If you caught any of the Game 3 then you know that Albert Pujols tied a World Series Record by hitting three home runs in one game. As I listened to countless sportscasters praising Albert for his remarkable power and accomplishment, I couldn’t help but to think about an interview I had heard a few months earlier.
After a great day at the plate in early summer, Albert was asked what makes him such a great hitter and what he attributes to his great success. Without missing a beat, he responded by telling the reporter that he thinks about hitting the baseball to all fields. He followed it up by talking about the consistency in which he approaches his at bat.
For the younger players out there, keep it simple. Chances are that you have a decent swing already and you only need to make a couple tweaks to really succeed as a player. Unfortunately, players go crazy searching for the right answers and often end up worse off then when they started. Did you know that the difference between a .250 hitter and a .300 hitter is one more rollover ground ball through the hole a week? One extra hit a week! That’s it!
If you don’t know what mechanical adjustments you need to make to improve, don’t make any at all! Educate yourself first before you go with the shotgun approach and test anything and everything when it comes your batting mechanics.
Work your visual skills. Work on recognizing pitches in the right sections of the plate and hitting the baseball to all fields. Tell yourself L for Left, C for Center, or R for Right after every pitch. If your taking BP, have your BP pitcher confirm that you recognized the pitch correctly. Considering that when your hitting the baseball well, you are usually “seeing the ball well”, you might as well work on what is going to get you the hits.
Enjoy the clip of Albert Pujols setting a baseball record!
Well put Coach. As a former associate scout I can tell you that these young ballplayers who even dream of playing ball at the college level need to start recognizing pitches and practice – practice- practice going to all fields. Hitting to all fields can be learned with the proper instruction and a lot of dedication. I have found that out of season training is where most players learn and become proficient. Never underestimate a good solid hitting coach. Your posts; articles and videos are excellent. These young players need quality information.