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| Quality At Bat
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First of all, understand that batting is difficult. The best batters hope to fail only
70% of the time, yielding a batting average of .300. Very few sporting tasks present this
type of challange. This failure rate is viewed negatively, mostly because we are conditioned
to relate percentage grades to academic grades. A batting average of .300 is equal to a 30%
success rate. That means the other 70% of the time the batter failed to successfully obtain a
hit...in academic terms, an 'F'...in batting terms, an 'A'. So how do you become an 'A' batter?
Just like academics...homework. That does not mean just swinging a bat. If you are studying
for a history test, you don't just read anything. Likewise, if you are studying to become a
better batter, you must concentrate on the fundamentals of batting. But even prior to ever
swinging a bat, there are other aspects which get overlooked.
What is the #1 Priority of a batter?
A) Get a walk
B) Get a hit
C) Get on base
D) score runs
E) None of the above
Answer: 'E - none of the above'
The batter's first and foremost priority is to have a
'Quality At-Bat' or QAB. A QAB is what gives the batter the opportunity to hit, walk, get on
base, score etc. The converse is true also. Without a QAB, the batter stands little chance of
doing anything but returning to the dugout.
How do you obtain a QAB?
A) Proper attitude
B) Proper bat selection
C) Get the pitcher's timing while in the 'on deck' circle
D) Visualization
E) Know the situation
F) Know your signals
G) Ball Focus
H) Pitch Selection
I) Fundamental Swing
J) All of the above
Answer: 'J - All of the above'
As you can see, swinging the bat is a small portion of a
Quality At-Bat. In fact, swinging the bat is not even manditory to have a QAB. If a pitcher
gives you 4 straight balls that are close to the strike zone but are not strikes and you do not
swing the bat and earn a walk...that is a QAB! Quality At-Bats consist of:
Proper attitude - positive, confident thoughts
Proper bat selection - the heaviest bat that you can swing without loss of bat speed. You
should be able to handle the bat by whipping it forward and backward with one hand and being
able to control the bat without the bat controlling you.
Get the pitcher's timing - use your time in the on-deck circle wisely. Timing is
everything...and the only way to get it is to watch the pitcher and make some swings while
waiting your turn. Take this time to notice where the pitcher's release point is...you will need
that information.
Visualization - Use the time in the on-deck circle while you are getting the pitcher's
timing, to visualize a sharp base hit. Look to the outfield and find the gaps. Visualize your
hit going through the gap. Get serious...think positive and 'see' the pitch make contact with
your bat.
Know the situation - How many outs...runners on base...etc.
Know your signals - read your coaches signals and aggressively trust them
Ball Focus - Learn how to pick up a spot on the pitcher to look at that is NOT the
release point. Look at her hat, or chin...find something to look at. As she starts her arm
rotation, move your eyes to her release point and focus on the spot the ball will be delivered
from. The reason for this is that if you get in the box an simply stare at the release point
you will have difficulty holding focus on that spot. It is nothing personal, it is just the
way the human eyes work.
Pitch Selection - As a batter, you have less than 1/2 second from the time the pitcher
lets go of the ball to the time it crosses the plate. That 1/2 second can be divided into three
segments for processing by a batter. Each of the three segments has a total time of 16/100ths
of a second. The first segment is obtaining the ball, the second segment is calculating the
trajectory or flight path of the ball and its speed. At 32/100ths of a second, a decision is
made whether or not to swing the bat. The third and last segment is the actual physical motion
of swinging the bat. As you can see, pitch selection is a quick and crucial process to the QAB.
Fundamental Swing - The swing is important and many books and videos are available
on the topic, so I won't go into actual swing techniques here. But without success in the other
steps, the swing is worthless.
Quality At-Bats are not about hits. Quality At-Bats are obtained by fighting a pitcher off,
fouling balls and working hard to keep your at-bat alive. They are obtained by not wasting
swings on pitches that are not strikes. QABs are obtained by letting the high balls go by, even
though they look like a basketball and you believe you can knock them out of the park. In time,
QABs will offer you the opportunity to 'Bat Into Play' or BIP. A BIP is any ball batted into
play. A hit is a BIP first. Once the ball is batted into play, it becomes a hit ONLY if a
fielder cannot handle the ball and make the out with reasonable effort.
Take the pressure off of hitting by learning and teaching the basics of QABs.
Actually obtaining a 'hit' is difficult. Hitting should be the least of the batter's worries.
QABs should be the priority. Batting success starts with QABs. If you concentrate on QABs
and BIPs, hits will happen.
- Ron Holt
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Questions? Comments? Concerns? Complaints?...
E-Mail Me
or call me at:
(512)924-5488
-or-
(512)515-6647
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Batting Info |
The best batters in the world...the professionals that make millions of dollars, fail about 70% of the time. Batting is difficult. Work hard on it. There is no other single designated task in sport which is as difficult as batting.
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QAB Concept
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The 'Quality At Bat' concept in one I found in a book call "Heads Up Baseball". If you're a coach and you have not read it, go get ...it'll change your coaching perspective and will have significant impact on your players and your team if you apply it.
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