A friend of mine recently attended a youth baseball clinic where
the featured speaker was a major league hitting coach. While making
his way to the podium, participants were opening up their notebooks
and turning on their tape recorders in anticipation of some
enlightening knowledge.
A friend of mine recently attended a youth baseball clinic where the featured speaker was a major league hitting coach. While making his way to the podium, participants were opening up their notebooks and turning on their tape recorders in anticipation of some enlightening knowledge.
To everyone’s surprise and dismay, the hitting guru instructed everyone to close their notebooks, drop their pens and turn off their tape recorders. He then imparted his wisdom by saying the way to hit was to “see the ball and hit it!” No gimmicks, no revolutionary information, just something simple and obviously easier said than done. Nonetheless, the point was to keep it basic.
Yet when you start to peruse magazines, baseball catalogs or online hitting Web sites you’ll begin to see items that are guaranteed to make you a better hitter. Believe me, nothing is guaranteed in baseball, especially hitting, since the odds are stacked against you from the word go.
However, you’ll find such hitting aids like the Head Down Trainer, which says it eliminates strikeouts and guarantees to make you a better hitter. Geez, eliminate strikeouts! You better get one.
Then there’s the T-3 Elite Bat, which will improve your bat speed and power. Wow, you don’t need protein shakes, growth hormones or bulging biceps? Guess you should order one.
Trusted by the pros the Power Punch will strengthen and position your lead arm to stay inside the pitch. Boy, you can swing the bat one handed! Well, you’ll certainly need this.
While you’re warming up you can do it with the Swing Builder, which says you can build more bat speed in anticipation of going up to hit. More bat speed? Put yourself down for one.
Another vision tool targeted toward hitting is the I-On, which proclaims you can track the ball closer to the point of contact and block out all other peripheral distractions. Hmm, your eyes as big as golf balls! Got to get one of those too.
If you want to hit the top of the ball then you’ll want to have the Zip-N-Hit Pro, which conveniently attaches itself to a fence, tree or outhouse. It heralds itself as a “must have” for parents and coaches. OK, you’ll take it.
By now, having purchased every hitting aid imaginable, your son or daughter should be able to never strikeout, watch the ball better, hit turbo shots in the gap and develop huge forearms. Hitting for a high average or launching monstrous home runs shouldn’t present a problem.
Now send them to the next practice outfitted with all this paraphernalia and I’m sure they’ll become the next Ted Williams or contend for the batting title in their respective league, despite the fact they look like something out of a Star Wars convention.
And if you believe all this gadget hype, then I’ve got some beach front property for sale in Nebraska that you might be interested in purchasing.
See the ball. Hit the ball. That’s the only fundamentals you’ll ever need and it won’t cost you a dime. Case closed. Game over.
Rich Taylor is the CEO and head instructor of California Pitching Academy. Reach him at rj********@***oo.com.
