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Online now: 7 members: BillKent, Boom66, Boricanuy, Nicki, TABLE SETTER 11, birdie, just joe; 123 anonymousDiscussion: Hitting to RF by a RH batter
| Posted | Discussion |
| Jan. 22, 2014 garyheifner 649 posts | Hitting to RF by a RH batter In all our games at the Florida Winter Nationals, the wind was blowing out hard to RC and Rt field. Now, me being a pull for the last 50 years, I thought what the hell, I will try and go with a wind this strong. I had "9' hits in the 13 times I tried. Some might say, that's not bad. However, only two were solid liners with the other "7" being, you can't be serious bleeders. The "4" outs were a pathetic waste of a time at bat. How about some tips on being a good RF hitter. |
| Jan. 22, 2014 tg69 393 posts | switch hit , bat left handed.Just messin with ya, I have the same problem. |
| Jan. 22, 2014 swing for the fences Men's 50 1224 posts | Wait, wait, wait, and then wait some more... I am a pull hitter too! I have worked on opposite field for the last couple of years in BP and have only applied it here and there in games.. but what I found out for myself is that even a pitch inside to middle of the plate I could hit to the right side if I waited long enough..Also found I could hit them well over 300 plus feet with a nice easy swing with not much of a step. being a pull hitter it takes a lot of discipline(especially in a game with juices flowing) to accomplish your goal and practice.. |
| Jan. 23, 2014 southernson 280 posts | The key is the right pitch. For big guys and power hitters that would be a chest high outside pitch. Drop the right foot in the bucket and the right shoulder with hit and swing away. That's what I hear anyway... |
| Jan. 23, 2014 Wayne 37 Men's 65 773 posts | What I do. Move back off the plate a little bit, and open your stance some. When swinging, keep your head, and front shoulder in. When you stride with your front foot, don't step back in towards the plate. During the swing, don't drop your right shoulder. That will cause you to pop up more often than not, or hit a little grounder. You will probably want to pull your hands a little closer to your body, while keeping the bat head back as you swing through. When you make contact, explode with your wrists. See if that works for you. |
| Jan. 23, 2014 Webbie25 Men's 70 2413 posts | The same thing applies to a lefty going to left. I used to go to left a lot, but with the advent of the hot bats I found out I could hit for power AND a high average just pulling the ball as hard as I could. But, admittedly it has made me a bit lazy. To go to left, I keep my left elbow in a bit and wait a little longer and I find I can drive most pitches to left. These are not major moves and it disguises the fact you are going that way. The other thing of course is pitch selection and waiting for the outside pitch. Don't overswing! |
| Jan. 23, 2014 softball4b Men's 70 1248 posts | This is going to sound stupid. Ball must be middle to outside. Let the ball travel deep. If you swing normally, the ball goes wherever your bellybutton finishes. If your BB finishes at the pitcher, so will the ball and vice versa. |
| Jan. 23, 2014 glovedad 31 posts | Gary, this is probably not proper technique, but I have found that when I want to go opposite field, it really helps for me to "walk the box." I stand a bit deeper and as the pitch is coming, I am able to position myself better by taking a couple of steps in my walking motion. I do pivot my body so it is pointing more towards right field. I have spent a lot of time in the batting cages working on it. It works best for me if the pitch is waist high or higher. The low pitch is hard for me to get over to right. The biggest thing I focus on is my contact point. I want it to be more towards my back shoulder, than my front shoulder or even right in front of me. Walking the box has really helped me position myself to hit the pitch to right. |
| Jan. 23, 2014 tightline Men's 50 12 posts | That is one aspect of the game that will become much more important for us power hitters with the new home run DBO rules. I tend to back off the plate a half a step and "hope" for a middle to outside outside edge pitch. Contact point about nipple high and drive it to Right between the 1st and 2nd basemen,If the 2nd baseman moves into the hole I go right center between the P and 2nd. I hit the middle of the ball. I focus on keeping my head tucked down following the bat to the ball. If youre popping up then you might be hitting a pitch too high near shoulder level. If I pop up its what I do. |
| Jan. 23, 2014 Brock Men's 80 84 posts | I'm right handed and probably hit up the middle to the right field line 90% of the time. To me, what "softball4b" said doesn't "sound stupid". I used to be a pull hitter in my younger days with adequate power. When I'd go into a hitting funk I'd try to go to right field because I felt it helped me get my eye back on the ball better. I stand back and to the rear of the batter's box and try to wait for a pitch in the middle to the outside of the plate and then wait before swinging. The belly button theory is accurate; similar to playing golf. The ball goes where your belly button points at the end of your swing. Even though I used to go back to pulling the ball, I finally realized that even though I sacrificed some power, my average was about 200 points higher going to right field so now I'm mostly a right field hitter. For Gary, I never apologize for "bleeders". I just say that makes up for the line drive shot that got caught. |
| Jan. 24, 2014 stattad Men's 65 235 posts | I agree that the #1 tip is to back off the plate a little. I am amazed at the batters that always stand in the same spot, even when they're in a position where a DP will kill the inning. |
| Jan. 27, 2014 garyheifner 649 posts | Thanks guys-gives me something to try |
| Jan. 29, 2014 Robo2 238 posts | I suggest before a game go to the back stop and pitch a ball up and hit it into the back stop. Basically: set up in front of the home plate and away; turn your back to the pitcher after he let's go of the ball; let the ball pass you by; and hit liking you are pitching to yourself. |
| Feb. 12, 2014 Wayne 37 Men's 65 773 posts | Robo2, You can chase the foul balls then. That's all I can deceiver. You described how the 70's and up swing |
| Feb. 13, 2014 The yooper 28 posts | glovedad: I agree with you. I hit a lot to right field and I just turn in the box, its like the pitch is coming from first base and no problem hitting with good power. I need to hit it where they ain't, if I had Webbie25 power I would just hit to left (as I bat right) but alas I do not. All I can say about a bleeder is they look good in the book, very similiar to a cheap strike when I bowl. Donny C The Yooper |
| Feb. 19, 2014 Mulewhipper Men's 55 128 posts | Good Stuff Alan, As far as technique goes, I would also add that you should really bring your hands through the zone first. A great way to get this down is to do lots of Tee Work. Hit off the tee concentrating on bringing your hands through the zone and the bat barrel will follow accordingly. Tee work will also allow you to figure out how far off the plate you truly need to be to make contact with the sweet spot. Watch video of Buster Posey and Derek Jeter, they both do this extremely well. IMHO |
