http://www.beabetterhitter.com Free Baseball Hitting Instruction Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:37:01 GMT ListGarden Program 1.3.1 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://3d4lifeblog.blogspot.com/ Fast forward to the 10th inning and it's all locked in a 5-5 tie for the Slugger (in the backyard).. this time the Slugger is none other than our 2nd inning star - Alexei Ramirez. What does he do? ShaBang! It's a deep fly ball.. way back.. very high.. and over the backyard fence she goes! Alexei's second HR of the game was the game winner. Cool. Let's go for that Kool Aid! Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:36:33 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Nelson Cruz - Rangers <br> <br>Nelson joined a very short list on Monday while leading the Rangers to their 4th straight win to remain undefeated so far in 2011. Which List? Well, Nelson Homered again.. his 4th Straight game to open a season with at least One Home Run! Only two other players have ever done that: Willie Mays and Mark McGwire. Nelson's Home Run was a solo shot.. just like his previous three games. Crazy huh? <br> Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:35:48 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ryan Hanigan - Reds <br> <br>There were plenty of players to pick from yesterday as the "Feasting" began on the 3rd and 4th starters in the rotation around the League. Nobody did it better than Ryan Hanigan in Cincinnati. Ryan had a perfect day at the plate reaching base all five times in the game. Oh, he also slugged 2 HRs while knocking in 4 RBIs and scoring three times. You can't do much better than that... can ya? Check the Blog to see who else had a big day. And don't forget to Click the Pic to see Ryan's day as YH. <br> <br> <br> <br> Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:00:33 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Chris Getz - Royals <br> <br>You would think the Royals would be going the other way in the Win column after off season trades looked iffy at best. Not so, they are competing and winning close games against a proven Angels squad. A Walk Off win on Friday and a come from behind win on Saturday thanks to clutch hitting from Chris Getz. His 3rd hit of the day was a game winner in the bottom of the 8th that drove in his 2nd run of the game. <br> Sun, 03 Apr 2011 16:19:54 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com J P Arencibia - Jays <br> <br>I'm pretty sure the Jays were more than pleasantly surprised with their new catcher. J P opened the season as the #9 hitter for Toronto, but I'm betting that position will change. What a game J P had in the Jays' romp over the Twins. Arencibia blasted 2 Home Runs and ripped a triple off the center field wall while driving in 5 Runs. <br> Sat, 02 Apr 2011 15:44:21 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ramon Hernandez - Reds <br> <br>On an Opening Day with an abbreviated schedule there was no shortage of fireworks on baseball's big day. None greater than what the Reds and Brewers displayed in Cincinnati. It was deja vu all over again for the Reds who tied a MLB record last year by winning their first 6 games in their last at bat. Ramon Hernandez did just that with his 4th hit of the game, a Walk Off 3 Run Bomb to Right Field! <br> Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:30:59 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Bobby Bonds - 1968 to 1981 <br> <br>One of the legendary leaders of a stellar group of San Francisco Giants, Bobby Bonds carved a name for himself with his bat and his hustle. He was only the second player in history to record more than 300 HRs and 300 Stolen bases in his career. The 1st was his teammate, Willie Mays. A rare combination of power and speed, he retired with the record for most HRs leading off a game (35). He finished with more than 1,000 RBIs and nearly 500 Stolen Bases in his career. . <br> Tue, 22 Mar 2011 22:18:44 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Duke Snider - 1947 to 1964 <br> <br>One of "The Boys of Summer" the Duke reigned in Center Field for the Brooklyn Dodgers for most of his Hall of Fame career. The Duke <br> <br>averaged 42 HRs 124 RBIs, 123 runs and a .320 batting average between 1953-1956. He led the league in runs scored,HRs and RBIs in separate seasons. He appeared in six post-seasons with the Dodgers . The Dodgers won the World Series in 1955 and 1959. <br> Sun, 27 Feb 2011 23:59:15 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Alan Trammell - 1977 to 1996 <br> <br>Alan was a rarity in the Major Leagues. He stayed with the same team that drafted him from the beginning to the end. A solid center piece for the Detroit Tigers, Trammell teamed with 2nd Baseman Lou Whitaker his entire career. Alan was a solid hitter with a career .285 average and nearly 2,400 hits. He led the Tigers to the World Series in 1984 and was named the MVP as he helped Detroit down Dick Williams' Padres. <br> Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:15:13 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Eddie Murray - 1977 to 1997 <br> <br>If hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in sports, nobody ever told Eddie Murray. He was just as good swinging left handed as he was swinging right. Simple game. He opened his career with a Rookie of the Year award and never looked back. Along with Cal Ripken, Jr., Eddie led the Orioles to the World Series Championship in 1983. He was an 8 time All-Star and hit more than 500 Home Runs while racking up over 3,250 hits in a Hall of Fame career that spanned 20 seasons. <br> <br> Sun, 06 Feb 2011 17:07:15 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Marty Barrett - 1982 to 1991 <br> <br>Marty wasn't a slugger. He hit a total of 18 HRs. He wasn't a run producer. He only drove in 314 in a 10 year career. But, he was a hitter.. make that.. a clutch hitter. Marty rarely struck out (only 209 times in nearly 3,400 ab's) and was a fabulous bunter. He led the AL in sacrifice hits 3years in a row. Proof that you don't have to be big bopper to be vital to your team. He set the MLB record for most hits in a post season in 1986 and was named the ALCS Most Valuable Player! <br> Tue, 01 Feb 2011 16:45:14 GMT Tue, 01 Feb 2011 16:43:26 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Marty Barrett - 1982 to 1991 <br> <br>Marty wasn't a slugger. He hit a total of 18 HRs. He wasn't a run producer. He only drove in 314 in a 10 year career. But, he was a hitter.. make that.. a clutch hitter. Marty rarely struck out (only 209 times in nearly 3,400 ab's) and was a fabulous bunter. He led the AL in sacrifice hits 3years in a row. Proof that you don't have to be big bopper to be vital to your team. He set the MLB record for most hits in a post season in 1986 and was named the ALCS Most Valuable Player! <br> Tue, 01 Feb 2011 16:43:26 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Rod Carew - 1967 to 1985 <br> <br>How do you define success? Well, in baseball... how about winning the Rookie of the Year Award and being named to the All-Star team every single year thereafter until you retired? Ya, that's what Rod Carew did.. almost - He missed the All-Star team the last year he played. He was a pure hitter that gathered over 3,000 hits and had a career .328 average. He won 7 Batting titles and his #29 was retired by two teams <br> Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:57:11 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Alright.. here's a hitter. For the Ages. Oh, he was pretty good at catchin' it too. An amazing athlete that defined the Center Field position in baseball: Start your team from the middle - top to bottom. Tris was at the top of the diamond .. not just for his team.. but in the history of baseball he ranks as one of the greatest players to don a uniform. He had a career .345 batting average and more than 3,500 hits. Including 792 doubles .. the most... ever! Elected to the Baseball HOF in 1937. <br> <br> Sat, 22 Jan 2011 23:17:31 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com "Red" Schoendienst - 1945 to 1963 <br> <br>The cornerstone for the St. Louis Cardinals infield for a decade and the spark that led the Cardinals to 5 World Championships, Red was a pure leader and a clutch hitter. He was a 10 time All-Star during his playing days and later went on to manage the Cardinals in 3 different stints covering 4 decades. A Hall of Famer, Red finished his career with over 2,400 Hits and 773 RBIs. He racked up more than 400 doubles. <br> <br> Wed, 19 Jan 2011 20:06:50 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Brian Downing: 1973 - 1992 <br> <br>This guy is the poster child for "It's What's In Ya". He made his career through a hard work ethic and a disciplined weight training regimen in an era when that was uncommon. Brian was cut from his High School team, yet still had the fire in him to reach the Major Leagues and play at a high level for 20 years. He finished his career with 275 HR, 1073 RBI and 1188 runs scored. He was an All-Star in 1979 when he hit .326 with 12 HR, 75 RBI and 81 runs scored. <br> Tue, 11 Jan 2011 16:44:14 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Roberto Alomar: 1988 - 2004 <br> <br>The newest member of the Hall of Fame was a renowned defensive player whose offensive skills were often overlooked. I think that was largely due to the lack of "pop" in Roberto's bat in an era that applauded the long ball. Roberto did blast 200 HRs in his career while compiling a very solid .300 average. He knocked in over 1,100 runs and had 2,724 hits! A 12 time All-Star, he was a member of the Blue Jays when they won back to back World Championships <br> Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:31:06 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ozzie Smith: 1978 - 1996 <br> <br>From tiny San Luis Obispo Cal Poly to an MLB hero. Yes, he was the defensive Wizard of baseball during his time, but Ozzie was also a clutch hitter that compiled Hall of Fame stats for his position. He was a 15 time All-Star that collected just short of 2,500 hits in his career. Ozzie's clutch hitting was best displayed in the 1985 NLCS vs the LA Dodgers. His heroics gained him the NLCS MVP. <br> Tue, 28 Dec 2010 16:54:22 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com George Sisler: 1915 - 1930 <br> <br>You know you're good when your teammates and peers slip a nickname like "Gorgeous George" on you... especially in the early 1900's. No doubt George was good. Real good. In 1920 Sisler broke Ty Cobb's MLB record for most hits in a season when he clubbed 257 of them on his way to a .407 average! That record stood until Ichiro broke it in 2004! He finished with a .340 career average and over 2,800 hits!! <br> <br> Wed, 15 Dec 2010 16:52:33 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Yogi Berra: 1946 - 1965 <br> <br>You may know him for his likeable pitching of products on TV, but Yogi was best known for his hitting and leadership of a dominant era in Yankee history. He led the NY Yankees to 13 World Series Championships! He was a 3 time AL MVP and an 18 time All Star. Yogi hit over 350 HRs and had nearly 1,500 RBIs in his Hall of Fame career. Known for his "Yogi-isms", he left an indelible mark on the game. <br> Thu, 09 Dec 2010 17:20:09 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Sam Crawford: 1899-1917 <br> <br>Another player few fans in today's era ever heard about, but don't let being unaware of Sam deter from his incredible baseball achievements. Sam was one of the greatest sluggers of the dead-ball era and still holds MLB's records for triples in a career (309) and inside-the-park HRs in a season (12). He finished his career with nearly 3,000 hits and was the 1st ever to lead both leagues in Home Runs! <br> <br> Tue, 07 Dec 2010 16:57:45 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Harry Heilman: 1914-1932 <br> <br>I'm fairly certain not many of you have ever heard of Harry, but he was one of the greatest hitters the game ever saw. Brought to the big leagues at the tender age of 19, Harry went on to a Hall of Fame career on the strength of the frequent line drives he sent into the outfield. Harry won 4 batting championships and finished with the 12th highest batting average (.342) in history. He collected 2660 hits and 542 doubles!! <br> <br> Sat, 04 Dec 2010 18:11:52 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ryne Sandberg: 1981-1997 <br> <br>A talented athlete in High School, Ryne was drafted by the Phillies in 1978. They goofed and shipped him to Chicago where the longtime Cub became a Hall of Famer. The best fielding 2nd baseman in History was also the greatest slugger at his position, retiring with a MLB record 277 HRs. Ryne collected more than 1,000 RBIs in his career and had a respectable ..285 average. He was inducted in HOF in 2005 <br> Wed, 01 Dec 2010 17:16:57 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jeff Bagwell: 1991-2005 <br> <br>The Boston Red Sox have long been chastised for trading Bagwell to the Astros in 1990. Jeff went on to a career that has marked him as one of the top 5 best 1st Basemen of all time. He was the Rookie of the Year in 1991 and won the NL MVP 3 years later. He finished with 449 Home Runs and more than 1,500 RBIs. Bagwell's unusal batting stance made him instantly recognizable. He is on the Hall of Fame ballot. <br> Tue, 30 Nov 2010 00:25:24 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Josh Hamilton: 2010 AL MVP <br> <br>He burst into our living rooms with his incredible swing and empathetic story during the 2008 All-Star Game. 2009 didn't seem to prove he was anything more than a flash of talent. Yet, 2010 was a display of hitting expertise that few have ever accomplished while he chased that magical . 400 season for months and months. Josh led the Majors in batting average and the Rangers to their 1st World Series appearance. <br> Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:11:29 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Wade Boggs: 1982-1999 <br> <br>From his very first year in the Majors it was clear that Wade Boggs was a hitter. He hit a robust .349 that year which was good enough for the Batting Title had he met the minimum at-bat requirement. He didn't. But, he did go on to capture 5 batting titles with a string of 7 seasons that saw him hit below .349 only once! He finished his Hall of Fame career with over 3,000 hits and a .328 career average. <br> Mon, 22 Nov 2010 16:53:35 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Robin Ventura: 1989-2004 <br> <br>This guy was a hitter. He started his impressive display in college at Oklahoma State where he led the nation two years in a row in RBIs. He had an incredible 58 game hitting streak in 1987 as a Junior and led OSU to the World Series Championship Game. Robin was elected to the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006. Oh, by the way, he also had a pretty stellar professional career falling just shy of 300 HRs <br> Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:36:35 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Cal Ripken, Jr: 1981 - 2001 <br> <br>Cal is probably best known and loved for his memorable streak of consecutive games played that has him compared to the legendary Lou Gehrig. Yet, this guy was a terrific hitter who collected more than 3,000 hits during his HOF career. He broke in as the Rookie of the Year in 1982 and never stopped excelling. Cal had over 400 HRs, won 2 MVP's and led the Orioles to the World Series Championship in 1983. <br> Mon, 08 Nov 2010 16:34:44 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Kirby Puckett: 1984 - 1995 <br> <br>It wasn't the longest of careers but it certainly was packed full of talent and performance. Kirby Puckett spent his entire career with the Minnesota Twins. He led them to 2 World Series Championships and earned the MVP of the ALCS. Kirby was a 10 time All-Star and finished his career with a .318 average and more than 2.300 hits. He was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001 <br> Sun, 07 Nov 2010 20:54:52 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Benito Santiago - Padres <br> <br>This guy came up to the big leagues with the reputation as a premier defensive catcher. He had a rocket arm and baserunners feared him. Surprise, surprise he also wielded one heckuva hitting stick. In his rookie year he finished the campaign with a 32 game hitting streak and went on to win the 1987 Rookie of the Year Award in unanimous fashion. Benito played 20 years (1986-2005) and logged over 1800 hits! <br> <br> Thu, 04 Nov 2010 15:14:45 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Arizona Diamondbacks - Game 6 2001 <br> <br>In their first World Series the Diamondbacks were giving the heralded New York Yankees all they could handle back in 2001. Game 6 was their shining moment as they rapped out 21 hits in the first six innings to set a record for hits in a World Series game. The previous record of 20 was established by the 1921 Giants (Game 3 vs Yankees) and the 1946 Cardinals (Game 4 vs Red Sox). The D'Backs crushed the Yanks 15-2 to set up a wild Game 7... which they won in a one run thriller. <br> Wed, 03 Nov 2010 15:26:53 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Edgar Renteria - Giants <br> <br>This guy has been the World Series Hero before. Now, He is the World Series MVP! Edgar and his calm, cool and collected approach to hitting was explosive when the Giants needed it most. His 3 run Home Run was perfectly timed, eloquently executed and devastatingly effective. It broke a 0-0 tie in the 7th and catapulted the Giants to their first World Series in over 50 years. Watch this picture perfect swing. <br> Tue, 02 Nov 2010 14:57:39 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Aubrey Huff - Giants <br> <br>It's closing in on Texas. The end of the season is looming. It's ominously close. The San Francisco Giants are accelerating it, they want the end of the season to happen.. .quickly. Aubrey Huff grew up as a Rangers fan and idolized Nolan Ryan, but even he wants Texas' season to end today. Huff's two run smash into the right field pavilion was all the Giants needed. They are one win away from the 2010 World Series title. They way they are clicking, it could happen <br> Mon, 01 Nov 2010 15:00:08 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Freddy Sanchez - Giants <br> <br>It took the rest of the San Francisco Giants 5 innings to figure out how to hit Cliff Lee, it didn't take Freddy long at all. The former NL Batting Champion solved the Cliff Lee puzzle the first three times he came to the plate. Sanchez wrapped out a double on each of those at bats, becoming the first player in history to have 3 doubles in his first 3 official at bats in a World Series. His 4 for 5 night produced 3 RBIs and a couple of runs scored to lead the SF romp of Texas. <br> Thu, 28 Oct 2010 15:34:06 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ray Knight - Mets (Oct. 27, 1986) <br> <br>The 1986 World Series was the epitome of the "Curse of the Bambino" on the Boston Red Sox. They had the World Series Championship in their back pockets until the inexplicable happened - Bill Buckner's error in Game 6 allowed an unlikely Game 7. The Mets surged back from an early deficit with 3 Runs in the 6th to tie it. In the 7th, Ray Knight homered to put the Mets ahead for good. Knight's 3 for 4 day produced two runs and the Mets became the World Champions! <br> Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:12:39 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Edgar Renteria - Marlins (Oct. 26, 1997) <br> <br>Edgar Renteria (yes, the same Edgar Renteria now on the SF Giants roster) came to bat with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 7 between the Marlins and the Indians. Edgar's single chased home Mark Counsell to give the Florida Marlins their first World Series title with a hard fought 3-2 win. The five-year old Marlins become the youngest expansion team to win the Fall classic. <br> Tue, 26 Oct 2010 15:48:16 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Geoff Blum - White Sox (Oct. 25, 2005) <br> <br>The first World Series game ever to be played in the state of Texas proves to be memorable when Geoff Blum’s 14th inning solo home run (3Oth player to hit a HR in first WS AB) becomes the beginning of the end of the longest Fall Classic contest ever. The 7-5 victory, which gives the White Sox a commanding 3-0 advantage over the Astros, led them to a World Series Championship. Blum had been an Astro for years! <br> <br> Mon, 25 Oct 2010 14:47:12 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Juan Uribe - Giants <br> <br>The NLCS ended with another one run game and the San Francisco Giants are headed to the World Series for the first time since 2002. Locked in a 2-2 tie in the 8th inning Juan Uribe stepped up with two outs and racked a ball into the right field stands. His round tripper stood up the rest of the game and the 3-2 victory makes it a Western World Series. Cody Ross was named MVP of the NLCS. <br> Sun, 24 Oct 2010 16:27:50 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Josh Hamilton - Rangers <br> <br>The Texas Rangers had been jumping on the Yankees early in every game. Game 6 was no different as Hamilton strode to the plate in the 1st with Andrus in scoring position. His smoking single to left was all Girardi and the Yankees wanted of him for the rest of the game. His next 3 plate appearances? Walks. They wanted no part of the ALCS MVP. And, no wonder.. Josh had cracked 4 HRs in the series. Oh, by the way.. the strategy back fired as Vlad Guerrero knocked in 3 runs and Texas is heading to their first World Series appearance. <br> Sat, 23 Oct 2010 16:17:41 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jayson Werth - Phillies <br> <br>The Phightin Phillies lived up to their name in Game 5 by scrapping out a win in San Francisco to force a Game 6. With a couple of seemingly harmless singles, a hit batsman and an error the Phils scratched out 3 runs in the 3rd and were clinging to a 3-2 lead for their playoff lives. In the top of the 9th Jayson Werth provided a very important insurance run by blasting an oppo HR, his 13th Post Season HR! <br> Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:10:02 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Buster Posey - Giants <br> <br>No matter what the Phils threw at the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, they responded to the challenge... including a relief appearance from Roy Oswalt. Buster busted everything he saw as he knocked in two big runs in another one run thriller. Buster had two doubles among his 4 hits but no hit was bigger than his 9th inning single that sent Huff to third for the winning run. The Giants are on the brink of the World Series as they lead the NLCS 3 games to 1. <br> Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:07:22 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Bengie Molina - Rangers <br> <br>Game 4 was highly important to the Yankees and they showed fight and desire as they took a 1-0 lead, fell behind 2-1 and scrapped back to a 3-2 lead. All the while, Bengie was quietly building his YH resume'. He was a perfect 3 for 3 on base % as he strode to the plate in the 6th with 2 on. Molina launched a towering shot down the left field line for a 3 run blast that set up another onslaught from Texas. They are one win away from the World Series. <br> Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:20:58 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Josh Hamilton - Rangers <br> <br>The Yankees are doing their best to minimize Hamilton's impact on the games. But, the top hitter in baseball this season is having none of it. He's waiting for mistakes and crushing them. Josh powered out a 2 run Home Run in the 1st inning to jump start the Rangers. Yea, it didn't look like much of a swing... but Josh hit it in the 4 inches of power every bat possesses! Then, he ignited a 6 run rally in the 9th when he striped a sizzling double to the opposite field. Nice game Josh! <br> Tue, 19 Oct 2010 14:45:39 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jimmy Rollins - Phillies <br> <br>The Phillies needed a spark to bounce back in Game 2 and tie up the NLCS. They got it in J-Roll. Rollins ignited the offense and the crowd in a resounding 6-1 win over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday night. Rollins knocked in 4 runs with two hits and a walk. His bases clearing double in the seventh that bounced off the top of the right center field wall was the nail in the coffin for San Fran. The Phils go to the City by the Bay for Game 3. <br> Mon, 18 Oct 2010 15:20:21 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Cody Ross - Giants <br> <br>Roy Halladay was rolling along, retiring every Giant he faced through 2+ innings. Then along came the code breaker, Cody Ross. He de-programmed the Doc and drove a pitch over the left field wall for a 1-0 lead. The Phightin Phils came right back to tie it 1-1 and it stayed that way until Ross came to bat for his second chance at Doc Halladay. He remembered the proper code again and drove a near identical pitch into a near identical spot in the seats. The Giants won Game 1. <br> Sun, 17 Oct 2010 15:54:25 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Robinson Cano - Yankees <br> <br>There is a reason the NY Yankees have 40 League Championships under their belt. They seem to come together as a team when they need it most. The MoJo gets going and it's surreal to watch. They trailed in Game 1 by 5 runs and couldn't even muster a hit until Cano singled in the 4th. Then, it happened. Slowly at first - Cano homered in the 7th. They were on the board 5-1. In the 8th... Yankees magic. 