This time, I'd like to write about the points you should check regarding your stance at the plate and your batting form.
I can't write about anything too technical, so I'll focus on simple things you can do right away.
A collection of articles on batting, fielding, and base running tips for beginners in amateur baseball.
About stance
Stance refers to the way you stand when you are ready to play, including the direction your feet are facing.
They are mainly divided into three types: square, open, and closed.
The advantages of an open bat are that it makes it easier to see the ball and to react to inside pitches.
The downside is that it can make your body more prone to opening up.
The advantage of a closed grip is that it prevents your body from opening up too much, allowing you to draw the ball in (making you more effective against curveballs).
The disadvantages are that it requires lower body strength because you hit from a closed stance, and it's easily neutralized by powerful fastballs.
Basically, a square stance with your feet parallel to the pitcher, without any quirks, is best.
However, I'd like to delve a little deeper into this topic.
The direction of the batted ball depends to some extent on the direction of the pivot foot (the foot opposite the pitcher).
If your swing tends to be biased towards pulling the ball, you can correct this by closing your grip slightly.
One way to utilize this is to temporarily close your stance when trying to advance runners with a hit.
In an open stance, the body tends to open up easily, and it's difficult to step towards the pitcher, resulting in less power to hit the ball far.
However, it also has the advantage of making it easier to see the ball and react to various types of hits.
Changing your stance requires getting used to and courage, but if you use it effectively, you can compensate for your weaknesses, so try it if you have the opportunity.
Additionally, a standing width of about shoulder width is generally considered safe.
However, widening the swing width makes it more difficult to time the swing, but it does increase the power of the hit.
Grip height
Regarding grip height, it's acceptable as long as it's at least above the top of the strike zone.
The higher the height, the more potential energy can be used to bring the weapon down, which is advantageous.
However, a grip position that is so high that the armpit on the pitcher's side is open has the drawback of preventing a proper swing.
Generally, the area from the shoulder to the side of the ear is a safe bet.
Should I stand the bat upright or lay it down?
The idea is that when you hold it upright, it gains momentum, making it harder to swing.
Conversely, if you hold the bat at a slight angle behind you, the bat will swing more smoothly, but because the head is lower, the potential energy mentioned earlier is reduced.
Think about whether you're the type of player who likes to build up power before releasing the bat, or the type who prefers to release it smoothly, and then decide.
Honestly, when you're at the top of your swing, the correct position is with the bat upright.
As long as you can maintain that level of security, you're free to adopt any stance before reaching the top.
Regarding positioning
The question is where to stand in the batter's box.
In terms of positioning, standing closer to the catcher is advantageous.
Because you can watch the ball for a longer time, and you have the most time to spare.
However, if you're facing a pitcher with a great breaking ball, you'll need to position yourself as close to the pitcher as possible and try to hit the ball before it changes direction.
However, there aren't many pitchers like that, so basically, it's best to stand at the very back.
Now, let's move on to the horizontal problem.
It's a matter of whether you stand closer to the bass or further away.
Beginners tend to stand a little closer to the plate, fearing that they won't be able to reach outside pitches with their bat.
However, I recommend standing a little further away.
The reason is that it's easier to reach out and hit an outside pitch than to try to hit an inside pitch compactly.
In particular, if you can make contact with the ball with your arm fully extended, you can carry it with force.
It would be tough against a pitcher with a slider that moves away from the outside of the strike zone into the ball zone, but such pitchers don't come along very often.
Above, I've written down some things you can try right away.
If you find anything useful, please try it out.
