NEWS • NOTES • PRACTICE • EVENTS • NEXT GAME

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Pitch recognition is one of the hardest yet most important skills a hitter can develop. Knowing the count, the pitcher’s tendencies and being able to see the rotation of the ball, is the greatest skill every good hitter needs to develop.

K-zone

Knowing the strike zone only comes from years of experience. Hitting off the batting T, in the batting cages, and off live batting practice are the best ways to work on hitting. However, by doing visualization exercises, hitters learn to master the zone just as well, though some never do, they are called free swingers.

Hitters should always focus on swinging only at pitches in the strike zone and in an area where they can drive the ball. The basic zone is basically the same, but can vary slightly between umpires and leagues. Some will call a lower or higher

strike than others while some will call the outside strike that other umpires will not. As a hitter, it is your responsibility to study the previous hitters and the umpires to learn what pitches are being called strikes and where. Then implement that knowledge into your plate coverage techniques, to maximize every plate appearance resulting in “good at bats”. This is what separates good hitters from great hitters. The ability to recognize pitches, to see the  rotation well enough to determine if it is a curve, slider or fastball, is a split second decision, that if a hitter needs master. Doing this properly will lead to allot of success at the plate. Keep in mind a good hitter fails 70% of the time, that's how hard it is to hit a pitched baseball. Great hitters have just a 30% success rate. That means if you get three hits every ten at bats, you are a .300 hitter. Hitting a pitched baseball is one of the hardest things to do of any sport played. It is usually moving really fast, spinning and thrown a short distance away with great force. I recommend everyone try it before saying something mean to a hitter who strikes out.