7 straight Yanks reached. Cano drove in the tying run and NY won 6-5. <br> Sat, 16 Oct 2010 16:28:37 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Kirk Gibson - Dodgers (October 15, 1988) <br> <br>Perhaps one of the most heralded Walk Off Home Runs in the history of baseball took place on this day. A limping Kirk Gibson, appearing as a pinch-hitter in the 9th inning of Game 1, sent a two-out, 3-2 back-door slider from A's relief ace Dennis Eckersley over the right field fence. It's the first time a World Series game is ever decided on a come-from-behind home run in the final inning. Gibson did not appear again in the World Series but inspired the Dodgers to a Championship. <br> Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:11:02 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Gene Tenace - A's (October 14, 1972) <br> <br>Our Dick Williams is smarter than he looks ; ) and he proved it in Game 1 of the World Series. Dick opted to start Gene Tenace, who went 1-for-17 in the ALCS. Gene didn't disappoint his Skipper. He becomes the first player in MLB history to hit two home runs in his first two at-bats in the Fall Classic. His 2nd and 5th inning homers account for all of the A’s runs in the team’s 3-2 victory over the Reds at Riverfront Stadium! <br> <br> Thu, 14 Oct 2010 15:14:01 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ian Kinsler - Rangers <br> <br>One of the best 2nd baseman in the game is finally getting his props in the playoffs. Ian Kinsler plays "with an edge" as Hitting Coach Clint Hurdle says, an edge that is readily apparent when you watch him compete for 27 outs. Kinsler was 3 for 4 in Game 5 with a Home Run and 3 RBIs. He had at least one hit and scored a run in each of the ALDS games, batting .444 with 3 HRs. <br> Wed, 13 Oct 2010 15:05:30 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Cody Ross - Giants <br> <br>Each and every game had been decided by one run, so why should Monday's Game 4 be any different? It wasn't. The Giants were able to oust the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS behind the swings of Cody Ross. Ross blasted a HR in the 6th inning off of Derek Lowe to tie the game 1-1. Then, in the 7th he ripped a single into left field that scored Buster Posey with the Game winning run. The Giants now have the daunting task of facing defending NL Champs Philadelphia. <br> Tue, 12 Oct 2010 15:57:03 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Aubrey Huff - Giants <br> <br>Easily the most entertaining of the Divison series, the Giants and Braves played another thriller on Sunday in Atlanta. Late heroics by both teams led to high drama in the South. First, it was Atlanta coming through with a huge two run HR by Hinske in the bottom of the 8th to vault the Braves into the lead and a seemingly certain 2-1 series lead. Only to have Aubrey Huff deliver the only official RBI of the game for the Giants in the 9th to tie it. They won 3-2 on Conrad's 3rd 'E' of the Game! <br> Mon, 11 Oct 2010 14:51:38 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Carlos Pena - Rays <br> <br>Few things in sports are more final than elimination in a Playoff. .. Season Over.. Kaput. Finis. The Rays were facing elimination in the ALDS on the road in Texas and trailing in the 8th when Carlos Pena changed everything. He ripped a single to right to score the tying run and then crushed a 2 Run HR in the 9th for the nails in the coffin. Pena's 2 for 3 night with 3 RBIs allows Tampa to play another day. <br> Sun, 10 Oct 2010 15:44:32 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Rick Ankiel - Braves <br> <br>About ten years ago a young hard throwing lefty came up to thrill the NL with his arm. His wildness led him to the Minors. That was Rick Ankiel who did something even wilder last night in San Francisco. The starting center fielder for Atlanta came to bat in a 4-4 tie in the top half of the 11th and hit a ball as hard and as pure as I've ever seen. The sound off the bat reverberated around the stadium as the stunned crowd watched the ball disappear into McCovey Cove for a Playoff Game Winner! <br> Sat, 09 Oct 2010 21:31:31 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Lance Berkman - Yankees <br> <br>This guy is such a gentleman you have to admire him even as he's ripping out your guts. Country strong Lance Berkman ripped out an opposite field bomb to break a 1-1 tie and gently laid down his bat as if to say "excuse me" as he trotted around the bases. Then, in the 7th inning with the game knotted again, he exploded on an extra pitch and drove it to the base of the wall in the same left/center gap. Lance gently laid down his bat and raced to second base while driving in the decisive run against the Twins. The Yankees lead the Series 2-0. <br> Fri, 08 Oct 2010 15:12:44 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Mark Teixeira - Yankees <br> <br>The comeback kings of baseball were at it again on Wednesday, and who better to do it to then the Minnesota Twins who seem to never hold a lead against the Bronx Bombers. This time it was Mark Teixeira with the big hit honors. T-Rex had already contributed a double and a run scored in the comeback when he came to bat in the 7th inning of a 4-4 tie. Mark launched a towering game winning two run blast that gave the Yanks a 1-0 lead in the Best of Five ALDS. <br> Thu, 07 Oct 2010 15:48:12 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Steve Garvey - Padres (Oct. 6, 1984) <br> <br>After making his mark in the game with the Dodgers, Steve Garvey set out to lead Division rival San Diego into the World Series in 1984. The Padres lost the first two games in the best of 5 NLCS to the Cubs before rebounding in Game 3. In Game 4 Steve Garvey already had 3 hits and 3 RBIs and came up in the 9th in a 5-5 tie. He cracked a two run HR for a walk off winner and sent the Series to a decisive Game 5! San Diego won and went on to the '84 World Series. <br> Wed, 06 Oct 2010 16:27:40 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Tony Kubek - Yankees (Oct. 5, 1957) <br> <br>It's Game 3 of the 1957 World Series as the Milwaukee Braves host the New York Yankees. Rookie Shortstop Tony Kubek of the Yankees, a native of Wisconsin, goes deep off Bob Buhl in the 1st inning and again in the 7th off Bob Trowbridge at County Stadium. Kubek becomes only the second rookie in the history of the World Series to hit 2 home runs in the same game. The Yankees crushed the Braves 12-3 but lose the World Series in 7 Games . <br> Tue, 05 Oct 2010 15:52:04 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jonathan Sanchez - Giants <br> <br>How crazy is this game? San Fran entered the final weekend with a 3 game cushion over the fading Padres, only to have SD win the first two and create a 3 team dramatic finish in Game 162 of 2010. Even crazier, the Giants starting pitcher had the big hit to draw first blood in the pivotal game. Sanchez, a .125 career hitter, lined a stand up triple in the 3rd inning and eventually scored the first run of a scoreless tilt. The Giants grabbed 2 more runs and Sanchez shutout the Padres for their first Divisional Crown in seven years. <br> Mon, 04 Oct 2010 16:08:46 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jose Bautista - Jays <br> <br>This guy has been nothing short of amazing this season with his power production. He disappointed the Minnesota faithful in last night's tilt with the AL Central Champs by blasting out two more Home Runs to give him 54 on the year. While it's nice to fantasize about Jose reaching 60, it's highly unlikely. Even so, the 5 RBIs he collected leaves Jose only 2 behind Miguel Cabrera (126) for the AL lead. It appears very likely that Bautista will hold two of the crowns in the Triple Crown. <br> Fri, 01 Oct 2010 15:37:31 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Pat Burrell - Giants <br> <br>The veteran was added to give them leadership and hopefully come up with a big hit when it mattered most. I'd say he did that and then some. Pat Burrell came through in the clutch and may have put the Giants in position to win the NL West for the first time in 7 years. His 3 Run blast was the only scoring hit for San Fran as they maintained their 2 game lead over SD. They wrap up 2010 with a 3 game set against the Padres starting tomorrow. The Giants are in the cat bird seat. <br> Thu, 30 Sep 2010 15:57:05 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Mitch Moreland - Rangers <br> <br>Texas has finally made it to the playoffs after a long hiatus. Now, the problem is they'll have to succeed without one of their major offensive weapons in Josh Hamilton. Maybe, just maybe.... rookie Mitch Moreland can fill that big vacated spot in the lineup in October. He certainly made a swing for it in Sunday's tilt with Oakland. Mitch hit 2 Home Runs and finished with 3 hits and 5 RBIs in the Rangers win. <br> Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:46:57 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jed Lowrie - Red Sox <br> <br>The Boston hopeful hold onto the slimmest of chances that the Red Sox can sneak into the playoffs. The odds are not good. But, that didn't stop the Red Sox from putting their all into a slugfext against their long time rival, The Bronx Bombers. The Yankees slugged 6 Home Runs but couldn't overcome the Red Sox or their feisty shortstop who was a perfect 4 for 4 with 3 Runs scored and 3 RBIs. <br> Sat, 25 Sep 2010 15:54:34 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Evan Longoria - Rays <br> <br>In an absolute "must" game for Tampa Bay the Rays leaned on their steady All-Star 3rd Baseman for a little pick me up. They got it... and then some. After a season long battle, the Yankees were trying to sneak away from the Rays in the last handful of games. The Rays were desperate for a win to stay close. Longoria racked up a Home Run and was 2 for 4 with 2 Runs scored and two big RBIs in the big win. <br> Thu, 23 Sep 2010 16:23:55 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ty Wigginton - Orioles <br> <br>You can pretty much close the book on the 2010 season for the Orioles and they know it. On Tuesday night in Boston the O's pretty much closed the door for the Red Sox as well. Baltimore's future under Buck Showalter keeps getting brighter with every win... and they believe it. TY Wigginton provided the spark that burned down Beantown with a 3 for 4 night that included his 21st HR, 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Ty'd at 1 apiece in the 7th the Orioles "wigged em" for 8 more to romp. <br> Wed, 22 Sep 2010 15:36:54 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Curtis Granderson - Yankees <br> <br>It's time to put up or shut up for New York. The Tampa Bay Rays visit Yankee Stadium for the Bronx Bombers' last homestand of the season, a 4 game set that will likely settle the AL East title. Holding on to a precarious 1/2 game lead it was vital that the Yanks win Game 1 to put the pressure on the Rays. Enter the Grandy Man! The Grandy Man Can! Curtis Granderson belted 2 huge Home Runs, drove in 5 RBIs and the Yankees increased their AL East lead with an 8-6 victory. <br> Tue, 21 Sep 2010 16:12:56 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jose Guillen - Giants <br> <br>It should come as no surprise that the YH continues to come from players on teams hotly contesting a playoff spot. This is the heart of the game; excelling when it matters most. Nothing is more gratifying to a player. The NL West has provided incredible drama as 3 teams are shuffling for position. Guillen took the honors on Sunday with a Grand Slam and 6 RBI performance that vaulted the Giants back to the top spot for the moment. <br> Mon, 20 Sep 2010 16:10:59 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Troy Tulowitzki - Rockies <br> <br>Players can get "in the zone". They can be "hot at the plate", "en fuego" or "on a roll". But, the smoking bat that Troy is wielding right now is "other worldly"! He hit 2 more Home Runs last night to bash the LA Dodgers. That put Troy in an elite group. He tied a modern MLB record with 14 HRs in a 15 game span. Only 2 other players have been this "locked in" since 1900. To top it off, he's doing it when it counts and the Rockies need it! Troy is hitting .394 with 35 RBIs in 16 games. <br> Sun, 19 Sep 2010 16:46:41 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Alex Rodriguez - Yankees <br> <br>In one of the best AL East September battles in recent memory, the Yankees flip-flopped the lead with the Rays again on Friday night. In as dramatic a moment as you'll see in a regular season game, A-Rod belted his second HR of the night with 2 out in the 9th to win it. The Yankees were down to their last strike and trailing 3-1 before Rodriguez' clutch hit. He now has 25 HRs on the year for the Yankees. <br> Sat, 18 Sep 2010 17:59:33 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Edgar Renteria - Giants <br> <br>It's taken San Francisco a long time to chase down San Diego and capture the NL West flag. The race is far from over but the gratifying work of this hodge podge of young and old talent is heartfelt in the City by the Bay. They haven't been in 1st this late in the season since 2003. Veteran Edgar Renteria set the table for the Power Surge that pounded LA to slip SF into 1st place. Renteria was 4 for 5 and scored twice including a bunt singe early in the contest. <br> Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:29:29 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Troy Tulowitzki - Rockies <br> <br>If you haven't been watching the drama unfold in the NL West the last few weeks then you can't be much of a baseball fan. I don't care who your favorite team is, this 3 team battle is what baseball is all about in September. Naturally, the Rockies are right in the middle of it thanks to their likeable shortstop - the King of Troy. Tulo cracked out 2 HRs and knocked in 7 RBIs in a critical 9-6 victory over Division leading SD. The win keeps Colorado's postseason hopes in sight <br> Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:20:14 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jorge Posada - Yankees <br> <br>For the second straight game it took extra innings and magic off the bench to decide the winner of the top two teams in baseball. After a 1-0 squeaker in the opener, the Yanks pounded the Rays early to take a 6-0 lead. Oh, but the Rays did not disappear. They scrapped to a 7-6 lead and looked like the winner. Enter Jorge Posada who had been witnessing the drama from the bench. His PH Home Run in the 10th inning to the deepest part of the park was the game winner for New York as the back and forth battle for supremacy continues. <br> Wed, 15 Sep 2010 15:53:07 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Reid Brignac - Rays <br> <br>Tampa is on a mission to prove they belong at the top of the AL favorites list. After falling back a few games in August, the Rays have climbed back to battle the faltering Bombers from the Bronx. Who'd have thought it would be a rookie to push the Rays over the top. Reid Brignac replaced Carl Crawford when he was ejected in the 9th in a scoreless tie. Brignac came to bat in the 11th and belted a Walk Off HR <br> Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:58:24 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jason Giambi - Rockies <br> <br>The late September charges put on by the Colorado Rockies is becoming predictable. Every year they make an amazing run. 2010 is no exception and may be the greatest of them all. Their surge reached an incredible 10 game win streak on the strength of one time cast off Jason Giambi. On his birthday, no less, Giambi stepped up and delivered a clutch pinch hit 2 out HR in the bottom of the 9th to win it! <br> <br> Mon, 13 Sep 2010 20:31:18 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ike Davis - Mets <br> <br>The walk offs were all around the league on Saturday, lifting some teams to 1st, or keeping them there. But, Ike's day didn't include a Walk Off Gem. Nope. Ike just put together a day that spoiled the Phils pitching and managerial moves and dropped the Phils out of 1st place. Yes, it's spoiler time and Ike led the Mets with a huge 4 for 4 day that included 3 RBIs and killed Charlie Manuel's crafty lefty on lefty match ups. <br> Sun, 12 Sep 2010 16:48:43 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Colby Rasmus - Cardinals <br> <br>Fresh off a mini dispute with Prince Albert about his attitude, Colby dished some attitude to the baseball on Thursday in Atlanta. Rasmus cracked 2 Home Runs on a 4 for 4 night. He drove in 4 and scored 3 more as the Cardinals are doing everything they can to stay in the playoff chase. The Cards are 5 games back. <br> Fri, 10 Sep 2010 14:34:55 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Nick Swisher - Yankees <br> <br>The Rays are nipping at their heels. The O's were looking for a sweep. Where would the Yankees be without Nick Swisher this year? Doubtful they'd be leading the Rays by 2 1/2 games, for sure. The 30yr old Buckeye that seems more like a college kid with his infectious enthusiasm has been Mr. Consistent for NY. He's been in all but 9 games for the AL East leaders, belting his 26th HR on Wednesday. A Walk Off gem that avoided a rare sweep by the visiting O's. <br> Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:04:35 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Raul Ibanez - Phillies <br> <br>This guy has been exceedingly quiet all year long, hitting a very humble .262 with only 13Hrs and 69 RIBs. But, this is the time of the year to shine and Raul has welcomed it. He put together a solid 3 for 4 night and scored once while picking up 3 RBis as the Phillies won a close one over the pesky Marlins. The win puts Philadelphia in first place for the first time in over 3 months. Maybe they'll stick. Click the pic to watch! <br> <br> Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:07:12 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Danny Espinosa - Nationals <br> <br>The Washington Nationals seem to be absolutely stocked with young talent. The latest arrival is Short Stop Danny Espinosa who has arrived with a bang of energy and production. Espinosa was 4 for 5 with two Home runs and knocked in 6 RBIs in only his 5th game out of Long Beach State. He has had a total of 16 big league at-bats and has 9 Hits, 3 HRs and 10 RBIs in that span. Watch out for this team in the future as they have 2 #1 picks, offense, defense and pitching. Click the pic. <br> Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:37:45 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jim Thome - Twins <br> <br>He is one of the premier "Sluggers" you'll ever watch swing a bat. His old school swing is more reminiscent of the Roaring 20's then the 21st Century. Yet, the slugger continues to perform and inch up the All-Time HR list. Last night's perfect batting line of 2 for 2 with 2 HRs, 4 RBIs and 3 Runs scored (2 walks) is indicative of the power hitter box score from years ago. Do yourself a favor and click the pic to see a real classic. <br> Sun, 05 Sep 2010 15:50:58 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Logan Morrison - Marlins <br> <br>First off, this is another young NL rookie that has stepped onto the stage and performed like a veteran. The Marlins look like they are grooming some very good young talent in their farm system. And, what a cool baseball name ; ) Friday was Logan's chance to show off his wheels. Logan damaged the Braves slim lead in the NL East with two run scoring stand