FORT HUNT LITTLE LEAGUE 4Mar2014
Hitting Tips #2
Hello Fort Hunt Baseball community!
This is the second in a series of ‘Hitting Tips’ emails that FHLL will be sending out to help prepare your children for the upcoming spring baseball season. These tips are providedcourtesy ofChuck Hoyle of Hoyle Hitting LLC Chuck has taught hitting since 1994 to Northern Virginia players, including many from FHLL, has written articles on hitting mechanics and has coached Little League through High School baseball.
Thanks to everyone that registered to play FHLL baseball this spring - it promises to be an exciting season! Over 650 kidssigned up to play T-Ball through Juniors Division baseball – the largest number of kids we’ve had for some time.
Are Low Hands a Secret to Hitting for Power and Average?
Today, baseball is dominated by players with high hands and high elbows, with Bryce Harper the king of high hands. Wind the clock back to 1940s and 1950s and we see hall of fame hitters with low hands and low elbows like Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. Both of these hitters were only 5’ 10” and Mays weighed only 170 pounds. Yet, combined, these two hitters hit over 1000 HRs. Low hands hitters are rare today. One of the few is Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles, who benefits not only from this starting position, but also from his size.
Willie Mays vs. Koufax Willie Mays Mickey Mantle
So is it style or technique? I am convinced it’s technique. If the hands start low at toe touch, the front elbow has to come up early to level the bat and that’s the key to eliminating loops in swings which many MLB hitters today are plagued with.
Two of the greatest hitters of all time, Shoeless Joe Jackson and Ted Williams, also had low hands.
Ted Williams Shoeless JoeJackson
Now, look at how the game has changed in the last photo with a coach interacting with a young player. As Mike Epstein once said, do we teach what we see?
See FHLL’s Facebook page for Hitting Tip videos.
Contact us at hould you have any questions related to the upcoming spring baseball season. Ilook forward to seeing all of you on the field very soon!
Barry
Barry M. Meuse President, Ft. Hunt Little League Baseball