365 Days to Better Baseball - Huge Key to Great Hitting

Tuesday Tips to Tattoo the Ball

Importance of the Outer Half of the Plate for Great Hitting

Following are statements I make to my hitting students to help them get the necessary great hitting fundamentals:

"You cannot work on hitting the outside pitch enough"
" For every one pitch you get on the inner part of home, you will get 3 to 5 on the outer half"
"It takes perfect fundamentals to drive the outer half pitch to the opposite field."
"You can look for pitches outside and still protect hit the inside pitch, but not the other way around."
"Good hitters get jammed more than they hit balls off the end of the bat."

The statements speak for themselves and demonstrate the importance of practicing hitting pitches that are on the outer portion of home to achieve great hitting. Most hitters are so afraid of being jammed on pitches that they pull off the ball and cannot handle the most commonly pitched ball, the outside pitch. To hit the outer half strike well, batters must be willing to stay on the ball and let the ball get deep in the hitting zone.

Great hitting only comes with this understanding

Good hitting coaches drill players on this outer half pitch continually, knowing it will help their hitting mechanics as well as their batting average. Great hitting is only possible with an understanding and the ability to handle pitches on the outside half of home plate. The sooner young players learn that the better chance they have of reaching their hitting potential. One final statement, "Show me a hitter that can handle the outer half pitch and I'll show you a hitter with a ton of potential.'