The Tools of Ignorance

"Why don't we have collisions at 1st, 2nd, and 3rd base like we do at home plate in pro baseball?"

My response:
Besides opponents on offense being able to score a run ONLY at home plate in the game, catchers have the advantage of wearing protection at their defensive position or as some say...the tools of ignorance.

New Moon Is As New Moon Does?

"Why are you terrible at baseball?

Don asked and stated:

I am the best ever. You are all terrible. So I ask why."

My response:
Senor Mustard, I saw your OFP on your scouting report, and it was a Zero/NP.. with a side comment of "too much style and not enough smile". Lo siento, amigo.

Yo Lo Tengo! o No, Yo Lo Tengo!

“How can I get better in catching pop flys in baseball?

Alright so I'm in my highschool baseball team I play in the outfield. I'm not in in the team I'm in practice the coach already saved me a spot in the team but he has to see I'm commited to the team anyway. He hit me 8 fly balls today and I didn't catch any and was close to catching 1 but it fell of the glove. I need help timing were the ball will land like how far or how close it will land. Can you tell me how I can improve?”

Naturally, you'll improve with practice, but to learn faster...you should be doing the depth perception drills that most high school, college, and minor league outfielders are being coached to do. Hitters are taught these drills as well as part of Dr. Bill Harrison's Fine Centering/Soft Centering Baseball Dynamic Vision Training Program. These drills have been used in baseball for decades. As an extra tip, after you "Google" baseball depth perception drills or go to Dr. Harrison's Slow The Game Down website, practice all three depth perception drill distances...close, middle, and long distance for best results.

Pulling Your Head Out?

“How do I prevent my head from turning in my baseball swing?

Recently I've found out that my head moves up and back when I swing which also causes me to uppercut. I recorded myself on my iPad and it seems like I'm pushing my whole body back before I even make contact. I've had this problem for a while and I need help with it. It seems like when I uppercut it feels level but its not. Any drills, tips or videos would be greatly appreciated.”

If my hitting mechanics blog posts don’t help you stay torqued, try the videos and tools below:

Dr. Bill Harrison and his son Ryan Harrison have the perfect fix for pulling your head out....and more:

http://www.slowthegamedown.com/

Jaime Cevallos' MP30 Training Bat will cure your uppercut and give you the slot position swing you should have.

http://theswingmechanic.com/

If I Had A Dollar Everytime...

How to increase my batting strength?

Core work AND extra lead hand extensions through progressive isotonic training is the first step. Secondly, drop the idea that being a ‘hands hitter’ is the best and only swing on the planet. Instead, use the slot position swing. It will require you to use your whole body in your swing. The MP30 Training Bat developed by Jaime Cevallos, The Swing Mechanic, is the best slot position swing training tool available.

The Kit and Caboodle of Holistic Hitting

What you see below is the culmination of many years of developing a hitting system that can be used on every level that hitting occurs. I named it Holistic Hitting because it integrates mind, body, & spirit into the act of hitting.

For better hitting,

Del Pittman

On Deck Circle

It's important to understand that you get your hits here before you ever get into the batter's box.

Begin by reinforcing your slot position swing muscle memory with the MP30 Training Bat (see Jaime Cevallos' Swing Mechanic MP30 blog post).

Now proceed with mental prepping your pre-pitch Timing Activation (see Timing Activation blog post), desensitize your nervous system (see On Deck Drill To Desensitize The Nervous System blog post), and lastly before heading to the batter's box -do a quick depth perception drill by looking at your fine centering-soft centering reference points*.

NEXT

Repeat before the 1st pitch and after each sequential pitch...the following...

Outside box or half and half if league rules allow:

Night Game… Close eyes for 5 seconds for improved vision (See Retina/Vision Trick blog post)...You may have to remind your 3rd base coach that you'll be doing this.

Situational Awareness:

Know outs and base runners' locations and then look to 3rd Base Coach

IN BOX:

Pre-Pitch Recycling Timing Activation (See Recycling and Timing Activation Blog Posts if needed).

Once completed...

Start getting in rhythm with the pitcher, initiate small c knuckle of hand movement (see KEEPING YOUR HEAD STILL IN YOUR SWING FROM THE START blog post) and pre-Oxygenation phase:

Gently shift your weight from back to front repeatedly over your center point (40-60) and draw a small c with your knuckle as you are fine centering and soft centering visually. Continue the rhythm rocking breathing in through the nose going back and breathing out through a slightly open mouth going forward. This keeps the jaw relaxed and prevents teeth clinching which can lead to blurred vision.  (Key emphasis is to do this simultaneously with a controlled, calculated rhythmic weight shift.)

Begin Oxygenation phase  ( see Oxygenating Your Blood With Breathing During an At Bat and Its Importance in Hitting blog), complete Fine Centering-Soft Centering (Focus on Pitcher’s Cap logo & then re-focus visually to the Release Point (Avoid being hypnotized by watching the Pitcher’s Windup)*, and start stride/launch sequence.

*See Dr. Bill Harrison's Slow The Game Down blog post for fine centering-soft centering pitch tracking...

From Pitcher's Cap Logo to Timing of the Release Point:

Identify pitch and velocity

Begin Tracking Mentally…Yes, Yes, Yes, YES* or Yes, Yes, Yes, NO.

