2 strike approach

Hitting with two strikes requires a different approach than hitting with less than two strikes. With two strikes you must hit the pitcher’s pitch (if it is a strike) and you cannot “sit on a pitch”. This type of hitting is know as “reactive” hitting. You must see the ball and react to it.

Two strike hitting is much tougher than hitting with less than two strikes. Major League hitters on average hit less than .200 with two strikes and above .320 on average with less than two strikes. If you want to hit .300, you need to learn to hit with two strikes. If you can get your two strike average up - you will improve your overall batting average

Two strike hitting tips:
1. Keep your swing short. Some hitters shorten their stride or eliminate it altogether with two strikes. The short stride or no stride approach starts with a wider stance to begin with (you are essentially starting in a “pre-stride” position. The longer you can look at the pitch (to identify it) - the better with two strikes.

2. Use an “inside out swing” with two strikes, going to the opposite field will give you longer time to identify the pitch. This is a great time to let the ball get deep and hit the inside half of the baseball.

3. Concede the long ball and just get the barrel on the ball - as Ted Williams used to say. Don’t try to do too much, just hit a line drive (first choice) or ground ball (second choice) somewhere ( to the opposite field if need be).

4. Crowd the plate a little bit. Make sure you have good plate coverage. Don’t let the pitcher sneak a strike by you out there.

5. Widen your strike zone slightly. Don’t chase real bad pitchers, but don’t get “rung up” on a close pitcher either. The “two strike” strike zone should be slightly expanded in the hitter’s mind to avoid being called out.

LSU Baseball Coach Paul Maineri

Good stuff from LSU Baseball Coach Paul Mainieri on hitting confidence.

Positive self talk

The running dialogue you have going on in your head (even when you aren't reading) is called your "self talk." In fact, although you have thoughts you can't fully express verbally, you could say that thinking is talking to yourslef. Thus, you do it all the time.

What do you say when you talk to yourself about your ability to play baseball?

Remember that what you think often determines how you play. Your thinking consists of your self-talk, along with your imagery. Thus, the words you say to yourself impact how confident you feel, making self-talk a pretty important topic. We are not always aware of what we are saying to ourselves. That's a good thing because if we were aware all of the time we'd go crazy.

However, this is also dangerous because you may be trash talking yourself by saying "I stink," "I can't hit," or "I may never get anyone out" but you aren't aware that you are doing it, you won't tell yourself to stop saying it! Because of all the failure that is built into baseball, alot of players spend a great deal of time talking negatively to themselves. Your self-talk is something you need to be aware of, at least to some degree.

Most important though, make sure you choose to talk to yourself in an encouraging, confidence-enhancing way. In short, talk to yourself the way you'd talk to your best friend.

HOW TO USE SELF-TALK TO ENHANCE YOUR PERFORMANCE

Figure out what you are saying to yourself when playing your best baseball will help you use self-talk to your best advantage. Say that to yourself whether you feel that way or not. Here are a few examples of self-talk statements you can repeat to yourself anytime:

General:-"I am totally focused on each pitch"

-"I have paid the dues and I am trusting my ability."

-"It is my time."

Hitting:-"Hit it hard"

-"Attack the ball"

-"Be aggressive"-

-"Use the whole field"

-"See the ball"

Pitching:-"The ball is going right there."

-"I'm the man."

-"Let it go."

-"Focus on the target, hit the target."

Fielding:-"Hit it to me."

-"I can make any play."

-"Stay down."

-"Quick as a cat."

Play the game one pitch at a time

"Once my catcher and I determine the pitch, that's all there is. There's nobody standing there then. I don't think about the next game, the next inning, the next hitter, the next play. There's only the next pitch. It's the only job I have."- Orel Hershiser, LA Dodgers

2011 LSU Baseball - Tommy Lasorda's Inspirational Message

Tommy Lasorda Speech Everyone has to work together to achieve success.

TCU Baseball 2011: Quiet Confidence

Great video! Hustle, grit, and fundamentals will take you to the top!

COMPETING AGAINST YOURSELF

"The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win. The principle is competing against yourself. It's about self-improvement, about being better than you were the day before."

~Steve Young

SIMPLE WINS

A lot of players want to make "big plays"; but you win more games because of "basic winning plays" repeated over & over again. Simple wins more! Focus on making the routine play every time. That will lead you to success.