up triples in the same game. Click pic to watch him run. <br> Sat, 04 Sep 2010 17:22:30 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Danny Valencia - Twins <br> <br>The former Univ of Miami Hurricane has hit the big leagues like a storm for Minnesota. The rookie 3rd baseman has been a key figure for the Twins who've been hammered with injuries in 2010. No worries, plug the next talented player in place and keep winning. That's what the Twins did on Wednesday as Valencia had two key hits including the game winning walk off single in the 10th. He's hitting .432 in 88 at bats at Target Field and a cool .332 with 16 doubles overall <br> Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:54:31 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Neil Walker - Pirates <br> <br>In his first full year in the big leagues, this soon to be 25yr old two bagger is showing everybody he belongs right where he is. Walker is batting a cool .305 on the year and showing some pop and production at the dish. Yesterday he led an onslaught of Pirate hits that feasted on Cubbie pitching. Neil's 4-hit day included his 8th HR of the year and four RBIs as the young Bucs continue to season their talent for '11. <br> Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:12:04 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jason Heyward - Braves <br> <br>There is no shortage of young talent in the NL this year and at the top of that list is Atlanta's young slugger Jason Heyward. After a sizzling start to his pro career, Jason has settled in to the steady run producer the Braves were looking for. Jason matched a career high with 4 RBIs in their 9-3 win over the withering Mets. Heyward notched 4 Hits on the day and scored 3 times including a thrilling sprint from 1st base. <br> Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:59:00 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Carlos Gonzalez - Rockies <br> <br>They call him "CarGo" and for good reason. He's the fuel that makes the Rockies "Go"! This kid is electric in the field, on the basepaths and at the plate. CarGo belted two Home Runs among his 3 hits as the Rockies turned back LA's bid for the series win in Colorado on Sunday. His 3 for 4 day edged him into the lead in the NL Batting title race with a .326 average, just ahead of Votto and Pujols. <br> Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:08:59 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Eduardo Nunez - Yankees <br> <br>The Yanks are locked in a battle with Tampa for 1st and they don't have Alex Rodriguez in the lineup. No worries, Eduardo to the rescue. Called up from Triple A when Berkman went to the DL, Nunez has made 5 starts at third base and is batting a solid .333 for New York. He was the power plug Saturday in Chicago. Eduardo pounded out his first career HR while collecting 3 hits and 4 RBis in theYanks' win. <br> Sun, 29 Aug 2010 15:59:40 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jay Bruce - Reds <br> <br>Ask how Cincinnati sits atop the NL Central and you don't have to look far for the answer. They can hit. Right from the top of the lineup on down... and it starts with Jay Bruce. This guy is more like a 5 hole hitter as far as production goes and he ignites the game from leadoff!. In Friday's tilt Bruce popped out 3 Home Runs and knocked in 5 RBIs as the Reds maintained their Central Division lead. <br> Sat, 28 Aug 2010 16:43:34 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ian Desmond - Nationals <br> <br>One of the top young talents in the league is often overlooked because of where he plays. Ian Desmond's numbers may not leap from the box scores at you, but they're solid. Something tells me by the time another young talent arrives (Harper), this team could be real solid. Desmond led the Nats to a big win over the Cards in 13 innings on Thursday. His 4 hit night included the game winning single in the 13th. <br> Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:28:57 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Joey Votto - Reds <br> <br>Joey Votto is the spark plug and the fuel that is propelling Cincinnati to the NL Central crown. After leading his team to a comfortable 9 run lead over the Giants with two huge HRs, Votto had to ignite the celebration with a game winning hit in the 12th to foil SF's tremendous comeback. Votto is in a battle with Albert Pujols for the NL Triple Crown. He leads in average and is 2nd in HRs and RBIs, down by 2 in each. <br> Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:17:13 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Rod Barajas - Dodgers <br> <br>It's not easy stepping into a new uniform, hitting the field and fulfilling everybody's expectations. But, that's exactly what Rod Barajas did on Tuesday. The Dodgers, woefully anemic in production from the Catcher's spot, acquired Barajas hoping for some help. He delivered. Rod smoked 2 doubles in his first two at bats and then cracked a 3 run Homer to erase a 3-2 deficit and give LA a much needed win. <br> Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:10:32 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jose Bautista - Jays <br> <br>His story book year continued on Monday as Toronto hosted the AL East leading NY Yankees. The playoffs and the AL East title may be out of their grasp for 2010 but Jose and the Jays would still like to play a part in the race, even if it's the spoiler. The Jays spoiled the Yanks and dropped them into a 1st place tie behind the big bat of Bautista. He cracked a 2 run bomb in the 3rd for a 2-1 lead. Then he smashed his MLB best 40th of the season, a game winner, in the 8th. <br> Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:09:23 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jason Heyward - Braves <br> <br>Some days are just absolutely perfect. Everything you do turns into good. Jason had one of those days yesterday as the Braves romped on the Cubs and sent Sweet Lou into retirement. Heyward came to the plate 6 times and reached safely everytime. He scored four runs, had 2 walks, catapulted two balls over the wall and knocked in 4 RBIs for Atlanta. Jason is a strong contender for Rookie of the Year. <br> Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:23:59 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Lyle Overbay - Jays <br> <br>This team is nothing short of amazing when it comes to power numbers and production. They have swatted Home runs at an alarming rate the entire season. Friday night it was the Lyle Overbay show in Boston as he pounced Jon Lester's offerings like they were sitting on a tee. Overbay cracked two Home Runs among his 4 for 5 game and the Jays crushed Boston 16-2. He drove in a MLB season high 7 RBIs! <br> Sat, 21 Aug 2010 16:15:48 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Paul Konerko - White Sox <br> <br>My guess is the Dodgers are so wishing they had not given up on Paul a few years back. The White Sox, on the other hand, are glad to have him. Paul single-handedly thwarted a 3 game sweep by the Twins when he rapped out a 5 for 5 performance on Thursday in St. Paul. Konerko blasted his 31st Home Run of the season on his way to 4 RBIs (85) and lifting his average to .308! The White Sox rolled 11-0. Click the Pic. <br> <br> Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:43:29 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Evan Longoria - Rays <br> <br>For a short while in July it looked as if the Rays might fade into the sunset. But, then they got blazing hot and snuck right back into the mix with the Yanks. When the Rangers came to town for a 3 game set it was test time. They passed. Longoria led the charge and the Rays swept Texas right out of Tampa. Evan had three hits including a Home Run as Tampa knocked off a top AL squad, maintaining a tie with NY. <br> Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:51:22 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jim Thome - Twins <br> <br>The Ol' Dude still gets fired up and plays with incredible energy. He brings enthusiasm to the game that you'd be hard pressed to find at the LL World Series being played by 12yr olds. Yea, that's Jim Thome. He's also one of the greatest sluggers our generation has known. In fact, in the clutch, he's one of the greatest ever! Last night he collected 3 hits and a Walk Off HR. It marked the 12th time he's hit a Walk Off HR - tied with Ruth, Mantle, Foxx and a few other legends for the most. Click Pic. <br> Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:39:25 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Adam Jones - Orioles <br> <br>We love what's happening in Baltimore since Buck took the helm. The players are giving more of themselves for 9 innings and the confidence is coming through with W after W. Last night it was Adam Jones that led the charge. And... talk about confidence, he ended the game with a Walk Off bunt single! A fabulous, heads up play that is indicative of playing wtih confidence in yourself and the philosophy of team. Click the Pic! <br> <br> Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:30:24 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Troy Tulowitzki - Rockies <br> <br>Steady as a rock. That describes Troy Tulowitzki to a "T". On Sunday he continued to be steady, dependable Troy and led Colorado to an exciting Walk Off win in Colorado. When Milwaukee tied the game in the top of the 9th with a fluke 2 run bloop that got caught in the wind, Troy and Colorado bowed their necks and bounced right back. Click the pic to see Troy's all around game that included a defensive gem and HR. <br> Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:06:08 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Alex Rodriguez - Yankees <br> <br>It certainly seemed as if Alex was having a sub par power year. Then, suddenly ... one game later, he's looking pretty strong again. Kansas was very good to A-Rod on Saturday as he belted out a 3 Home Run game, just the 4th time he's done that in his career. The power surge gave him 21 for the season, marking the 15th year in a row he's eclipsed the 20 HR mark - joining, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds. Quite good company, Don'tcha think? Click the Pic. <br> <br> Sun, 15 Aug 2010 18:17:34 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Nelson Cruz - Rangers <br> <br>Texas just keeps their focus and continues to win games by brushing off distractions and early game deficits. They were behind by 6 runs going into the 4th against the Red Sox and clawed their way back to tie the game. When Nellie Cruz sauntered up to the plate in the 11th and swatted a Tim Wakefield knuckler over the wall, it was the 8th Walk Off win for the Rangers this season. Cruz had 3 hits in the win. Click Pic. <br> Sat, 14 Aug 2010 16:09:24 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Pat Burrell - Giants <br> <br>San Francisco is sticking to the heels of the Padres in the NL West. They fought off the pesky Cubs again on Thursday behind the big stick of Pat Burrell. He hit a HR in the 4th to start the Giants comeback. Then, with the score tied at 3 apiece, he launched a Grand Slam that looked like it was icing on the cake. But, the Cubbies fought their way back to tie and the Giants needed a clutch hit to win it. Click the Pic to see. Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:55:20 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Mike Stanton - Marlins <br> <br>Stanton came up to the big leagues with a little less hoopla then Atlanta's rookie. But, within the organization, the Marlins new they had a prize catch. MIke proved it last night when he took over the game and belted out a 5 for 5 night, just a triple shy of the cycle. He had 4 RBIs and cracked a jaw dropping HR that his teammates are still talking about today. The talented 20 yr old also had 2 doubles. Click the Pic to see. <br> Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:07:03 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Andre Ethier - Dodgers <br> <br>For a team that has sorely needed offense to hang close to a Wild Card chance, someone finally came up big for LA. Andre Ethier was on base all 6 times he walked to the plate on Tuesday. Four of those were ringing hits that collected Andre 3 RBIs to push the Dodgers to an early lead over Philadelphia. He scored four times as LA finally broke out the bats and thumped the Phillies 15-9. Click the Pic to see. <br> <br> Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:43:42 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Brian Roberts - Orioles <br> <br>Something is happening in Baltimore and it has to do with the power of confidence. Since the managerial change that brought Buck Showalter to the clubhouse, the O's have been performing at a very high level. No different on Monday when their little guy did the unthinkable in the 10th inning. Brian Roberts led off in a 2-2 tie and promptly smoked his first HR of the year for a Walk Off gem. Buck's O's are 6-1. Click the Pic. <br> Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:57:19 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Derek Jeter - Yankees <br> <br>Any time you can put your name in the same category as Babe Ruth you know you've done well. To say that Derek Jeter has done well is over simplifying the accomplishments he's achieved on the ball field. He climbed another pinnacle on Sunday when he collected his 2,874th hit. That hit put him in 39th on the All-Time hits list, climbing over Babe Ruth. There is a good chance that Jeter could reach Pete Rose before all is said and done with his remarkable career... Click the pic to see. <br> Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:27:55 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com J. P. Arancebia - Jays <br> <br>This team has been slugging the ball all season long. They've led the Majors in HRs from the get so what else would you expect when you call up a rookie? You guessed it. They just keep on slugging. Rookie Arancebia crushed the very first pitch he saw for a HR on his way to a 4 for 5 Major League debut! He later crushed a 2nd HR in keeping with his reputation (he led the Minors with 31). Toronto slugged 8 dingers on the day!! A feat that hasn't been done since 2007. Click the Pic to see. <br> Sun, 08 Aug 2010 14:38:41 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Adam Dunn - Nationals <br> <br>He's at it again. A blazing hot power bat is what Adam is swinging right now. He ended this game very early with two massive power shots that collected 3 RBIs with each swing. It was 6-0 after 3 and effectively over. It was Dunn's fifth multi-homer game of the season and 29th of his career. It also marked the seventh consecutive year in which Dunn hit 30 or more home runs in a season. Watch his blasts by clickin the pic. <br> Sat, 07 Aug 2010 17:51:11 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Mark Kotsay - White Sox <br> <br>Chicago has been on a speedy ascent to the top while Detroit has been going the opposite way in the standings. Fitting that this game would be a see-saw affair that thrilled everyone except the Tiger fans in attendance. Mark Kotsay hammered a 2 Run bomb in the top of the 9th that gave the Sox a 3 run cushion... only to have a Ryan Rayburn bomb in the bottom of the 9th tie it for Detroit. No worries... Mark ripped a triple in the 11th to drive in 2 Ribs and secure the win. Click the Pic to see! <br> <br> Fri, 06 Aug 2010 17:26:43 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Adam Dunn - Nationals <br> <br>After having his name bantered around the league during the trade deadline... again. Then being placed on the waiver line. You'd think maybe Adam thinks he's done in Washington. Not so. He wants to be a National and he keeps proving it. Last night he led them to their 6th win in the last 8 with his 2 HR outburst and 4 RBIs. Adam now leads the NL with 28 HRs and has hit 8 in his last 8 at Chase Field. Watch Here! <br> <br> Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:02:29 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Neil Walker - Pirates <br> <br>The Pittsburgh Pirates don't have much to look forward to in 2010, except to bring along their young talent. Walker is one of those young talents and ... he's coming along just fine. Yesterday's game against the top seeded Reds was a banner game for Neil. He set a career mark for RBIs in a game with 4 while notching 3 hits incuding a bases clearing double that broke the game wide open. They hung on.. barely. Here! <br> <br> Wed, 04 Aug 2010 13:58:55 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Prince Fielder - Brewers <br> <br>The Brew Crew went on a field day to Wrigley on Monday... they paraded around the park with a season high 26 hits and drubbed the Cubs along the way. It seems like the entire team had 3, 4 or more hits but none were as productive as the Prince. He gathered five hits and knocked in 5 RBIs to send him up and over the career 500 RBI mark. There were records set or tied all over the diamond. Watch Here! <br> <br> Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:48:54 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Adam LaRoche - D'Backs <br> <br>Its been a mystery down in Arizona for the entire season. With all the talent gracing that field everyday, how is it they are 23 games back? It's a real head scratcher and one that caused a managerial change. Adam has done his part this year producing often at the plate. Yesterday was no exception as LaRoche led a 14-1thumping of the NY Mets with 2 HRs and 6 RBIs, a career game high. See his offensive explosion Here! <br> Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:48:04 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Carlos Gonzalez - Rockies <br> <br>The Colorado hitters are hot as can be. Following a record breaking team hitting display on Friday, Carlos Gonzalez did something so rare that the last time it was achieved was 36 years ago!. CarGo had a single, a double and a triple when he stepped to the plate in the bottom of the 9th with the score knotted at 5. You can't believe what happened... yup, you guessed it. . . He hit a walk off HR to complete the cycle. Here! <br> <br> Sun, 01 Aug 2010 17:25:57 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Aubrey Huff - Giants <br> <br>In 1995 9 yr old Aubrey convinced his mother to buy him a batting cage. 15yrs later, Huff is dominating Giants' opposing pitchers. Huff not only had a spectacular day at the dish, he pitched in two clutch fielding plays to help SF hold on over rival LA. Huff was 3 for 4 with the winning HR and totalled 3 RBIs. Watch his awesome game... Here! <br> <br> Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:11:37 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Carlos Pena - Rays <br> <br>Tampa is on a mission to keep the AL East leading Yanks in sight. The Rays are 8-2 in their last 10 games and that was only good enough to gain 1 game on NY. A rare 4 game sweep of Detroit was the latest feat for TB behind the production of Pena at the plate. Carlos was 3 for 4 with a HR and 4 RBIs as the Rays squeaked one out. Watch Here! <br> <br> Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:49:27 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jose Bautista - Jays <br> <br>Who is this guy and what is he doing leading the Majors in Home Runs? Well, he doesn't amaze you with his average (.254) but his production is off the chart. Jose was at it again in Toronto as he posted a 4 for 4 night and 5 RBIs while the Jays beat up on Baltimore. Jose logged his 29th and 30th HRs of the season enroute to the 8-2 win. He's been on a tear since the All-Star break, batting .353 with 6 HRs. Jose has 75 RBIs and is chasing his first 100 Rib season. Watch! <br> <br> Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:13:57 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Joe Mauer - Twins <br> <br>This guy is nothing short of amazing with a bat. As great as he is... and has been... he keeps one-upping himself. Joe set a new career high for ribbiesf in the romp over KC last night when he tallied 7 RBIs in the Twins 19-1 win. The 3-time AL Batting Champ had a 5 for 5 night with 3 singles, a double and a HR. Batting a "mere" .295 coming into the game, Mauer ended the night 10 pts higher @ .305... Watch Here! <br> <br> Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:44:12 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Buster Posey - Giants <br> <br>This young man is easily the hottest hitter in the game right now. He has propelled the San Francisco offense and helped the Giants creep into the NL West race. Posey went 4 for 5 last night to give SF it's first sweep in Arizona since 2001. He tied the Giants team record for RBIs in one month. His sizzling .479 average in July has his overall average at .371 and he has an 18 game hitting streak, just 4 shy of the team record for rookies set by Willie McCovey in 1959. Watch this kid rake... Here! <br> <br> Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:36:13 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Delmon Young - Twins <br> <br>The impressive offensive displays by Delmon have become almost commonplace. Young matched a career high with four hits and drove in three runs, including a go-ahead two-run home run in the fifth inning. Young had his second four-hit game of the season and is now batting .429 (33-for-77) with three homers and 22 RBIs in July. He's 7-for-11 (.636) with six RBIs in the series' first three games. Watch Here! <br> Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:15:47 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Aubrey Huff - Giants <br> <br>In a wild and wacky game in Arizona, the Giants beat up on the D'Backs for the 5th consecutive time. This one took a little perseverance and some great hitting by Aubrey Huff to overcome the pesky Arizona rattlers. Huff hit two HRs in the game. It was the third time this year that Huff has accomplished that feat. He also hit an RBI sinle in the 9th inning, prompting a spattering of SF fans to chant MVP! Watch his hits Here! <br> <br> Sat, 24 Jul 2010 16:05:29 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Alex Rodriguez - Yankees <br> <br>An A-Bomb for A-Rod! For the 599th time in his career Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez went deep. This time a rocket shot to the opposite field that went out as fast as it came in. Rodriguez had a 2 RBI double in his first at bat as the Yankees beat up the Royals 10-4. Alex is one HR away from being only the 7th player all-time to reach the 600 plateau. He had a chance at the milestone in the 8th inning but hit an RBI double