You either pull the trigger or you don't, but if you do pull the trigger...

(At contact during your slot position swing in the blocking phase with a firm front side, squeezing the handle in the palms helps add more power as a result of an additional neuromuscular response used in conjunction with compressed organs in the oxygenation/breathing process)

Post Hit:

In the dugout, enjoy the congratulations and the pats on the back.

Then, reward yourself with a cup of water. Funny as it sounds...you should do this.

(behavioral conditioning)

On Deck Drill To Desensitize The Nervous System

Desensitizing the nervous system by using breathing techniques followed with slaps and pats* from toe to head will have a positive effect towards achieving relaxation which improves focus, quiets the mind, and prepares the hitter to be aggressive and confident when he faces the pitcher. Additional on deck prep steps include using your timing activation affirmation along with muscle memory work with a MP30 Training Bat, quick depth perception drills, and fine tuning your dynamic visual acuity with fine centering and soft centering reference points...all are reinforced here in the on deck circle. After this, you're ready "to see the ball; hit the ball".

*The "pat down" technique is a better pre-at bat technique than "tapping" or the acupressure T.A.T. technique...both of which are good techniques, but are better practiced in a different time and place than in the on deck circle...at least from my experience.

Oxygenating Your Blood With Breathing During an At Bat and Its Importance in Hitting

Oxygenating your blood with 3 deep breaths during pre-pitch soft centering-fine centering will improve your dynamic visual acuity, and exhaling half of your 3rd deep breath and timing the holding of it as you shift your focus from the pitcher’s emblem on the front of his cap to his release point in the final phase of soft centering-fine centering enables a clearer focus on the type of pitch followed with clearer pitch tracking. As a side benefit of holding the breath*, which compresses the internal organs, will cause a neuromuscular strength gain at contact.

*For those that don’t know it, the breath can be held up to 7 seconds before focus becomes blurry. This shouldn’t concern the hitter, as the pitch should go from release point to contact point in 2/10s of a second…unless the pitcher’s specialty is the Eephus pitch or the Folly Floater.

TIMING ACTIVATION

The Timing Activation must be repeated often  to take root in the subconscious mind. Once ingrained, this technique will become second nature.

A Timing Activation  contains  spiritual and epigenetic thoughts along with powerful affirmations. Recycling, in baseball, softball, golf, tennis, and many other sports, has been around for more than twenty years, but I've found that adding a couple of important principles that have worked in my life as well as others has made a significant difference in the recycling impact on performance.

During recycling, which can be done in seconds, you'll be giving thanks to a HIGHER BEING. Along with gratitude, your ultimate goal of playing for something greater than yourself does separate yourself from the average player. Perhaps you have noticed doors do seem to open with this approach. It certainly has from my experience. Just as important,  if you love GOD, then you should also love yourself. Scientists as well as those involved in Epigentics are presenting further proof that love is powerful and can alter a genetic make up. Therefore, re-wire yourself to a better career with  love yourself thoughts.

For baseball and softball:

As stated earlier the Timing Activation in the Recycling routine contains powerful affirmations of developing yourself into a better hitter than you currently. You will be able to “gear up” with an aggressive belief that every pitch is your pitch to hit.

Recycling Example:

An example of a personalized Timing Activation for a major leaguer playing in the A.L. would be...

I love power hitting American League All-Star third baseman that is bettering mankind and baseball ME. Every pitch is MY pitch (to hit). (I) Expect fastball and adjust to the curve. Praise GOD. Trust GOD IN ALL THINGS.

A California HS hitter could use...

I love line drive hitting California HS All-State second baseman bettering mankind and baseball ME. Every pitch is MY pitch. Expect fastball and adjust to the curve. Praise GOD. Trust GOD IN ALL THINGS.

The Timing Activation can be amended and structured for each hitter’s level and league that he/she plays in. It is used in practice at hitting stations and during a game where it is repeated each at bat before the first pitch in an at bat and following each sequential pitch as part of the recycling process.

THE ABOVE CONDITIONED HITTING RESPONSE CAN BE DONE WITHOUT THINKING ONCE IT BECOMES HABIT FROM MULTIPLE REPS IN PRACTICE

ARE YOU SERIOUS?! Twins sign RHP Hughes for 3 years, $24M

That is the proverbial mystery wrapped in a riddle inside an enigma because he has the mental make up to be a successful starter, but is lacking the mechanics to be a big innings eater in the rotation. This will be one of those questions that’ll have to be addressed during the 2014 season...the kind of question that organizations are faced with when addressing what’s best for the organization and what’s best for the player. Mark my words...the Twins will regret this signing.

Phil has not purged himself of some of the mechanical issues that's affected him once again this past season, i.e., he’s a short armer which affects his endurance, the amount of movement on his fastball, and cuts down on the leverage on his new harder curve. Also, he hasn't changed his shallow follow through which prevents him from having the more desirable shoulder to shoulder rotation for improved control.

Expect control problems, high pitch counts before the 6th inning, and injuries.

OIP (Overall Injury Probability) Breakdown Numbers:

Leg Extension: -6

Hip Rotation: -10

Follow Through: -12

Short Arm Delivery: -8

Deceleration: -5

OIP 2014:  41%