes became the victims of his frustration.

Today, Cliff has learned to control his emotions better,but you can unquestionably tell his passion for baseball as well as his no BS attitude. The great thing about Cliff is the fact that he uses that mindset to shape his pitching drills, hitting drills, and total baseball workouts routine.

Cliff Lee determined a baseball training program he liked around 9 years ago and has kept with it since then. “I keep it simple,” Lee explained in an interview with Philly News. “The simpler the easier for me.” Anytime a trainer or coach wants Cliff to perform new pitching drills or hitting drills he always asks “why?” If there is not a valid answer as to how this new drill will substantially improve his game, he will not do it. It’s not that he is being stuck up…he is merely being sensible and not wasting his valuable time.

Not only is Cliff Lee passionate about the sport of baseball, but he is also passionate about serving his local community and giving back to those who have assisted his family. A year ago, Cliff and his wife Kristen donated one million dollars to the Arkansas Children’s Hospital in honor of their son Jaxon who was treated for cancer there when he was an infant. Cliff Lee is a good role model for young players and his no-nonsense approach towards baseball workouts is one I highly recommend to all serious players.

Are you interested in improving your game and being the best baseball player you can be? If you are, visit www.BestBaseballWorkouts.com to find more useful information in addition to pitching drills and hitting drills that will take your game to the next level!

2 Simple Yet Still Effective Hitting Drills

Filed under Hitting by on May 26, 2011 at 14:16 {no comments}

Have you been looking for a new, basic, and effective hitting drill to use in your current baseball workouts program? After exploring the internet and talking to many different baseball players and coaches to learn many amazing new hitting drills for you to consider. Today I am going to share two of them for you to try out and see what you think.

Dried Bean Drill: This drill is pretty similar to soft tossing using whiffle golf balls, except using dried beans. The next time you are at the supermarket, purchase several bags of dried butter beans. This is really affordable, as they in most cases cost around 50 cents a bag.

Stand a few feet to the side of the batter and soft toss the dried butter beans to the batter. In the beginning the player ought to hit with his regular bat and as he gets better and better and can hit the beans consistently, he should eventually begin using a broom stick. This will challenge his hand-eye coordination and after doing this for some time, a baseball will begin to look more like a beach ball!

Soccer Ball Drill: This is a wonderful drill for baseball players to increase their hitting power and their follow-through. For this drill you will want both a batting tee as well as a partially inflated soccer ball.

Set the batter up with a tee along with a batting screen just like they’d be hitting off a tee normally. Now, put the partially inflated soccer ball on the batting tee and have them hit it repeatedly. It is going to take a lot more strength to hit the soccer ball than they’d use for a ordinary baseball. Now put regular baseballs on top of the tee and have them take a couple of swings at baseballs. They will notice that after getting used to hitting a soccer ball they are now following through a lot better on the regular baseballs.

Are you interested in improving your game and being the best baseball player you can be? If you are, visit the site “best baseball workouts” to find more helpful information as well as baseball workouts and training programs for sale that will take your game to another level!

Page 1 of 212»

Article Archives