Yes a batting tee. Get that batting tee out. It is a great tool.
It is real helpful when a hitter is not hitting like they should be. It
gives the hitter a chance to work on their swing, their stride, their
grip, their hand placement. For such a simple little tool, the tee can
help out so much. It is a good idea to get it out for the first out side
practice of the season. I am talking girls, boys, women and men. It will
help fast-pitch or slow-pitch softball players, and baseball player as well.
When using it for slow-pitch softball, it is important to get the
ball up high. Most people hit the ball in a zone that is between the
chest and the eyes. So this is where the ball really needs to be. Most
tees do not get this high. You will have to find a way to extend the tee
to get it at this level. Using a shorter tee is helpful, but getting the
ball up is the best.
Now most tees I have seen have the extension attached to what
looks like a home plate. So naturally most people line up to the tee as
they would line up to home plate. I feel it is best to move the tee in
front of the area that would be home plate. Most good hitters hit the
ball at home plate or in front. This depends on were they set up in the
batter box, and here they are wanting to hit the ball. So I guess it
would be better to say the extension of the tee should lined up with
front foot or even further in front. This gets the hitter to stride and
to extend out for the ball. Not much good comes from a hitter hitting a
ball close to their body. There are some of you that will disagree. My
good friend Karl is one of them.
Moving the tee to different areas is good to do. It helps the
hitter to decide what they should do with a pitch when it is pitched in
that area. Examples, if the tee is lined up to the inside and in front of
home plate, the hitter will probably have to stride towards third base,
or even step to the outside of the batters box, so that they get the meat
of the bat on the ball. If the tee is placed to the middle or outside and
in front of the plate. The hitter can get by with striding forward to hit
the ball. Placing the tee to the outside of the plate
and even with the plate will probably result in the hitter stepping
towards home plate to hit the ball. There are many different locations a
hitter should work with when using the tee.
When working with a tee, it is good if there is someone to help.
Having a bunch of balls, and some one to set them on the tee for you is a
great training method. The hitter can then start hitting balls at a good
quick pace. This is a good for foot work, and bat eye coordination. It
develops patterns that the batter and their helper can look over. When
the hitter is though with the hitting the balls, the balls should be in
the same area. Well sort of in the same area. Move the tee around. When
you hit off the tee in an certain area keep in mind were the balls end up
most often. It is important to know what your abilities are. If a ball is
pitched to you into one of the areas, your mind and body will know how to
attack the ball, and where it needs to be hit too. |
