Value of the Batting Tee
I think every youth baseball team should have a batting tee, or more than one. Contrary to what some people think, batting tees aren’t just for T-ball games. Batting tees are a extremely valuable teaching tool for hitting instruction.
Years ago when I was scouting for the Chicago White Sox I spent some time in Spring Training watching major league hitting coach Wall Wriniak work with Frank Thomas and Robin Ventura. For two hours they worked on hitting technique – all off the batting tee. They focused on nothing but mechanics and technique.
With the inclement weather we’ve been having these days I couldn’t think of a better time to be working with a tee. You don’t need the real baseballs, wiffle balls will do, and you don’t need to be on the schedule to practice on the field. You can set them up in a yard, the blacktop or any park. Be proactive and find a spot. The more productive swings a player or team gets the more they’ll be game ready.
When using a tee three major points need to be applied, otherwise your tee work will be fruitless and counterproductive. It’s easy for players to become complacent when they’re working off the tee because they don’t realize yet that repetition equals success.
First, make sure the player’s stance allows him to make contact with a free and easy swing. He shouldn’t be too far or too close. Contact should be as close as possible to the sweet spot. Lunging at the ball or being off balance at the end of the swing signals incorrect placement at the beginning.
After positioning yourself correctly the next thing to remember is your stride. No matter how big or small you are, or the length of your stride, you shouldn’t step past the stem of the tee. Stepping past the stem of the tee means you’ll be hitting the ball behind you and not out in front. If you’re not getting your hands extended at contact you’re probably stepping past the stem or standing to close to the tee.
Finally, the most important skill in hitting off a tee is keeping the player’s head down. Youth players like to see where the ball goes and will pull their head before contact. If they miss the ball completely; they’re definitely pulling their head. Batting tees don’t lie. You either hit it or you don’t. If you’re hitting into a screen and the player sees the ball hit the screen every time, he’s pulling his head way too soon.
Combining all the other hitting skills with these three major points will allow each player quality time on refining their technique without having to worry about hitting the ball in a live situation. Hopefully, by perfecting the swing on a tee, the skills will carry over into the game.
Youth players need hundreds of swings to perfect hitting a baseball. With the lack of practice time lately because of the weather, the batting tee can help them achieve that goal.