instead. Fans groaned and left the stadium. Click Here to watch <br> Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:32:17 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Colin Curtis - Yankees <br> <br>Ok, you're a rookie. Not just anywhere. In New York Yankee pinstripes. It would be tough enough to be successful if called upon to pinch hit in a rivalry game. What Colin did borders on the amazing. The Yankees were clinging to a 1 run lead and were in a rally that had scored an insurance run and put two more potential runs on the bases. Brett Gardner was at the plate and down in the count 0-2. He argued. He lost and was ejected. In comes Colin with an 0-2 count. What a spot for a rookie. You won't believe what happened next. Click here to see! <br> <br> Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:27:09 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Aramis Ramirez - Cubs <br> <br>It wasn't looking too good for Chicago. Hours after skipper Lou Piniella announced 2010 would be his last in uniform, the Cubs were being manhandled by Houston 6-0. Then, as bizarre as it may sound, a fella who's been struggling to stay above .220 all year came alive at the plate. Aramis Ramirez belted 3 HRs and knocked in 7 RBIs to send the Cubbies charging past the Astros. It's the first time Ramirez has clubbed 3 HRs in a game since 2006. Talk about winning one for the skipper! Watch his massive clouts here! <br> <br> Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:18:48 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Nelson Cruz - Rangers <br> <br>Texas had no wins in their last 11games in Detroit, but ... this is a different Rangers team in 2010. They had a 2-0 lead and lost it. They had a 5-3 lead and lost it. They had a 6-5 lead in the 8th and lost that too. They blew a chance to win it with bases loaded and nobody out in the 9th. Nellie to the rescue! His crafty defensive deke kept the game tied in the 11th and his 3rd hit of the game was a game winning HR in the 14th inning. Cruz had 4 RBIs. Watch his heroics by clicking Here! <br> <br> Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:53:01 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Chris Denorfia - Padres <br> <br>There does not appear to be any slowing down for the Friars after the break. They took a slim NL West lead into the weekend series with the D'backs and came out the other end with a sweep and a cushion. Leading the way on Sunday was Chris Denorfia who went 4 for 4 with 2 HRs and scored 3 times. The Padres hold a 4 game lead over the Rockies. Check out the ebb and flow of this game by clicking Here! <br> <br> Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:02:00 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Benjie Molina - Rangers <br> <br>This guy may be the missing piece for Texas. The pop they've been looking for from behind the dish is Molina. He homered on Thursday.. but they would have never guessed he would do what he did on Friday. The big fella hit for the cycle... but no ordinary cycle. He had a single and a double.. then smacked a Grand Slam to break a tie. Just for the heck of it.. he tripled in his last at bat. It may have been costly though.. he came up with a bad wheel after the trip around the bags. Watch Here <br> Sat, 17 Jul 2010 16:17:49 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Starlin Castro - Cubs <br> <br>Chicago was looking forward to the 2nd part of the season. Anything that would help them forget the 1st. It didn't start out too promising with Ryan Howard belting a 2 run jack to give Philly a 2-0 lead in the 1st. But, the Cubs bounced back quickly with Starlin Castro leading the charge. He fell a HR short of the cycle and his triple in the 2nd led to a steal of home and a huge run for Chicago. They turned on the power from there and beat Philly soundly. Castro had 3 hits in the win. Watch Here! <br> Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:14:59 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Brian McCann - NL All Stars <br> <br>It was a struggle at the plate for both sides as the sun and shadows played havoc with the hitters. It didn't look good for the NL team as they fell behind 1-0. With the type of pitching in the game that one run looked huge. Until the 7th. That's when the NL team strung together some at bats, loaded the bases and waited for some magic. They got it off the bat of Atlanta Catcher Brian McCann. His smoking hot line drive double into the right field corner cleared the bases and won it for the NL! Here. <br> <br> Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:30:00 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Big Papi - Red Sox <br> <br>Wow, what a show the sluggers put on at the Home Run Derby in Anaheim. True to every expert prediction that Anaheim's field favored left handed hitters, David Ortiz proved them correct when all was said and done. He belted shot after shot after shot on his way to the Home Run Derby title. Most impressive was his final round. Getting to the plate first was important as it allowed Ortiz to set the "mark". Did he ever! Big Papi tied the Final Round mark of 11 and held on to win it. Watch Here! <br> <br> Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:55:54 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Carlos Quentin - White Sox <br> <br>Talk about getting hot at the right time... the White Sox capped off the first half with an 8 game winning streak and rode that streak into 1st place. Carlos Quentin has been red hot for the Sox going 7 for 13 with 6 HRs and 11 RBIs in his last 7 games! Yesterday he helped the Sox get into 1st as he cracked 2 HRs including a Grand Slam. He has vaulted up the AL standings in HRs (4th) and RBIs (7th). Watch Here! <br> <br> Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:33:59 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Buster Posey - Giants <br> <br>This fella has been on a tear over the last few days and the Giants are happy to have it. Last night he went crazy again with a 4 for 5 night and a HR. His 3 RBIs and 2 Runs scored helped the Giants double up on the Nationals 10-5. It was a big inning that made the difference as the Giants scored 4 runs in the 7th inning to take control of the game. Posey, now solidified in the lineup, is 19-for-37 (.514) with six homers, 13 RBIs and 11 runs scored over 10 games. Watch his big game Here! <br> Sun, 11 Jul 2010 14:54:54 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Lance Berkman - Astros <br> <br>When your ace is on the mound you'd really like to give him a lead to work with as early as possible. That's just what Lance did on Thursday. In his first AB he crushed an opposite field solo HR to put the Astros in front. Next time up, Lance did the same thing... oppo solo shot to give Oswalt a 2 run cushion. It was Berkman's third straight at bat with a HR and his 5th in the last 4 games played! AND he made big defensive plays to protect the small cushion he gave his ace. Watch Lance Here! <br> <br> Fri, 09 Jul 2010 17:49:59 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Adam Dunn - Nationals <br> <br>The man is a leader in the clubhouse and impactive on the field. He is one of the most consistent power number producers in the game for the past 5 years. Yet, he is trade talk. Adam did all he could to help the Nats notch their 38th victory of the year on Wednesday when he launched a trio of Home Runs and gathered 5 RBIs. Each Home Run stifled a Padre uprising. The Nats need Dunn. Watch his massive shots Here! <br> <br> Thu, 08 Jul 2010 15:00:53 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Colorado Rockies <br> <br>With all due respect to Johnny Damon and his walk off winner and 2,500th hit... the YH for Tuesday has to be the Colorado Rockies team. When you come into the 9th inning down by 6 runs and find a way to win the game, as a team.. you have really accomplished something. It was mesmerizing to watch. Uplifiting. Motivating. Inspirational. It shows how the game of baseball can never be ordinary. It's a crazy game with crazy quirks and tendencies that happen all the time. Watch the Craziness! <br> <br> Wed, 07 Jul 2010 13:48:35 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Joey Votto - Reds <br> <br>No wonder the Cincinnati Reds are in unfamiliar territory as we reach the All-Star break - two days in a row they sport the YH of the league! Stubbs on Sunday and Joey Votto takes it for Monday. In a wild game in New York, Joey Votto blasted 2 HRs enroute to a 3 hit day that included scoring 3 Runs and driving in 2. Votto is having a superb year at .318 with 21 HRs and 59 RBIs. Help him to the All Star gamet. . . Here! Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:41:38 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Drew Stubbs - Reds <br> <br>His family and friends came up to see him on Saturday... he sat out the game. But, they made it to the park on Sunday and he put on a show! Drew Stubbs broke out on the 4th of July and hit bombs into the streets of Chicago. Stubbs crushed 3 HRs and knocked in 5 RBIs as Cincinnati blasted the Cubs 14-3 yesterday. Watch his highlight reel ... Here! <br> <br> Mon, 05 Jul 2010 16:41:39 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Matt Joyce - Rays <br> <br>Sitting on the bench the whole game awaiting a chance to make an impactive contribution. That was Matt Joyce. He took swings in the tunnel. He waited. He watched as Jim Thome blasted two HRs to put the Twins in front as he passed Harmon Killebrew on the all time HR list. All that for one moment. One chance. He got it in the got it in the 8th inning with 2 out and the bases loaded.. the game was tied 4-4. With one swing he belted a Grand Slam to win the game. Wow. Watch here. <br> Sun, 04 Jul 2010 20:17:44 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Chris Young - Diamondbacks <br> <br>It was a game of firsts. Kirk Gibson, the LA Dodger icon turned D'Back, was managing his first ever game. Chris Young was placed first in the lineup for the first time this year. The D'Backs scored first in the first inning. . . and Gibson won his first managerial game. Thanks to Chris Young, who pounded out 3 hits and knocked in 5 RBIS on the night. He sealed the game with a majestic bomb to left field. Watch Here! <br> <br> Sat, 03 Jul 2010 15:13:37 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Carl Crawford - Rays <br> <br>With the Tampa Bay Rays in need of a big win to stay close before the break, they were faced with a difficult task of beating the Twins in Minnesota. The game was back and forth all day. It looked as if the Twins were going to eek it out until Crawford got his 4th hit of the night in the 9th. A clutch double followed and Crawford raced around with the tying run, giving the Rays a chance. They won it in 10. Watch Here! <br> <br> Fri, 02 Jul 2010 17:19:06 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Vladimir Guerrero - Rangers <br> <br>What's that old saying - "Here's spit in your eye!" ? Vlad came "home" to Anaheim and rubbed dirt in the wound that was already swelling due to his remarkable numbers this year. Heck, he's the AL All Star for DH! He added to his great numbers by going 4 for 4 with 2 HRs, including a Grand Slam and 5 RBIs as Texas stretched its lead in the West. Here!! <br> <br> Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:59:38 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Denard Span - Twins <br> <br>How do you come back after dropping out of First in your division?Get em On, Get em Over ... and Get em In! In Tuesdays game Denard Span did all that and more as he led the Twins back to the top in the Central. Span logged 3 Triples - a rare feat last accomplished in 2002 - and racked up a career high 5 RBIs. He came to the plate in the 7th with a chance to record his 4th triple.. only to be walked. Watch the buzz Here. <br> Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:52:52 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Miguel Olivo - Rockies <br> <br>I guess it would be asking a bit much from the catcher to hit a triple. Thats all Miguel needed to have hit for the cycle vs. San Diego on Monday. But, who needs it? Olivo powered the Rockies offense with a 3 hit night that included a HR and 4 RBIs with 2 runs scored. The Rockies keep hanging around in the NL West. Watch Miguel's night Here! <br> <br> Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:04:39 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Robinson Cano - Yankees <br> <br>This year's best hitter took the helm for the best team of 2009 and showcased his clutch hitting to the league. With his team trailing by 4 in the 9th against one of the top closers in the game, Cano got things started with an RBI double to cut the deficit. The Yankees responded and tied the game 6-6. In the 10th, Cano ended it with a monster opposite field HR shot to give the Yanks an amazing win. Watch Here! <br> <br> Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:24:15 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Daric Barton - A's <br> <br>Decked out in their bright yellow uniforms from the Dick Williams '70s era, the Athletics looked like the WS Champs of yesteryear. Smashing the Pirates 5-0 behind solid pitching and timely hitting from the top of the lineup. It was a banner day for Barton, as he went 3-for-4, setting career highs with 3 doubles and 4 RBIs. The 24-year-old first baseman is riding a six-game hitting streak, batting .381during ... Watch Here! <br> Sun, 27 Jun 2010 16:31:56 GMT Sun, 27 Jun 2010 16:31:26 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Chris Johnson - Astros <br> <br>Having an opportunity to start for the Astros, rookie Chris Johnson is making the most of it. Johnson, making his third start since being recalled from Triple-A Round Rock on Tuesday, went 4-for-5 with a double and three RBIs to help the Astros get a W over their streaking Texas rivals. Johnson is the first Astros rookie to get four hits in a game since Edwin Maysonet at May 29, 2009, at Pittsburgh. Watch Here! <br> <br> Sat, 26 Jun 2010 15:04:38 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Dustin Pedroia - Red Sox <br> <br>I seem to recall a comment from the little 2nd baseman about wanting to contribute more HRs to the team this year. Until last night he'd been about average. Uh, until last night... He cracked one early in the game, came up with a single and a double in a double digit game. Then, in the 8th he cracked another one that gave the Sox a 3 run lead they couldn't hold. In the 10th... he did it again! 5 for 5 with 3HRs and 5 RBIs! Here! <br> <br> Fri, 25 Jun 2010 16:22:28 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jason Giambi - Rockies <br> <br>Ever since Colorado picked Giambi up and extended his career, Jason has had a penchant for delivering late innings drama. Lo and behold if he didn't do it again on Wednesday night. After Ian Stewart hit a game tying HR in the 9th.. Giambi unloaded with a two run bomb to win it. It was business as usual for Giambi who crushed the game winner off of Boston's closer Jonathan Papelbon. Watch this drama unfold Here! <br> <br> Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:13:26 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Angel Pagan - Mets <br> <br>On a team of big name players it's a backup that is carrying the spark for the Mets as they climb up the NL East ladder. Angel Pagan has been sparkling in place of Carlos Beltran, batting a solid .304 and continually coming up with big games. Tuesday he hammered out 4 hits including his 5th triple of the year while knocking in 4 Ribs as the Mets took it to the Tigers in New York. Watch his 4 hit game Here! <br> <br> Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:34:05 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Josh Hamilton - Rangers <br> <br>Not only is he on a hitting streak of 16 games, the best of his career, he's getting the clutch hits when it counts the most. Take Sunday for example; Josh extended his hitting streak with a simple single in the 3rd. Then he went on to post 4 more hits on the day! His 5 hit day included two huge ones late: a game tying single in the 9th and the game winner in the 10th. Watch his fabulous day at the plate Here! <br> Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:15:59 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Lastings Milledge - Pirates <br> <br>It isn't an easy game. I don't care how easy it looks at times. It's tough. Now, add in the fact that your team is a perennial loser and on another double digit losing streak. Yea, it gets even tougher to get up for your AB's. Well, Lastings is... lasting. He's not quitting. He's putting energy into every AB. Yesteday, his efforts accounted for a W. Pittsburgh won for the first time in 13 games behind Milledge's 3 Hit and 4 RBI game. Now if Pittsburgh can just find a way to keep it going. Watch his game Here! <br> <br> Sun, 20 Jun 2010 18:15:32 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ryan Howard - Phillies <br> <br>Holy Cow. I guess the big fella didn't take too well to seeing Shane Victorino take YH honors yesterday. He did a little something about it at the dish on Friday. Not much, just a little. A little lumber hauling that is. Ryan belted two Home Runs on his way to a big power day. He was 4 for 4 with 3 RBIs as the Phils thumped the Twins. Howard's big night at the dish included a triple and a double. Watch Highlights Here! <br> <br> Sat, 19 Jun 2010 16:54:20 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Shane Victorino - Phillies <br> <br>It's not always the big bopper that makes the impact in this game, that's the beauty of it. Sometimes it takes the spark plug to ignite the big guns. In Yankee stadium yesterday that is exactly what happened when Shane Victorino ruled the game early on. He scored the 1st run, knocked in the next two with a HR and was a general mighty mouse the entire 9 innings. He finished with 3 runs scored, 2 RBIs and a HR. Watch Here! <br> <br> Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:58:14 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Brennan Boesch - Tigers <br> <br>This kid is a throw back. He's hard playing, tough at the plate and fun to watch. In short, he's just a real heckuva find for the Detroit franchise. Brennan is ripping at a .344 clip this year and has big time power numbers as well. He knocked in four runs yesterday to give him 34 on the year. He also cracked his 9th HR of the year. This type of production coming from a Rookie has to have the Tigers licking their chops as they hang around in the AL Central. Watch Brennan's big game Here! <br> <br> Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:14:22 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Rafael Furcal - Dodgers <br> <br>Get hot and stay hot. That's Raffy's idea and a little rain wasn't going to ruin his plan. He opened with a sizzling double and never slowed down as the Dodgers handed the Reds their hat, 12-0. Recently cooled off by their cross town Rivals, LA took their act on the road and erupted for 19 hits. Furcal paved the way with 5 of those knocks, tying his career high. He looks like the spark the Dodgers need at the top of the lineup. Here! <br> Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:23:08 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com John Buck - Jays <br> <br>Toronto has been on a bit of a slide in the last week. Some of the power seems to have been missing from their surge. No power outage for John Buck. He weathered the earthquake in Petco Park with a few mammoth shakes of his bat. Buck hit two HRs in the Jays win over San Diego, one a screaming frozen rope to left.. the other an opposite field blastoff. Maybe the shakeup is just what the Jays needed. Watch Here! <br> Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:32:41 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Troy Glaus - Braves <br> <br>Atlanta keeps riding the hot bat of Troy Glaus. And why not, he's on a rampage at the plate. Troy has been smacking the ball all over the ballpark and collecting RBIs like he's in little league. He now sits in 2nd place in the RBI department in the entire MLB. Yesterday he clubbed two Home Runs, racked up 3 more Ribs and had 4 hits at the dish. Not a bad way to spend the afternoon. Watch his mammoth shot. Click Here! <br> Mon, 14 Jun 2010 19:31:43 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Daniel Nava - Red Sox <br> <br>Talk about "story book"... this is that.. and then some. In his very first Major League game, 27yr old Daniel Nava came to the plate with the bases loaded and his team trailing 2-1. He swung at the very first pitch he saw and drove it over the right field wall for a Grand Slam! Unbelievable. If you want to feel good all over, watch this highlight. You'll get goose bumps for the kid. Click Here! <br> <br> Sun, 13 Jun 2010 15:15:36 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Brandon Phillips - Reds <br> <br>It certainly appears that the Cincinnati Reds have grown to like their position as NL Central's top dog. They battle every game with the expectation of walking off with a W. Yesterday was no exception vs. San Francisco. Down 4-0 they scrapped back to tie it with 4 in the 3rd. Then, trailing again in the 8th 6-4, Brandon Phillips came through with his 4th hit of the game. A big hit. A 2 run triple that tied the score. He later carried in the winning run on Votto's RBI. Watch his big game Here! <br> <br> Fri, 11 Jun 2010 15:49:51 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Derrek Lee - Cubs <br> <br>Congratulations to Cubs 1st Baseman Derrek Lee who clubbed his 300th HR in yesterday's win over MIlwaukee. Derrek now has his sights set on another number - 1000 RBIs. He needs 35 more to reach that coveted goal. He's closing in on 2000 hits and his 400th double as well. Quite a set of numbers for Derrek who is a lifetime .283 hitter. He's also only a handful or so away from scoring his 1000th run. Watch his 300th! <br> Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:41:53 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Carlos Pena - Rays <br> <br>We're nearly 60 games into the season and every one is waiting for the AL East to right itself, you know NY and Boston on top. Sorry, the Rays are good. They also look like they belong right where they're at... on top. In Tuesday's tilt they dominated the once charging Jays 9-0. Carlos Pena came to the plate 4 times. He failed once, striking out.. .Oh, he also hit 2 HRs and drove in 5ive of the Rays runs. Watch Here! <br> <br> Wed, 09 Jun 2010 15:54:34 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Blake DeWitt - Dodgers <br> <br>The