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4. If your shoulder comes off the wall, you have taken too big of a stride. That is, the ball is being pitched towards the batter on a particular plane (and actually changes planes depending on what type of pitch). A batter, by striding too far actually changes the plane that his or her head is on, thereby making the ball appear to move slightly. This usually results in a batter hitting the bottom of the ball because the eyes and head have moved down a plane and as a result they are no longer swinging at the part of the ball at which they were aiming.
5. There is no right way to assume the stance, however, the concept of not transferring your weight too far or too soon is fundamental to any discipline of hitting. As shown above and below, a batter may achieve a solid "up against the wall" stance in a variety of ways.
Haven't we all been told at one time or another to stride or take a step into the ball during our swing? Your little league coach probably told you that that was the way to get your weight into the ball and achieve some power. Well, guess what? That is the exact way to lose most of your power. You see, most of your power is produced by your lower body, and if your weight is transferred too quickly, as most hitters do, your power has been exhausted before it can be properly utilized. So, what is the solution? First you must understand that hitting a baseball has a great deal to do with leverage and keeping your head in one spot, or at the very least, on one plane throughout your swing. Therefore, Clutch Hitting encourages its students to practice a stride or a step which achieves the utmost leverage and at the same time promotes a swing which keeps the batter's head in the same spot throughout the swing. Questions or clarification: E-mail us and we would be glad to explain in greater detail or supply you with one of our basic hitting fundamentals manuals. Bonus Hint: A different way to practice "Up against the Wall" Stand in front of a mirror in your batting stance. Pay attention to where your nose or eyes are located in the mirror, and place a piece of tape on the spot. Now, take your batting stance again, your nose or eyes should not be visible because of the tape. Then, take your step/stride and if you can then see your nose or eyes then you are coming off the wall and transferring too much weight. Then, repeat the whole process and add your swing, your eyes/nose should still be behind the tape.
All material © Clutch Hitting, 2002
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