Dodgers took the field on Monday looking at a scoreboard that showed every NL West team with a W or on their way to one. What's a team to do? Well, facing St. Lou.. they painted a W early with some quick sharp strokes of the bat. Blake DeWitt chipped in with his 1st HR of the year. He racked up 5 RBIs on the night and LA Rolled on. Watch Here! <br> <br> Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:14:33 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Carlos Lee - Astros <br> <br>This hasn't happened nearly as often as the Astros would like. But, with a squeaky sweep of the Nationals maybe it's turning around in Houston. On Thursday Carlos Lee helped turn around a topsy turvy game when he clubbed a game winner into the left field seats. It was Carlos Lee's 7th HR and the second time this year he's had a walk off shot. Watch! <br> Fri, 04 Jun 2010 15:46:33 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Adrian Gonzalez - Padres <br> <br>Yo Adrian! Locked in a tooth and nail battle with the NY Mets in San Diego, the Padres battled into the 9th inning down 1-0. Pesky David Eckstein tied it with a single and Gonzalez followed with a double that nearly ended it, but Eck was thrown out at home. In the 11th Gonzalez got another shot at being a hero and did not disappoint. His fourth hit of the game was a Grand Slam Walk Off Winner for SD. Watch Here! <br> <br> Thu, 03 Jun 2010 16:19:43 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Lance Berkman - Astros <br> <br>The baseball Gods were mean and then kind to Lance Berkman. After committing a throwing error that cost the 'Stros two runs in the 5th, Lance got a very generous call in the 9th that could have been strike 3. It was called a ball. With the reprieve, Lance belted a game winning 2 run single with the sacks packed for his 3rd hit and 5th RBI in the game. Sometime you just cant lose. Watch the highlights Here! <br> <br> Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:43:02 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Alex Rodriguez - Yankees <br> <br>Well, "They" did it again... and so did "He". "They" being opposing Managers intentionally walking Mark Teixeiria in front of Alex Rodriguez to load the bases. "He" promptly hit a Grand Slam to make 'em pay in the worst way. A-Rod's GS was his 20th in his career! For the record, "they" have intentionally walked Mark 5 times to get to Alex. Alex is 5 for 5 in those situations with 18 RBIs!! Wow. Watch the big mistake ... Here! <br> Tue, 01 Jun 2010 17:27:48 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Albert Pujols - Cardinals <br> <br>What can you say about this guy that hasn't already been said? He's just one of the elite players of our generation. I hope you're not missing his ride through history. On Sunday Albert climbed into 2nd place All-Time on the St. Louis RBI list. He trails only Stan Musial. How did he get there? Popped out of his power shortage with 3 huge Home Runs and 4 RBIs as the Cards bounced the Cubs around Wrigley. Watch Here! <br> <br> Mon, 31 May 2010 15:49:28 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Corey Hart - Brewers <br> <br>As if his Walk Off Home Run on Frinday wasn't enough, Corey Hart stayed with the long ball through Saturday. Getting the Brew Crew off to a Grand start, Corey hit a 1st inning Grand Slam! He followed that with a 2 Run Bomb two innings later. It was his third straight at bat with a Homer and gave Corey 6 RBIs and the Brewers an easy win. Corey now leads the NL in HRs (12). Watch his big time night here. Cool unis huh? <br> Sun, 30 May 2010 15:16:57 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jonny Gomes - Reds <br> <br>The Reds are easily one of the hottest teams in baseball right now. Largely because of a core group of hitters like Jonny Gomes. Gomes had a big day at the plate yesterday, going 4 for 4 with a HR, a Triple and 4 RBIs. He probably would have had the cycle in his last at bat if not for one thing. Click Here to see why. Pay attention to the beautiful super slo-mo closeups on his swing. You may learn somethin'. ; ) <br> <br> Sat, 29 May 2010 15:59:54 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jose Reyes - Mets <br> <br>Fresh off providing personal batting instruction for the newly crowned Miss USA, Jose Reyes showed off his talent on the diamond. Reyes contributed to all three runs off Phillies starter Cole Hamels, singling and scoring on Jason Bay's double in the first before doubling home two runs of his own in the seventh. The Mets won 3-0. Watch Here! <br> <br> Fri, 28 May 2010 17:01:12 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Adrian Beltre - Red Sox <br> <br>It's looking more and more like the Beltre of old in Boston. Adrian showed off his power and speed in a pasting of the AL East leading Rays. Homering his first two times at the plate with massive blasts to left and left center, Beltre beat out an infield hit for his 3rd hit of the game. He followed that with a towering 2 RBI triple to Right Center for his 4th hit and 6 RBIs. Boston is riding him like a horse. Watch Here. <br> Thu, 27 May 2010 15:29:35 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Vladimir Guerrero - Rangers <br> <br>This guy is on fire. The leading vote-getter among American League designated hitters in the All-Star voting update announced Monday. One day later he reinforced those credentials by crushing a pair of two-run home runs and an RBI double to tie a season-high with five RBIs. Vlad's presence in the lineup has catapulted Texas to the top. Watch Here. <br> Wed, 26 May 2010 19:14:42 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Omar Vizquel - White Sox <br> <br>This was a pretty big day for Omar Vizquel. He came to the White Sox and was honored when his idol Luis Aparicio allowed his Hall of Fame number to be "un-retired". Omar donned his number and on Monday joined Aparicio with a base hit in the 5th. That hit gave him 2,674 for his career, the same as Luis Aparicio. They share 2nd place all time for shortstops. Pretty cool huh? Which SS has the most? Derek Jeter! <br> Tue, 25 May 2010 15:42:24 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jason Bay - NY Mets <br> <br>Not the dominant Power Hitter this year that the Mets hoped for when they signed him, Jason Bay delivered the power on Sunday. His two HR's lifted the Mets over their crosstown rivals 6-4 and gave the Mets the series victory. The Mets were up 5-0 after Bay's 2nd Home Run of the night and then had to hang on for the 6-4 win. Jason had only one HR before Sunday in his 45th game! Better late than never. Watch Here <br> Mon, 24 May 2010 15:40:15 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Bryce Harper - CSN Coyotes <br> <br>Fresh off hitting for the cycle on Friday to propel CSN into the Championship game, the 17 year old phenom and likely #1 Pick one-upped himself on Saturday. After losing Game 1 in a Double Elimination format that sends the winner to the JUCO World Series, Harper made certain the Coyotes didn't stop at the door step. Bryce had a 6 for 6 day that included 4 HRs, a Double and a Triple and knocked in 10 RBIs as CSN busted down the door and head to Grand Junction, CO. to compete in the Junior College World Series. If you're counting... that's 21 total bases in one game... Wow! <br> <br> Sun, 23 May 2010 16:03:12 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Mike Sweeney - M's <br> <br>He's been here before and I guess he like it : ) After the Mariners had fallen behind early to the hot San Diego Padres, Mike took charge. He ripped a 3 Run HR in the 2nd and Seattle went on to score 7 runs in the frame. Sweeney added another bomb later in the game and collected two more hits on the night. He had 6 RBIs in the drubbing of the Padres who fell into a tie with the Dodgers at the top of the NL West. Click Here.. <br> Sat, 22 May 2010 15:50:28 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Brooks Conrad - Braves <br> <br>The Atlanta Braves have struggled in the first 1/4 of the season, but they've never given up. They didn't give up on Thursday against the Reds who built an impressive 9-1 lead at one point. The Braves came into the bottom of the 9th needing 6 runs for a tie and 7 to win. Miraculously, they got the bases loaded and scored 3 to make it 9-6. With the sacks still full Brooks came on to Pinch Hit. You won't belive what happened. Here! <br> Fri, 21 May 2010 15:42:02 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Adrian Gonzalez - Padres <br> <br>They're still sitting atop the NL West alone, thanks to Adrian and his hefty bat. Gonzalez put a spanking on LA pitching all night and collected a career high 6 RBIs enroute to a 10-5 Padre win. San Diego is the first team to beat the Dodgers in the last 10 tries. Adrian crushed a 3 Run HR in the 4th inning to put the game away early. Watch his game Here! <br> <br> Thu, 20 May 2010 15:57:29 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Matt Downs - Giants <br> <br>It's never easy winning on the road. It's especially difficult if you are facing a team that has handed you your hat for 8 straight, home and away! The Giants were on a mission in San Diego last night to end that dreaded drought against their rival. With a little help from Matt Downs they got it done. But, it took 12 innings to pry the W away from San Diego. Matt Downs lined a 2 RBI double in the 12th for his 3rd hit of the game and San Fran can finally say they've beaten SD. Watch Here! <br> <br> Wed, 19 May 2010 15:44:45 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Marcus Thames - Yankees <br> <br>When the Red Sox and the Yankees hook up you can bet you'll see some fireworks. No exception on Monday night and it started in the very 1st inning. The Yanks jumped to a 5-0 lead. Boston didn't give in, taking the lead in the 9th 9-7. Then the real fireworks began. A-Rod hit a game tying 2 Run bomb off Papelbomb and Marcus Thames followed with a 2nd 2 Run Bomb 1 out later. This one was the winner. Watch Here! <br> <br> Tue, 18 May 2010 15:50:49 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Martin Prado - Braves <br> <br>It's tough to figure out the Atlanta Braves this year. They've been good one day and bad the next. Fortunately for them they may have found the magic potion to get back on track. Martin Prado has been placed in the leadoff role and the offense looks much better as a result. Prado had his first Multi HR game on Sunday and matched a career high wtih 4 hits as the Braves trounced Arizona. Watch the highlights Here! <br> <br> Mon, 17 May 2010 16:37:32 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jose Bautista - Jays <br> <br>The Jays are cooling off the Rangers and Jose has a lot to do with it. In the fifth inning, Bautista yanked an 0-1 offering to left field for a solo shot to put Toronto ahead, 2-0. After adding an RBI single in the sixth, He clubbed a three-run homer (his 9th blast of the year) in the eighth. "They both felt good," Bautista said of his homers. "Every at-bat, I squared up to the ball really well, and my timing was good!" Watch Here! Sun, 16 May 2010 15:30:19 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Alex Rodriguez - Yankees <br> <br>There's an old saying in baseball: "If they walk a man intentionally to get to you, you better make 'em pay!" Alex did just that on Friday when the Twins had a decision to face Texeiria or A-Rod. They chose A-Rod and walked the bases full with Tex. A-Rod promptly cleared 'em with a Grand Slam on the 2nd pitch. So far he's perfect when Tex is intentionally walked to get to him.. 4 for 4 and 2 walks. Hmmm.. pick your poison carefully. A-Rod trails only Lou Gehrig and Manny in Slams Watch Here! <br> Sat, 15 May 2010 14:41:41 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ryan Zimmerman - Nationals <br> <br>Don't look now but Washington is near the top in the NL East, only 1 game behind the Phillies. How are they doing it? Hits, hits and more hits! On Thursday it was Ryan Zimmerman leading the charge with 2 big Home Runs and 6 RIBs. His 3 for 5 day put a quick close to the Rockies who were on a high after taking out the Phils the day before. Ryan has his avg. at .319 and climbing. Watch his game Here! <br> <br> Fri, 14 May 2010 16:22:42 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Miguel Olivo - Rockies <br> <br>Can't say much bad about Miguel Olivo's game on Wednesday. Facing the NL Champs in a post season rematch, this game was back and forth all day. Mainly because Miguel kept pestering the Phils with base hit after base hit. Sadly, nobody could drive him home. So.. what does a guy do? Drive himself home! Miguel hit a walk off HR in the bottom of the 10th inning for his 5th hit of the night and the Rocks won. <br> Thu, 13 May 2010 15:41:46 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Daric Barton - A's <br> <br>Not much was happening for Daric in the Tuesday tilt with Texas. He was 0 for 5 when the game went into extras. Just what Daric needed to get him going. In the 11th he put the A's ahead with a solo shot that looked like it would end the game. But.. Texas tied it in the bottom. Along came the 13th and Barton came up again. This time with a runner on he singled to send the A's on top again. They held on to win it. <br> Wed, 12 May 2010 16:40:01 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Carlos Ruiz - Phillies <br> <br>The defending NL Champs are not wasting any time in '10 showing the league they are one of the teams to beat. Blessed with a lineup that always finds a "go to" guy, Monday it was Carlos Ruiz' turn to shine. He tied the game in the 6th with a Solo Home Run. Then, in the 9th with the game knotted up at 5.. he singled home Ryan Howard for the eventual game winner. Ruiz finished the day with 4 hits and 2 RIBs. Watch Here! <br> Tue, 11 May 2010 16:00:52 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Josh Wilson - Mariners <br> <br>Poor Seattle, once in a log jam at the top of the AL West.. they've fallen off the pace with a 2-8 record the last couple weeks. Meanwhile the Rangers have gone 8-2 in the same span. Which meant the Mariners needed a win in the worst way. Well, they got it with the help of Josh Wilson breaking out the lumber on Mother's Day. Josh went 3 for 3 and only a double shy of the cycle. He finished with 3 RIBS. Watch Here! <br> <br> Mon, 10 May 2010 16:02:57 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jody Gerut - Brewers <br> <br>Milwaukee is a run scoring machine. They can really put together rallies and tally some crooked numbers in a hurry. The latest vicitm of their offensive onslaught was Arizona on Saturday night. The Brewers thumped the D'Backs 17-3 behind a rare start for Jody Gerut. He made his presence known with a superb day that ended with a double in the 9th inning to fill out his Cycle. Gerut got his HR out of the way in his 1st AB and then ripped a triple in the 5th. Nice job Jody! Watch it Here! <br> <br> Sun, 09 May 2010 16:41:08 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Starlin Castro - Cubs <br> <br>Wow! What a way to introduce yourself to your new team and the League! Called up from the Minors and thrust into the starting lineup, rookie SS Starlin Castro was an incredible hit in Chicago! His very first at bat resulted in a 3 Run HR. He followed that with a bases clearing triple to give him 6 RBIs in his debut. The most in baseball history! Starlin is also the youngest starting SS in Cubs History. Watch Here! <br> <br> Sat, 08 May 2010 16:07:28 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Andre Ethier - Dodgers <br> <br>The phenomenal success of Andre Ethier in clutch situations continued last night in LA. The NL Triple Crown leader (.371, 30RBI, 10HR) sent the LA fans home giddy when he drove a 2-2 pitch over the center field wall for a walk off Grand Slam! It was the 11th walk off hit for Andre in his young career. He gets alot of chances and more often than not, he comes through with flying colors. Watch this ball fly out of the park Here! <br> Fri, 07 May 2010 15:49:03 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ian Stewart - Rockies <br> <br>Even MLB players need a little instruction at times. Ian Stewart hit 25 HRs last year but had a tiny .228 average. Skipper Jim Tracy felt it was Ian's habit of letting a "good pitch" pass by. His recent 1 for 10 slide was too much of the 'same ol' same ol' for Tracy who benched Stewart. But, in the 12th inning he gave the kid the nod as a Pinch Hitter. Stewart got into a great hitter's count (2-0)... and look what happened. Click Here! <br> <br> Thu, 06 May 2010 15:57:17 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ryan Sweeney - A's <br> <br>It's a tooth and nail battle in the AL West where one win can make the difference between top and bottom. The A's fought off the Texas Rangers and a Vlad Grand Slam 7-6 on Tuesday. They did it behind the big bat of Ryan Sweeney. He's been Mr. Consistent for the A's; reaching base safely in all but one game this season. Last night he posted a 3 hit night and knocked in 5 Ribs to keep the A's neck and neck with Texas in the standings. Watch Sweeney's night by clicking Here! <br> <br> Wed, 05 May 2010 17:17:10 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Laynce Nix - Reds <br> <br>In our minds the absolute most difficult task in sports is to come in off the bench as a pinch hitter in a close game. Especially in extra innings. I don't care who you are, coming in cold and facing live pitching at 95+ with the weight of your team's fate on your back... that ain't easy. Well, it ain't easy bein' easy for Laynce Nix who came in and walloped a Pinch Hit game winner stone cold off the bench in the 11th! Nice! Watch Here! <br> Tue, 04 May 2010 15:14:36 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Andre Ethier - Dodgers <br> <br>No Manny in the lineup? No problem. It took a few games for the players to find the "go to guy" in LA. But, no doubt they've found him... again. Andre Ethier has been red hot over the last few games (10 for 26 / 4 HRs). Yesterday he helped the Dodgers get closer to climbing out of the cellar with another huge day at the plate. Andre was 3 for 5 with 2 Bombs and 4 Ribs as LA knocked off Pittsburgh. Watch his game Here! <br> Mon, 03 May 2010 16:49:03 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Nick Markakis - Orioles <br> <br>It's a shame that the Orioles have lost so many one run games this year, they have a good team.. just not quite good enough.. yet. But, don't count them out, they're young, talented and they can hit. They proved it to Boston yesterday when they came from behind against Dice K and ripped off 6 runs in the 5th and 4 more in the 6th. In the middle of it all was Nick Markakis who had a HR and 2 more hits to knock in 5 Ribs. <br> Sun, 02 May 2010 14:38:20 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Derek Jeter - Yankees <br> <br>One of the greatest hitters in baseball history is playing right here in our era, I hope you've been watching. Captain Clutch is more than a great hitter, though... he's an all around package of how to win. Last night was no different. Derek Jeter drove in four runs -- two on a homer to tie the game in the fifth, two on a triple to give the Yanks the lead in the sixth -- and was a mere double shy of the cycle as he became MLB's active hits leader. He's an incredible athlete - Take a look at his game Here! <br> <br> Sat, 01 May 2010 16:03:38 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com John Buck - Jays <br> <br>The Jays were on a slide and their field general was in a funk. Thursday that changed. "John Buck had a day you dream about as a kid" said Skipper Cito Gaston. Buck blasted 3 Home Runs in leading the Jays out of their losing streak. Just for good measure he took a mighty rip in his last at bat to try for his fourth. It didn't happen for him, but the win did and it was just what the Jays needed. Watch John's big day Here! <br> Fri, 30 Apr 2010 16:19:59 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jayson Werth - Phillies <br> <br>Okay, so it was only one hit... but what a hit! Think about it. It's the top of the 9th inning and the reigning 2 time NL Cy Young winner - Tim Lincecum. Has been dealing all day long and your team is down 4-1. Somehow you've scraped together a rally and the bases are loaded. But, there's2 outs and the flame throwing Closer has you in a full count. What do you do? How about line a game tying, bases clearing double down the right field line!? That's YH Material right there. <br> Thu, 29 Apr 2010 16:29:35 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Austin Kearns - Indians <br> <br>He was the 4th Outfielder on a team that was stuck in the muc out of the gate. Now, he's a regular contributor and Cleveland is slowly rising. On Tuesday it was the Austin Kearns show as he helped the Indians down the Halos with a HR, an RBI double and a clutch 8th inning double with the bases loaded that broke it open. His 5 RBIs paved the way for Cleveland to get within 2 games of the .500 mark. <br> Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:28:29 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Chris Carter - Rivercats <br> <br>Life isn't easy when you're expected to do something magical. Chris made it look easy yesterday. Returning home to Las Vegas with Oakland's Triple A affiliate, MLB.com's Minor League hitter of the year did not disappoint. Chris crushed a 2 run HR off Brad Mills to lift the Rivercats over the LV 51's (Toronto) in front of friends and family. We couldn't be prouder of Chris who grew up right in front of us at BABH. <br> <br> Sun, 25 Apr 2010 17:07:39 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com The Milwaukee Brewers <br> <br>Yes, The Brewers. The Whole Team. Up and Down the lineup. What a pasting they delivered to Pittsburgh on Thursday... 20-0! It was a historic whuppin' as the Pirates had never suffered such a defeat in all their 124 years! The Brew Crew put together 25 hits in the game! No team had been crushed by a 20-0 score since at least 1900. That's an offensive barrage worthy of Yesterday's Hitter status! Watch the onslaught Here! <br> <br> Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:40:19 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Colby Rasmus - Cardinals <br> <br>St. Louis won it's 5th consecutive series to open the season, a team record. This win wasn't easy though. In a back and forth battle with the D'Backs, the Cards found themselves in a 4-4 tie in the 9th. Enter the Hero. No, it wasn't Albert. Colby Rasmus has been swinging a hot bat and he continued that streak on Wednesday in Phoenix. Colby's 2nd HR of the night snapped the tie and provided the game winner. He also had a 2 Run shot in the 1st and added a triple for a big game. Watch Here! <br> Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:25:54 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Darnell McDonald - Red Sox <br> <br>Talk about the 3D's (Discipline, Desire, Dedication) this guy has loads of it. For more than 12 years Darnell has been riding the buses in the Minor Leagues, all for that one moment in the Bigs. Well, he got it last night in a BIG way. With the Red Sox on a massive losing streak and trailing by 2 in the bottom of the 8th, he was called on to Pinch Hit. Bang! A 2 Run shot tied the game. Next inning; BANG! Walk off! Wow! Here! <br> <br> Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:54:46 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com David Eckstein - Padres <br> <br>San Diego continued it's climb in the NL West, this time at the expense of the SF Giants. Fresh off the drubbing of Arizona, San Diego continued to win by knocking off the Giants with a walk off HR by the smallest man on the field. David Eckstein's second hit of the game was a huge one. Nobody on and Nobody out in the bottom of the 10th with a 2-2 tie, Eck wrecked a ball into the left field stands for a Walk Off win. <br> Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:50:15 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Nick Hundley - Padres <br> <br>San Diego is climbing the ladder in the NL West at the expense of the Arizona D'Backs. SD beat Arizona for the second straight day behind the bat of Nick Hundley. His solo shot gave the Padres the early lead and they never relinquished it. He added a bases loaded single to finish at 3 for 4 with 3 RBIs. The Padres are tied with LA and Arizona at 5-6. <br> Sun, 18 Apr 2010 14:04:06 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Andre Ethier - Dodgers <br> <br>In one of the biggest rivalries in sports, the Giants visited the LA Dodgers on Friday night and it was a melee. Andre the Giant killer virtually put the game out of reach by the 2nd inning. He homered in the 1st inning to give LA a 3-0 lead. In the 2nd inning, with the score the same, Ethier came up with the bases loaded and cleared them with a rocket shot to center field for his first Grand Slam. LA won10-8. Watch! <br> <br> <br> <br> Sat, 17 Apr 2010 15:43:44 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jackie Robinson 1947-1956 <br> <br>All of Major League Baseball honored the late Jackie Robinson yesterday by donning the retired #42 jersey so aptly worn by the Hall of Famer. Robinson broke the color barrer on April 15, 1947 and went on to lead the Brooklyn Dodgers to a World Series title in 1955. Fittingly, a NY 2B capped a big day for baseball with 2 Home Runs in yesterday's action. Yankee 2b Robinson Cano wears #24 daily. Crazy huh? <br> <br> Fri, 16 Apr 2010 16:08:29 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ryan Theriot - Cubs <br> <br>Against their former closer LaTroy Hawkins, Chicago got off the mat in the bottom of the 8th inning to rally over the Milwaukee Brewers 7-6. At the head of the comeback was SS Ryan Theriot who had a 4 hit day from the top of the Cubs lineup. His biggest hit came in the 8th when he rapped a basehit with the sacks full to drive in 2 runs and keep the Cubs alive. Ryan scored the winning run to cap off his day. Watch Here <br> <br> Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:29:58 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Carlos Pena - Rays <br> <br>Some teams know how to win. The Rays are one of those teams, constantly coming from behind. Others know how to lose. The O's are one of those teams, constantly giving up the lead. Carlos Pena sent the Orioles to another crushing defeat when he clubbed a no-doubt blast in the 10th inning to win it for Tampa Bay. It was Pena's 3rd hit of the game and his 2nd HR of the year. Watch this massive clout Here! <br> <br> Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:45:53 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Mark Teahen - White Sox <br> <br>Another 3rd Baseman does what 3B's are designed to do.. produce the numbers. On Monday it was Teahen's time to shine. In Toronto he had the magic wand as he Homered to tie the game in the 9th and then tripled in the ageless Omar in the 11th. Mark was only a double shy of the cycle while leading the Sox to an extra inning win. Watch Here! <br> <br> <br> <br> Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:26:11 GMT http://3d4lifeblog.blogspot.com/ It's wild in San Fran right now. They're 4-0 and atop the NL West behind the strength of their bats (okay, they have some decent arms too). But this blog is about hitting and there's no shortage of that in the City by the Bay. Two games in a row the combo of Renteria and Rowand has been over the top. Edgar's game tying 2 run shot in the bottom of the 9th on Friday set the stage for his partner in crime to slip a game winner past the infield in the 13th. Renteria has a sizzling average of .688 out of the gates in 2010. Read more... <br> Sat, 10 Apr 2010 15:57:43 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Rick Ankiel - Royals <br> <br>This guy's been here before, although this is his first appearance in a blue uni as a Royal. Rick was everything Kansas City was hoping for yesterday as they squeaked out a victory to get to .500 on the year. The Royals won behind Rick Ankiel's HR in the 6th and two run single in the 8th. He went 4-4 as KC nipped the Red Sox 4-3. More Here. <br> <br> Sat, 10 Apr 2010 14:48:43 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Vernon Wells - Jays <br> <br>In Arlington it was a Deep Wells that decided a tight matchup. With Texas and the Jays knotted at 3, Vernon Wells went deep to left to break the tie. Then, as the Jays were hanging on to the lead, Vernon repeated the trick to sock the game away. His big night included 3 RBIs and 4 Runs scored, pretty impressive Vernon. Watch his hits Here! <br> Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:41:14 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Everth Cabrera - Padres <br> <br>The little guy rapped the little ball to every corner of Arizona yesterday as he piled up a double, triple and a single. His 3 hits produced 4 big Ribs for the Pads. Everth was the big fly shy of a cycle.. but thats asking alot from the diminutive speedster. He did show off his wheels though. The kid can fly. Congratulations Everth Cabrera. . . You are Yesterday's Hitter! <br> <br> Wed, 07 Apr 2010 17:49:05 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jason Heyward - Braves <br> <br>Can you imagine the feeling of Jason Heyward? He makes it to Opening Day on the Big League roster. He's an Atlanta home grown prodigy that everyone has labeled the next phenom. He gets to catch the ceremonial first pitch from none other than Hank Aaron. And then, to cap off this incredible day... he steps up to the plate in his very first MLB at bat.. and crushes a 3 Run bomb as the Braves fans chant his name! Wow. What an experience to treasure. Watch his big day Here! <br> Tue, 06 Apr 2010 17:13:53 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Dustin Pedroia - Red Sox <br> <br>It's official, the 2010 baseball season has begun. Man did it ever start with a bang. In fact, alot of bangs.. balls banging off the Green Monster in Boston. Wouldn't ya know it.. the little guy came up big. Dustin Pedroia didn't bother hitting the Green Monster, he flew it. His 2 run HR in the 7th inning brought the Red Sox back to a 7-7 tie. Then, he followed that with a big RBI insurance in the 8th. Nice job Dustin! You are 2010's first YH of the season. <br> <br> Mon, 05 Apr 2010 18:33:18 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Omar Vizquel - White Sox <br> <br>The White Sox have a new/old ShortStop patrolling their infield and Saturday he showed why he is considered one of the top SS the game has seen in this generation. Omar had a 4 for 5 day and knocked in 3 runs as the Sox got themselves ready for Opening Day. Omar's day included a bases clearing double in the 5th inning. Watch Here! <br> <br> Sun, 04 Apr 2010 15:59:10 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Victor Martinez - Red Sox <br> <br>The Red Sox look to have all they asked for when they traded for Victor Martinez. On Wednesday he showed off the muscle bat they were looking for against the Orioles. Victor went 3 for 5 on the day and crushed two HR's, one with the sacks full to give him a big Salami and 6 Ribs at the plate. Take a look at all the Spring Training highlights Here! <br> Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:41:43 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Miguel Cabrera - Tigers <br> <br>It's time to start polishing the process of seeing the ball as Spring training winds down. Miguel Cabrera saw it very well on Tuesday and gave the fans something to watch as well. Cabrera belted two Home Runs as the Tigers squeaked past the Orioles 10-9. He launched a 1-1 pitch over the left-field fence for a two-run homer and connected for a solo shot in the fifth. I'd say he's ready for the season to get started. <br> Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:25:27 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Nevin Ashley - Rays <br> <br>When you are one of eight catchers on the roster you really have to be doing something special to attract attention to yourself. It's unlikely that Nevin Ashley will receive an invite to the Rays' Opening Day roster, but that hasn't stopped him from performing at the plate every chance he gets. Not to mention those chances might be few and far between. Yesterday Nevin went 3 for 3 against Boston and raised his average to .533 for the Spring. Ashley is hoping someone is paying attention : ) Tue, 30 Mar 2010 16:43:07 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Tyler Colvin - Cubs <br> <br>It looks like the Cubs have no shortage of young talent in the outfield. We highlighted James Aducci the other day. Well, this young man has been lighting up the Box scores all Spring. In fact, he leads all of baseball in hits! On Saturday he continued his hot hitting with a 4 for 5 performance that left him only a double shy of the cycle. He is hitting a robust .475 in March. The Cubs are hoping he can do that in April! <br> <br> Sun, 28 Mar 2010 15:00:51 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/hittingdrills/softtap/softtap.htm This is the drill you want to incorporate in your training. It's simple and highly effective at creating the "inside the ball" hand path all great hitters strive for. Check it out for yourself. Fri, 26 Mar 2010 17:00:13 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com James Adduci - Cubs <br> <br>With Spring Training slowly winding down, there weren't many eye-popping performances at the plate on Thursday. The pitchers are working a little harder and the stats are starting to show. We're going with a young man making a big push to land on an MLB roster in 2010 - James Adduci has had a pretty solid spring and yesterday he helped the Cubs down the D'Backs with a solid 3 for 4 game. He knocked in 2 RBIs and scored twice. Adduci is 4 for 6 in the last 2 days.. <br> Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:00:56 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com John Bowker - Giants <br> <br>Holy Ribeye BatMan! You may have never heard of this guy, but I guarantee you the opposing pitchers have. John Bowker has had himself one heck of a Spring as he makes a bid for a spot in the SF lineup. On Wednesday he became the RBI leader of Spring Training (18) when he belted 2 HRs and knocked in 7 RBIs, 4 via Grand Salami in the 6th inning. The Giants pelted the Royals 7-0. Bowker drove in every run. Learn a little more about him by watching this Video.. Here! <br> Thu, 25 Mar 2010 16:30:15 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ryan Howard - Phillies <br> <br>The Big Man had a Big Day at the dish on Tuesday vs. the Rays in a Grapefruit League tilt. Ryan Howard belted two Solo HRs to lead the Phillies to a 4-3 win against Tampa. His two blasts gave him 3 for the Spring but raised his average to a highly respectable .356 so far this Spring. Watch his two bombs by clicking here! <br> Wed, 24 Mar 2010 19:43:44 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Brad Eldred - Rockies <br> <br>Brad Eldred is a "Big Ol' Boy" at 6'5" and nearly 300lbs and he carries a Big Ol' Stick. After a couple of seasons trying to land a solid spot in MLB it looks like Brad may have found a home with the Rockies. On Monday he took his big bat to the plate with a purpose and ended the day with a 3 for 4 performance that resulted in 2 Huge Home Runs and 3 RBIs. If you want to see a ball leave the yard in a hurry... watch Here! <br> <br> Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:14:00 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Cameron Maybin - Marlins <br> <br>I really like this kid. He's young, he's already had time on MLB rosters and he has a fundamentally solid approach at the plate. Yesterday's game he showed patience and power as well. Maybin went 2 for 4 with 2 important Solo Home Runs that were the difference in a 5-3 Grapefruit League game. When you're battling with 4 other Center Fielders for a spot on the opening day roster, day's like that mean something. He's hitting .333 for the Spring with only a handful of strikeouts. Watch Here! <br> Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:46:21 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Travis Snider - Jays <br> <br>When you're hot, you're hot... and in Travis Snider's case, he's sizzling! The Jays walloped the Orioles by sendiing 6 balls over the wall in an offensive barrage that led to a 13-3 Grapefruit League win. Snider belted two of those Home Runs which gave him 3 consecutive plate appearances with a Big Fly. The Jays' outfielder finished the day with 4 RBIs and raised his average to .290 for the Spring. <br> Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:08:20 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Nelson Cruz - Rangers <br> <br>With one game Nelson Cruz pushed his Spring stats to highly respectable numbers. On St. Patrick's Day Cruz had himself a jigger of a day. Nelson bopped 2 Home Runs enroute to a 3 for 3 Day that netted 3 RBIs and 3 Runs scored. He raised his Spring Training batting average to .448 and has hit in all but two games thus far. Well done. <br> Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:41:45 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/mental/focalpoint/focalpoint.htm Ever wonder how to get that feeling that the ball looks like a big watermelon on the way to the plate? Well, there is a technique that helps you "see" the ball better. Try it Here! Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:42:05 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Domonic Brown - Phils <br> <br>Sometimes it just doesn't seem fair as a top prospect trying to crack the lineup on a Major League team. Take the case of highly touted Domonic Brown of the Phils. On Tuesday he stepped up to the plate and cracked two monster HR's. One of those at bats was a 9 pitch battle with ace Justin Verlander. He also had an RBI single to finish the day at 3 for 3 with 4 RBIs and 2 runs scored. What did he get as a reward? A Minor League assignment : ( Take a look at his impressive day ... Here! <br> <br> Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:40:25 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Chris Dickerson - Reds <br> <br>Don't look now but the Reds just may have found the spark they need at the top of their lineup. On Monday Cincinnati sent 13 men to the plate in the bottom of the first, including the first 10 who reached base. Chris Dickerson was 4-for-4 with two RBIs and 3 runs scored. Dickerson was a triple short of the cycle and hit a two-run homer to right field during his second at-bat in the first inning. Nice job Chris. <br> Tue, 16 Mar 2010 01:16:53 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Chris Davis - Rangers <br> <br>What a big day for Rangers First Baseman Chris Davis yesterday against the Rockies. In a wild one that ended 16-5 with the Rangers offense exploding, Chris led the way going 4 for 4 with a HR and 3 RBIs. He also scored twice. Chris looks to be ready to step into the Power Hitting role for the Rangers this year. <br> <br> Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:11:51 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Allen Craig - Cardinals <br> <br>Nice day for Cardinals 1B/OF Allen Craig on Wednesday. Getting a chance to play for the injured Pujols he helped the Cardinals defeat the Nats in Jupiter with a strong 2 for 3 performance at the plate. Allen, batting 5th, clubbed a 2 out 2 Run HR in the 2nd to jump start the Cards' offense. Then in the 7th he made sure they held on for the win with a ringing RBI double. It was Craig's first 3 RBIs of the Spring. <br> <br> Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:58:57 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Chris Carter - Mets <br> <br>It was a great day for Chris Carter, a Center Fielder out of Stanford. Sitting on the bench for the entire game, he finally got his chance to PH in the 9th inning. He made the most of it by smacking a Home Run. Luckily for Chris the inning continued and the Mets bats turned over the lineup. He got up a 2nd time in the 9th inning with two men on. BANG! Another Bomb for Chris Carter. Nice way to bring attention to yourself isn't it? 2 for 2 with 4 RBIs and 2 Home Runs. Beautifully done Chris. <br> <br> Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:41:22 GMT www.BeABetterHitter Juan Portes - Twins <br> <br>As if the Twins don't have enough offensive firepower with Mauer, Morneau, et al. Now they have a young outfielder to add a little more fuel to the engine. Juan Portes replaced the 0 for 3 Cuddyer in RF in the 6th and promptly cracked a Grand Slam. He followed that up with a 2 Run HR in the 8th. Nice way to introduce yourself to the lineup, dontcha think? 2 for 2 with 2 Home Runs and 6 RBIs. <br> <br> Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:41:17 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/batspeed/wristroll/wristroll.htm You want more Bat Speed? Want to Hit towering HR's and smoking line drives? You have to be strong from fingertips to elbows. Here's How you do it! It's a quick, effective, specific exercise that's been around for years. Sat, 06 Mar 2010 16:56:05 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Sean Rodriguez - Rays <br> <br>Tampa Bay has a real good looking prospect in Sean Rodriguez. A simple, short, compact and powerful swing has resulted in a tremendous display of power very early in Spring Training. Off of Joba Chamberlain of the Yankees the 6'1" Rodriguez blasted his 3rd HR of the Spring in his first AB. Then, facing Chamberlain again, raked a Triple to Left Center. He finished with a 3-3 day. Watch his Swing! <br> Sat, 06 Mar 2010 16:40:05 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Colin Curtis - Yankees <br> <br>Spring has sprung and we're off to the games that show off old players on new teams and new players making their bid for a spot on the roster. Colin Curtis made a smashing debut with the big club on Wednesday when he racked a Game Winning Walk Off Home Run in the bottom of the 9th to break a 3-3 tie. His 3 Run Blast was a no-doubter to Right Center. Maybe the Yankees have something new in the outfield this season. Congrats Colin, you are Yesterday's Hitter! <br> Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:33:05 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/mental/Solve%20Puzzle/SolvethePuzzle.htm Can you Solve the Puzzle? It’s all there in front of you, unfolding one pitch at a time. Are you studying for success, or taking your chances when it’s your turn to solve the puzzle? Because, if you want success… you have to study, the whole game! The game is changing with every pitch. New pieces to the puzzle are added or subtracted, mixed and matched. The game is dynamic… in a constant state of change, until the final out. <br> <br>Well, will you pass or fail? <br> Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:31:17 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Lefty O'Doul 1919 -1934 <br> <br>Talk about a complete ballplayer and a fabulous hitter, Lefty O'Doul made his mark on baseball history both as a pitcher and a hitter. He came up as a LH Pitcher but after a few short years he hurt his arm. Not giving up on the game, Lefty converted himself into a power hitter. How good was he? Well, he put together one of the finest hitting years in history in 1929 when he hit .398 with 32 HRs and 122 RBIs. He also racked up 254 hits and scored over 150 runs that year. Wow. He earned 2 NL hitting titles and has the 4th best average in baseball history. <br> Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:28:17 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Frank Thomas 1990-2008 <br> <br>What a shame we'll no longer have the pleasure of watching the Big Hurt put his swing on an MLB pitch. Frank's retirement left behind a tremendous array of baseball accomplishments. He was an elite player in the sense that he combined tremendous power with accuracy and production. Very few players before him compiled statistics that could match The Big Hurt: Frank hit .301 and had 521HR.. 1,704 RBI, 1,000 + runs and 1,500+ walks in his career. Only players like Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Mel Ott could match that production. Nice Company ; ) <br> <br> Sat, 20 Feb 2010 16:43:56 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/downtown/downtown3.htm The most important aspect in hitting a ball is seeing it. A hitter can have a perfect swing, but if he cannot see the ball he may as well be hitting blindfolded. He can have the game's most perfect swing, but not even the greatest can make contact without first seeing what they want to hit. Simply put, hitters that see the ball best are the best hitters. Read More Here! Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:35:45 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ted Williams 1939-1960 <br> <br>Without question Ted Williams was one of the more studious hitters to have ever stepped on the diamond. He approached hitting with such a deep desire to learn and excel that he would eventually be considered "The greatest Hitter" of all time. We'll never really know if Ted was the greatest. But, he was certainly ONE of the greatest. Even after several years away from the game defending our country, he amassed tremendous numbers. He had a career average of .344, hit over 500 HRs and was the last player to hit over .400. What a Hitter. <br> Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:34:09 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Rick Monday 1966 -1984 <br> <br>Best known for "Blue Monday" in Montreal when he smashed a 9th inning Home Run to clinch the 1981 NL Pennant and propel the Dodgers to their World Series win over the Yankees. Rick was also famous for saving the American Flag during a game at Dodger Stadium (he was an outfielder for the Cubs at the time). When two protesters attempted to burn the U.S. Flag in the outfield, Rick snatched it from them amid a huge standing ovation from the home team. Oh, Rick was a pretty good hitter too. He hit over 270 HRs in his career. <br> <br> Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:09:31 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Dale Murphy 1976 -1993 <br> <br>This fella was a hitter! He won back to back MVP Awards in 1982 and 1983 and was one of the more feared power hitters in the game. From 1981 to 1990 NOBODY hit more HR's or drove in more RBIs than Dale Murphy. He was considered the premier player in the league throughout that ten year span. Dale finished his career just two Home Runs shy of the 400 mark and totaled 1,266 RBIs. The man could hit! <br> <br> Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:38:09 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Harmon Killebrew 1954 -1975 <br> <br>When you talk about the great power hitters in the 50's and 60's, you have to bring Harmon Killebrew into the conversation. Killebrew led the league in home runs six times, in RBIs three times, and was named to eleven All Star teams. Although he never hit 50 home runs in a single season, he did hit 49 HRs in a season twice (1964, 1969). He hit the most home runs for any player in the 1960s ending his career with 573! Harmon was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1984. <br> <br> Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:41:05 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Lou Gehrig 1923 -1939 <br> <br>When you think about the great hitters that placed this game, Lou is one of the first names to pop into your mind. Nicknamed "The Iron Man" for his work ethic, playing in over 2000 straight games, Lou was one of the most feared hitters in baseball. So feared, that he actually hit behind Babe Ruth - protecting the Sultan of Swat. Lou amassed over 2,700 hits and had a career average of .340! He hit 493 HRs and was an RBI machine, totalling 1,995. Of course, he's in the Hall of Fame. <br> <br> Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:24:59 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Wes Parker 1964 -1972 <br> <br>It's likely you don't know who Wes Parker is. Well, until last year he was the only Dodger to have ever hit for the cycle! Pretty amazing since Wes was primarily known for his glove. Although, he was a very productive hitter. In 1970 Wes joined a very small group of players when he hit .319 with over 100 RBIs in a season that provided 10 HRs or less. Now ... That is production. Wes only played for a short while but he piled up over 1,000 hits and drove in 470 RBIs. Now you know : ) <br> <br> Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:40:56 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com John Vander Wal 1999 -2004 <br> <br>If you're a regular at BABH you know how much we value and honor the roll of the Pinch Hitter. Well, there have been few better than John in the history of the game. In fact, he holds the single season record for most pinch hits (28). The amazing thing is Vander Wal was never given an opportunity to play full time. In the one season that he did play at least 130 games, John hit .299 and had 24 HRs and 91 RBIs. Pretty good numbers in any book. He had 129 Pinch Hits in his career. <br> <br> Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:54:52 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Andre Dawson 1976 -1996 <br> <br>The newest member to the Baseball HOF broke in with a bang by winning the NL Rookie of the Year. Over time, he racked up nearly 2,800 hits in his career. 438 of those were Home Runs and 932 went for extra bases. Those numbers placed Andre in the top 10 in NL history when he retired in '96. Pretty impressive. He was the NL MVP in 1987 when he hit 49 Home Runs and drove in 137 RBIs. The Hawk was a talented combination of speed and power, joining Willie Mays in 1993 with 400 HRs and 300 steals. He will re-join Willie in the HOF in July of 2010 <br> Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:32:47 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ralph Kiner 1946 -1955 <br> <br>Who knows what kind of incredible numbers Ralph Kiner would have compiled if injuries had not sidelined his career after only 10 seasons. Even so, Ralph was such a productive hitter that he was elected to the Hall of Fame. Very impressive when you consider his achievements were essentially "half a career" as most players put 15-20 years in the game. Kiner was the first NL player to have 2 50+ HR seasons ('47 &amp; '49). He led the NL in HR's for 7 straight seasons! A back injury forced his retirement at the age of 32, with 369 home runs, 1019 RBIs and a .279 lifetime batting average. What a hitter! <br> <br> Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:50:29 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/fundamentals/purehitter/purehitter.html If your goal is to hit the ball like the great Home Run hitters in the game, use this strategy to develop your Power Skill. Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:55:51 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/mental/Right%20Brain%20Left%20Brain/RightBrain-LeftBrain.htm Take this fun test to determine which side of your brain is dominating your baseball game. Then read Rick Harig's diagnosis and evaluate how to improve your Mental Game! Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:11:40 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Yogi Berra 1946 -1965 <br> <br>Yea, Yea... you're snickering because you've heard all the funny Yogi'isms. Don't laugh. Yogi got his respect in the game as a player, a leader, a hitter and a winner... long before you ever saw him on a commercial with a duck. Yogi is believed to be the greatest Catcher of all time. He clubbed 358 HR's. He knocked in almost 1,500 runs. He was a 15 time All-Star. 13 times he was a World Champion as either a player or a Manager. Not bad for a guy who coined the phrase: Hitting is 90% mental, the other half is physical! Now you know... <br> <br> Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:09:14 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/batspeed/condition/condition.htm Dr. Gene Coleman expresses the importance of conditioning your legs for all baseball players, from Little League to the tops of the Professional ranks. Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:24:37 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Sam Rice 1915 -1934 <br> <br>I'm pretty certain this is another guy you don't know. Too bad, this man could hit. He had over 1,00 RBIs in a career that logged a .322 average. He has the 28th highest hit total in MLB history with 2,987. Sam was involved in one of the great mysteries of baseball; In 1925's World Series Sam apparently caught a potential game tying HR in the 8th inning. The catch caused Sam to tumble over the fence and out of sight. He came up with the ball but was subjected to constant pressure to tell his side. Did he hold the ball? He never told, even after money offers streamed in from magazines, etc. Upon his death a letter was opened to reveal that Sam, "never lost possession of the ball". Now you know.. <br> <br> Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:22:43 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Al Simmons 1924 -1944 <br> <br>Here's a man that was a pure hitter and as consistent a producer as the game has ever seen. Chances are, you've never even heard of him. Well, listen up: "Bucketfoot Al" had a 20 year Major League Career that landed him in the Hall of Fame in 1953. He was the fastest in MLB history to 2,000 hits (1,390 games) and compiled 6-200 hit seasons, 12-100 RBI seasons and a career avg of .334! His 1,827 RBIs lands him 17th on the all time list. Al had 2,927 hits in his HOF career. Wow! <br> Sun, 13 Dec 2009 15:48:36 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Joe Rudi 1967 - 1982 <br> <br>Joe was not the greatest hitter on the team at any point in his career. But, Joe was indeed a hitter and ... a winner. He played on 3 straight World Championship teams in Oakland (1972-1974). He won the Gold Glove three times and was also a 3 time All-Star selection. He had over 800 RBIs in his career and hit game winners several times in the A's World Series appearances. Joe collected nearly 1,500 hits over 16 seasons. That's Ted Williams giving Joe personal hitting tips <br> Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:17:18 GMT http://beabetterhitter.com/text/mental/failure/failure.htm Successful and consistent hitters (at all levels) have one common trait; they know how to handle failure. Learn that skill... here! Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:59:45 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com John Vander Wal 1991 - 2004 <br> <br>Pinch Hitters are one of our favorite topics here at BABH. Why? Because being successful in that role means a player must have complete knowledge of the "process" of hitting, as well as total control of his Mental Approach. John Vander Wal was one of the greatest PH's in the history of baseball. He set the MLB record for most PH's in a season (28).. and finished his career with 129 Pinch Hits. One of the best all time. He played 14 seasons for several teams <br> Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:56:22 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/hittingdrills/vision/vision.htm You have to "see it to hit it". Try these top notch Vision Drills to enhance your ability to track and hit the baseball. Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:01:22 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Eddie Matthews 1952 -1968 <br> <br>Eddie was one of the greatest 3rd Baseman to ever step foot on a baseball field. He was an oddity in that he threw right handed but batted strictly from the left side of the plate. He made quite a mark as he hit more than 30 HRs for 9 straight seasons upon reaching the Majors. He led the NL twice in that span in 1953 and 1959. He was the athlete that graced the cover of the very first Sports Illustrated magazine in 1954. He finished his career with 512 Home Runs and 2 World Championships <br> Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:59:47 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Tommy Henrich 1937 -1950 <br> <br>Nicknamed "Old Reliable" for his constant ability to come through in the clutch, Tommy Henrich solidified that persona when he smacked the first Walk Off Home Run in World Series History (1949). Tommy spent his entire career with the NY Yankees. He led the AL in triples twice and clubbed 20+ HRs four times. He was best known for his heroics in the World Series where he helped the Yankees become World Champions 5 times. Watch a video tribute to Tommy by clicking Here! <br> Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:31:45 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/hittingdrills/powerbatdrill/powerbatdrill.htm The Power Bat Drill is a drill that will help baseball players learn to develop power in their swing by hitting through a heavier object than a normal 5oz baseball. Training with the Power Bat Drill increases power through the point of contact! Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:30:41 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/hittingdrills/shadowdrill/shadowdrill.htm This little known drill ingrains the highly desirable hitting trait of "rotating under a steady head". A simple, but very effective drill that increases your player's ability to create solid contact more consistently. Read more here! Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:18:26 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jim Gilliam 1953 -1966 <br> <br>It's not likely that many of you will know who Jim Gilliam is. He broke into the big leagues in 1953 with the Brooklyn Dodgers and remained with the club his entire career. Jim was the Rookie of the Year in 1953 when he came up to replace Jackie Robinson at 2nd Base! Blessed with patience, speed, a great eye and a very unselfish makeup, Jim led the league in walks and triples - a very rare combination. Jim was the ultimate team player and contributed as a key player to 10 NL Championship teams. He finished his career with 1,889 base hits. <br> Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:15:51 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Roberto Alomar 1988 -2004 <br> <br>His father was an All-Star 2nd Baseman and his brother was an All-Star catcher, it's no wonder that Roberto became one of the great players of his era. Roberto won more Gold Gloves at 2nd base than any other player in the history of the game (10). He wasn't so bad with the bat either, logging over 2700 hits and 1,134 RBIs in his career. Roberto collected 4 Silver Slugger awards (more than any other 2nd baseman) and a .300 career average. He was a 12 time All-Star. He is up for selection into the Hall of Fame on this year's ballot. Good Luck Robby. <br> Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:32:48 GMT http://beabetterhitter.com/text/batspeed/exercises/top5exercises.html This article by Dana Cavalea explains the premier sport specific exercises that concentrate on the development of bat speed. Read Here! Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:55:24 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Fred McGriff 1986 -2004 <br> <br>This big lefty broke into the big leagues at the age of 22 with the Toronto Blue Jays. With only 5 at-bats it was impossible to predict what talent the Blue Jays had brought to the Major Leagues. However, it didn't take long to figure out. He hit 20 HRs in 1987 and never less than 30 for the next 5 years, establishing himself as one of the premier slugging 1st Basemen of his era. The Crime Dog consistently slugged HRs throughout his career and finished just shy of the heralded 500 club (493). Many suggest Fred should be included in the Hall of Fame. <br> <br> Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:52:43 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/hittingdrills/Pull%20Pure%20Paint/PullPurePaint.htm Coaches, learn this drill to transform your team into complete hitters and develop Team Unity! Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:09:15 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Johnny Mize 1936-1953 <br> <br>The perfect combination of power and consistency in a hitter... That was Johnny Mize. He could hit for a high average (winning the NL batting title in 1939 with a .349 average), or slug with the best of them. He won the Home Run title twice and the NL RBI title 3 times. Mize was the only player to strike out fewer than 50 times while clubbing 50 or more Home Runs in a season. He did that in 1947 with 51 HRs and only 42 K's! He was a 10 time All-Star and a 5 time World Series Champion. Johnny was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981. <br> <br> Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:07:24 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Harold Baines 1980 -2001 <br> <br>As one of the most durable, consistent and respected hitters of his era, he ranked 10th in RBIs (1,628) upon his retirement. Baines batted over .300 eight times, and hit .324 in 31 career postseason games, topping the .350 mark in five separate series. He led the AL in slugging percentage at .541 in 1984. Harold was well known for his power hitting in clutch situations and is tied for 7th all time in walk off HRs with 10. He finished his career with 2,866 hits and 384 Home Runs! <br> <br> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:57:59 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Andre Dawson 1976 -1996 <br> <br>Just like most of the great hitters, Andre showed his talent immediately. He won the Rookie of the Year award in 1977 with a .282 avg and 19 Home Runs. He didn't slow down from there. Andre gained more power as he aged and ended up with the NL MVP award in 1987after clubbing 49 HRs and knocking in 137. He batted over .300 5 times, drove in 100 or more 4 times and had 13 seasons of 20 or more HRs. He finished his career with 438 Home Runs, 36th best all time. <br> <br> Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:27:09 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/batspeed/graduating/graduating.htm If you want to build your bat speed this offseason - this is the drill for you! 1mph faster swing speed can add 5-7 ft of distance. Get it here! Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:42:03 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Tony Gwynn 1982 -2001 <br> <br>Certainly one of the best hitters of our generation, Tony Gwynn played his entire career with the San Diego Padres. Tony was a Right Fielder but was not a power hitter. Far from it. The most HRs he ever hit was 17. But, he was the epitome of the contact hitter... never hitting below .309 in a season and striking out only 434 times in his career (9.288 at-bats!). Tony won the NL Batting Championship 8 times and had over 3,000 hits. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2007. <br> <br> Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:15:01 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/fundamentals/Shrink%20The%20Box/ShrinkTheBox.htm The best hitters know how and when to "shrink the box"... can you? Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:07:00 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Nate Colbert 1966 -1976 <br> <br>Here's a guy you probably don't know much about. He wasn't a .300 hitter. In fact, he rarely hit higher than .260 in a season. He did have a knack for driving in runs though. For instance, in one double header in 1972 while playing for the SD Padres... Nate knocked in a Major League record 13 RBIs. He had 5 HR's and 22 total bases, both tied or set MLB records. Nobody has ever produced better in a double dipper, in either league! Congratulations Nate! <br> <br> Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:03:47 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/mental/pitchcount/pitchcount.htm The pitch count should have a direct impact on each swing you take at the plate. Certain pitch counts favor the hitter and certain ones favor the pitcher. Just as the smart pitcher takes advantage of the times he is "ahead in the count," the smart hitter understands when he has the advantage. In these situations, the hitter must capitalize. Or, at least, give it his best. Read more... Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:50:15 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Eddie Murray 1977 -1997 <br> <br>From the very beginning Eddie proved he was a special hitter. Murray won the Rookie of the Year award in 1977 with a .283 average, 27 HRs and 88 RBIs. LIttle did anybody know that 20 years down the road Eddie Murray would stand as a Hall of Famer who ranks 12th all time in hits (3,255), 9th in total bases (5,397), 9th in RBIs (1,917) and ranks among the all time leaders in doubles with 560. Only one switch hitter in the history of baseball hit more Home Runs than Eddie Murray. That payer? Mickey Mantle. Eddie was voted into the Hall of Fame in 2003. <br> <br> Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:07:53 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Willie Wilson 1976 -1994 <br> <br>Unless you were under a moon rock, you probably saw the World Series and learned that Willie Wilson held the record for Most K's in a World Series. That title now belongs to Ryan Howard and Willie couldn't be happier. You see, Willie was an outstanding hitter. He holds the MLB record for most hits in a season by a switch hitter (230). He was also the '82 AL Batting Champion (.332) and had over 2,200 hits. He hit .367 in the 1985 World Series against St. Louis, atoning for his K record. <br> Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:55:34 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Sam Crawford 1899 -1917 <br> <br>This guy was Babe Ruth before Babe Ruth! He was a big man for his time, standing at 6' 190lbs of pure brick muscle. Even as a young man he was noted for his foot speed. That translated to his baseball years as Sam ended up with more triples (309) than any other player in history. He is the only player to have hit 300 career triples. He also led the league in inside-the-park HR's and led both leagues in Home Runs, the first player to have accomplished that feat. He was named to the Hall of Fame in 1957. Sam is ranked as the 9th best hitter of all-time! <br> Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:25:45 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Tris Speaker 1907-1928 <br> <br>Tris Speaker broke into the big leagues in 1907 and went on to become <br> <br>one of baseball's great hitters and outfielders, manager of a World Championship team, and the seventh member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. He hit more doubles (792) than any other player in MLB history. He also holds the 5th highest career batting average (.345), had the 5th most hits, 6th most triples and was 8th highest in runs scored for his career. Tris batted over .380 for a season 5 times. He was voted in to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937! <br> Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:01:51 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Hideki Matsui - Yankees <br> <br>It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who the YH is. A real Professional Hitter, Hideki Matsui set a World Series Record for RBIs in a single game when he racked up 6 in Game 6 last night! A 2 Run HR in the 2nd started him off and he never slowed down. He roped an 0-2 pitch for a 2 run single his next at bat and then followed with a crushing 2 Run double off the base of the wall in his 3rd at bat. Watch Here! <br> <br> Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:32:25 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Chase Ultey - Phillies <br> <br>One of our favorite players has been unworldly this World Series. He added to his incredible numbers by blasting out 2 HRs in Game 5! That ties Reggie Jackson for the most ever in one World Series. Chase Utley's first at bat was no fluke. He studied the Game 2 tapes and had a good idea that AJ Burnett would try to pour in Strike One. Chase was ready. He jumped on the first pitch and hit a 3 Run HR. He Homered again in the 7th and gave Philly a huge win. Watch Here! <br> <br> Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:23:55 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Johnny Damon - Yankees <br> <br>In big moments some players seem to excel. Johnny Damon is one of them. He followed a leadoff hit from Derek Jeter in the first with a double. He singled in a run in the 5th. But, the big stage was with 2 out in the 9th inning in a 4-4 tie. Damon battled closer Brad Lidge after falling down in the count 0-2. His 9 pitch at bat culminated in a single to left. Damon then stole 2nd and 3rd with a heads up play and scored the winning run! Watch his World Series Heroics by clicking Here! <br> <br> Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:09:38 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Nick Swisher - Yankees <br> <br>It was Halloween in Philadelphia and Swisher dressed up as a hitter! After struggling through the first 2 games of the 09 World Series, Swisher's bat came alive in Game 3. He doubled in the 5th to leadoff the inning and scored the tying run on a Pettitte bloop. In the 6th Swisher decided to unthaw his bat some more and smoked a blast out of the park in Left Field. Watch his big time game and hustle here! <br> <br> Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:22:56 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Hideki Matsui - Yankees <br> <br>Sayonara Mr. Baseball! Hideki Matsui took one off of his shoe tops on Thursday night in Game 2 of the '09 World Series. His Godzilla blast gave the NY Yankees a 2-1 lead and they went on to square the Series with a 3-1 win over Philadelphia. Hideki was 2 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI. He singled and walked prior to his blast off of Pedro Martinez in the 6th. Watch his bomb from all angles by clicking Here! <br> Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:41:50 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Chase Utley - Phillies <br> <br>Wow. Game One of the World Series was just that... wow. The biggest wow was in the at-bats of Chase Utley. He set a MLB record in the first inning by reaching base in his 26th consecutive post season game. That was just the beginning for the unassuming 2nd baseman. He hit two Home Runs off of CC Sabathia to lead the Phillies to a huge road win in Game One. Watch his incredibly historic feats by clicking Here! <br> Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:58:47 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Johnny Damon - Yankees <br> <br>For a record 40th time the New York Yankees have captured the AL Crown. It was the heart of their lineup that inflicted the damage on the Angels in a 5-2 Game 6 win. Johnny Damon had the productive hits, knocking in 2 RBIs in the 4th enroute to a 2 for 4 game. Alex Rodriguez was on base all 5 times, although 3 of those were walks as the Halos had enough of his long ball antics. Watch Damon's big game Here! <br> <br> Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:14:41 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jayson Werth - Phillies <br> <br>When you have a powerful bat in the lineup, it really helps the team to have some protection behind that big bat. Do the Phillies ever have protection! Jayson Werth repeatedly made the Dodgers pay throughout the NLCS when they pitched around Ryan Howard. Game 5 was no different, Werth powered out a 3 Run HR in the 1st inning and the Phillies never looked back. Werth added another HR later in the game and ended up 3-4 with 4RBIs as Philadelphia moves on to the World Series for the second straight year. Watch Here! <br> <br> Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:32:55 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Alex Rodriguez - Yankees <br> <br>Alex can do nothing wrong this October. He is taking games over at the plate and on the basepaths. After a walk in his 1st at bat, Alex stole second. He singled and scored on an infield dribbler. Next time up, He homered in the 5th inning tying the mark set by Lou Gehrig of an RBI in 8 consecutive Post Season games. To top it off he doubled and scored in his last at bat. Alex has a HR in 3 straight games and 5 this post season, 1 shy of the all time mark. NY leads 3-1. Click Here! <br> <br> Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:00:09 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jimmy Rollins - Phillies <br> <br>On a night in which it appeared the Dodgers would tie the NLCS series at 2 games apiece, Jimmy Rollins thought better of it. His bottom of the 9th game winning double to Right Center off of closer Jonathan Broxton capped a furious rally for the Phillies. Philadelphia is one win away from making it to the World Series for the 2nd straight year. Here! <br> Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:59:11 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Shane Victorino - Phillies <br> <br>On a cold and chilly night in Philadelphia the Phillies pounded out the hot bats against LA. Their 11-0 romp started in the 1st inning when Spark plug Shane Victorino singled and stole second. He scored on a triple from big Ryan Howard. Shane's night was far from done. He walked twice more before coming to bat in the 8th and pounding out the finishing touches with a 3 Run Home Run. Phils take a 2-1 lead. Here! <br> Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:19:58 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jayson Werth - Phillies <br> <br>Philadelphia's core group of hitters were just too much for the Rockies on Monday. Victorino led off the game with a Home Run. Jayson Werth Homered later and all looked good. Until Rocktober took place in the bottom of the 8th.. they rallied for a 4-2 lead. Only to have Ryan Howard tie it and Jayson Werth single home Howard to give the Phillies a date with the Dodgers in the NLCS. Watch Jayson's game here! <br> <br> Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:09:41 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Vladimir Guerrero - LA Angels <br> <br>It's not much of a secret that Vlad has had production problems in the Post Season. For being a career .321 hitter in the regular season, it's frustrating to the big man that he hasn't posted good numbers in the season that counts.. the post season. Vlad came through on Sunday with the biggest hit of his career to cap an incredible come from behind win for the Angels. Vlad's 2 out 2 RBI single scored the tying and winning runs as the Halos ousted the Sox in '09. Watch Here! <br> <br> Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:22:41 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Andre Ethier - LA Dodgers <br> <br>Andre Ethier loves the spotlight. He nearly single handedly swept the Cardinals out of the NLDS. Andre was 6-12 in the series with 2 HRS. His big game performance was on display in yesterday's Game 3. Andre needed only a single to post a cycle... a rare feat in the Post Season. Andre hit a Home Run, a Double and a Triple .. watch Here! <br> Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:09:21 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com 2 Headed Monster - NY Yankees <br> <br>Alex rodriguez has come out his Post Season funk in the first two games of the ALDS. His single in the 6th drove in Jeter to tie the game at 1-1 .. then, in the bottom of the 9th A-Rod hammered a 2 Run Home Run to tie the game again at 3-3. In the 11th it was Mark Teixeira's turn. .and he delivered a Game Winning Walk off Wall Crawler Home Run to win it for the Yankees. What a game. Watch it here. <br> <br> Sat, 10 Oct 2009 21:05:23 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Derek Jeter -NY Yankees <br> <br>Derek belted the first pitch he saw in the first inning for a rifle single. He was due up 2nd in the Bottom half of the 3rd inning with NY down by that 2-0 score. No Problem for Mr. October/November/December (whatever)... he just performs when the occasion needs it the most. And it did in the 3rd. What does Derek do.... Home Run launch.. tie game 2-2. Mr. Clutch had himself A Perfect day at the Plate; 2-2 2RBIs, 2 Walks, 3 Runs. Watch Here! <br> <br> Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:32:45 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Chris Carpernter - Cardinals <br> <br>As if the Cardinals needed any more help at the plate. With the likes of Pujols and Holliday and Ludwick, the Cards got big time production from a very unexpected source; the pitcher. Yes. Chris Carpenter hit a Grand Slam, a double and drove in 6 RBIs in yesterdays 13-0 laugher over the Reds. He set franchise records in the game. Watch Here! <br> Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:41:32 GMT BeAbetterHitter.com Andy LaRoche - Pirates <br> <br>The Dodgers were in Pittsburgh hoping to sip a little bubbly with their NL West Division win. Only problem was, nobody told Andy and the Pirates. Andy LaRoche proceeded to beat down the Dodgers with his first 5 hit game. For a little icing on that cake, he added his first multi HR game when he knocked 2 out of the park and captured 6 RBIs for the day. The Dodger party will have to wait. Watch Andy's big day here! <br> <br> Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:14:47 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Rafael Furcal. - Dodgers <br> <br>It shouldn't come as a surprise that the Dodgers trounced on Washington last night. But scoring 2 touchdowns agains their safety? I don't think that was expected. Contributing to the beat down was Rafael Furcal. He's been due for an outburst and he did just that going 4-5 with 4 big RBIs and scoring twice. The Dodgers are close to clinching a playoff spot and will likely take their 2nd straight NL West crown <br> Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:26:23 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Chase Headley. - Padres <br> <br>Chase rapped out 3 doubles, a Home Run, scored two times and gobbled up 2 Ribs... including the game winner in the 11th inning. He came to the plate 6 times and 5 times he delivered the goods. That's good enough for me. Congratulations Chase Headley... You are Yesterday's Hitter! <br> Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:30:47 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ken Griffey, Jr. - Mariners <br> <br>Ken Griffey, Jr. put a beat down on Joba Chamberlain's offerings, belting an RBI double in the 1st that jumped off his bat like days gone by. Then to be certain Joba knew who The Kid was... he crushed a 3 Run bomb in the 2nd inning that went waaaaay high and way far. Griffey's 627th big fly of his career! Wow. Welcome Back Kid. You're Yesterday's Hitter! <br> Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:03:48 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ichiro Suzuki - Mariners <br> <br>Oh Yes, it's the Ichiro monster slaying Godzilla and the Yankees! What a game! If you're on the East Coast I'm sure you couldn't stay awake for the late inning heroics of Suzuki. Down by a run and facing Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the 9th. Ichiro mashed a 2 Run Bronx Bomb to walk off a winner... again! What a night for Ichiro who posted a 4-5 2 RBI night. We can only marvel at this man's hitting talent. He is simply FUN to watch! Congratulation Ichiro.. .You are Yesterday's Hitter! <br> <br> Sat, 19 Sep 2009 17:28:05 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Michael Cuddyer - Twins <br> <br>Michael Cuddyer was a big part of the win yesterday that kept the fires stoked for the Twinkies. Tasked with replacing the offensive firepower normally provided by Justin Morneau, Cuddyer came through with a very productive 3-4 day that included his 26th HR and 3RBIs. He also scored twice as the Twins rolled along 7-3. Will they keep up the suspense this weekend? Let's hope so. Watch his big game Here! <br> <br> Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:08:54 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Andre Ethier - LA Dodgers <br> <br>Unbelievable is the only way to describe it. For the 6th time this year, 9th time in the last two years, and the 4th time he's done it with a Home Run... Andre Ethier connected on the game winning Walk Off shot for LA. This time it was the first pitch he saw in the 13th inning with the Dodgers trailing 4-3. With the amazing victory, LA pulled away from the sliding Rockies and now have a 5 game lead in the West. Watch Here! <br> Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:51:49 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Yorvit Torrealba - Rockies <br> <br>This is what has fueled the dreams of kids from the beginning of baseball; The bases are loaded with two outs, you're down to your last strike and your team is trailing 1-0. Your team is in a knock down drag out fight for the pennant. They need you. Here comes the pitch... you rope a shot into the left field gap. The runners scamper around the bases and you stand on second as the fans erupt. That's what Yorvit Torrealba did for the Rockies. They won their 8th straight. Watch Here! <br> <br> Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:29:09 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ian Desmond - Nationals <br> <br>In his very first Major League game Ian Desmond was spectacular. In fact, better than spectacular... Marvelous! He had a rope line drive to right center field in the 4th inning that knocked in the go ahead run. Then, late in the game he hit a curve ball so far out of the park ... it was a monster shot! The 3 RBIs from that HR ended up being the difference in an 8-7 win! Watch how he absolutely jumps on this curve. Click Here! <br> Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:04:02 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Derek Jeter - Yankees <br> <br>You really had to watch it to appreciate it. In the 'New' Yankees house, it was the 'New' Yankee captain chasing the old and he didn't disappoint. With a classic Derek Jeter bunt in his first at bat followed by a booming double that cleared the Center Field wall and hopped into Monument Park, Derek paved the way for a Historic moment in baseball. One more hit would tie him with the great Lou Gehrig. Another prototypical at bat from Jeter produced an inside out shot down the right field line in the 7th and he climbed to the pulpit of Yankee lore. Watch it Here! <br> <br> Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:54:25 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Marlon Byrd - Rangers <br> <br>The Texas Rangers kept blowing chances to inch up the Wild Card standings while in Baltimore. It turns out that Cleveland was the place to rock! The Rangers won a slugfest in Game 1 and then double dipped in Game 2 to close in the AL Wild Card race. Marlon Byrd was awesome. He was a perfect 4 for 4 in Game 1 and tallied three more hits in the nightcap for a big day at the dish. Watch his game Here! <br> <br> Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:26:02 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Juan Uribe - Giants <br> <br>The SF Giants have been demoralized in late inning losses lately, leaving them 2 Games back in the NL Wild Card. Back in the friendly surroundings of AT&amp;T Park they got their offense in gear and thumped the Padres 9-4. Uribe provided the thump by knocking out 2 HRs and a triple. He scored 3 times and drove in 5 RBIs on the day. Juan has homered in 7 of his last 19 games and is batting .323 (20-for-62) in that stretch. Watch his big day at the plate by clicking Here! <br> <br> Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:26:54 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Daniel Murphy - Mets <br> <br>The NY Mets have squandered yet another year in the books and look to be on the sidelines in October. They likely would have lost another yesterday if it hadn't been for Daniel Murphy in the lineup. Dan hit a triple, a HR and a single to fall just shy of riding the cycle enroute to a 3 for 4 day. Murphy knocked in every run for the Mets to give them a 4-2 win against the Cubs in their rubber match game. Watch Here! <br> <br> Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:47:17 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Derrek Lee - Cubs <br> <br>The North Siders probably won't be doing much other than watching the post season from home, but that didn't stop Derrek Lee from pulling out the whooping stick on the NY Mets. The Cubs first baseman knocked two HRs into the upper decks, scored 3 times and knocked in 3 RBIs as the Cubs beatup on the Mets in New York. Watch his day Here! Sun, 06 Sep 2009 16:10:31 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ryan Ludwick - Cardinals <br> <br>Much like the team in the Bronx, this team in the Busch is just as much of a machine. With the offensive firepower to match the bombers they won for the 10th time in the last 12 games stretching their lead to 11 1/2. Ryan Ludwick was a masterful and powerful 5 for 5 on Friday. He also knocked in 5 RBIs while hitting HRs #19 and 20 and bringing his RBI total to 86 for the season. Watch this powerful outburst. Click Here! <br> <br> Sat, 05 Sep 2009 17:12:55 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jorge Posada - Yankees <br> <br>This team is so incredibly good it boggles the mind. They have been setting MLB marks all year long and are on pace to add another one by year's end. Jorge Posada helped push them in that direction with his 20th HR of the season (1 of 7 Yankees this year) during a sparkling 4 for 5 performance that netted 4 RBIs on the night. Derek Jeter should make it 8 by year's end if he continues his hot hitting. Watch Here! <br> <br> Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:54:41 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jason Giambi - Rockies <br> <br>It's been said that hitting a baseball is the hardest thing in sports. Try upping the ante to Jason Giambi's situation; a new team, called on to pinch hit in the 8th inning of a tie game, bases loaded... and oh yeah, you're in the middle of a Wild Card race. What did Jason do? Stroked a perfect, game winning 2 RBI single to center field is all. Watch Here! <br> Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:16:37 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Josh Hamilton - Rangers <br> <br>Texas gained very valuable ground on both the Angels and the Red Sox by taking two from the Blue Jays in Texas. Josh Hamilton keyed the sweep by waking up from his power outage and drving out 2 big HRs in game 2 of the Double Dip. Hamilton had gone 23 games and 99 at bats since his last HR. He powered a 435ft solo shot to break out. Here! <br> <br> Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:07:15 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Adam Lind - Jays <br> <br>A career day for Adam Lind who has been shelling the ball just about the entire year. He took it one step further last night and hit the cover off the ball. His 3 for 5 night netted 8 RBIs and included a Grand Salami and a Solo Shot, the 26th and 27th HRs for him this season. The 8 RBIs is the most in the Majors this season and 2nd most in Blue Jays history. He now has 89 RBIs this year. Watch this awesome night - click Here! <br> Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:02:27 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Edgar Renteria - Giants <br> <br>Less than a week after a couple of heart wrenching wins in Colorado, the Rockies are leaving their hearts in San Francisco. This time the loss was courtesy of Edgar Renteria's career day at the dish. Edgar led the team in the clubhouse and on the field as he rapped a game breaking Grand Slam in the 7th inning to give the Giants the lead. He had a 3 for 4 day with 5 RBIs and was intentionally walked in the 8th. Watch Here! <br> <br> Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:01:43 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Pablo Sandoval - Giants <br> <br>After visiting Colorado last week and losing ground in the heated NL Wild Card race, the Giants played a not so gracious host for the 2nd straight day. Pablo Sandoval led the offense by taking a swat at McCovey Cove early in the 2nd inning for his 21st HR of the year. Sandoval went a perfect 3 for 3 before being pulled from the lineup late in the game. The Giants are only 1 game back. Watch Here! <br> <br> Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:04:30 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Kendry Morales - Angels <br> <br>This young man has been lighting it up at the plate and really looks like he is comfortable as a leader on the field. Morales had a 5 for 5 night and raised his average to .307, knocking in 6 RBIs and scoring twice. He had four extra base hits and tied his career high with the 6 RBIs. Watch his big night that includes 2 HRs. Click Here! <br> <br> Sat, 29 Aug 2009 21:21:02 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ian Kinsler - Rangers <br> <br>This Rangers team is not going away. Locked in a Wild Card feud with the Red Sox, and on the road against the winningest team in baseball, the Rangers came through again. 2nd Baseman Ian Kinsler is having a standout year and yesterday he showcased his talent in the Bronx. Kinsler smacked a 3 Run Jack to put Texas in front and then capped the scoring with a Solo Jack later in the game, his 27th and 28th HRs of the year. Kinsler's average is down but his production is big! Watch Here! <br> <br> Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:31:19 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com David Ortiz - Red Sox <br> <br>Say what you will about Oritiz's struggles at the beginning of the year, after last night it's looking more and more like Big Papi time. With newcomer Victor Martinez exhorting him with every at-bat, Ortiz came through with his first multi-homer game of the year. He hit a solo shot in the 2nd and capped it with a Walk Off liner to right that snuck inside the Pesky Pole. It marked the 10th time in his career Ortiz has ended a game with a Home Run. Watch the drama by clicking Here! <br> <br> Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:47:29 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Josh Willingham - Nats <br> <br>You have to admit that the Nationals are far from a good team, which is surprising when you look at the talent they have. Josh Willingham for example. Last night he led an assault on the fast falling Cubs in Chicago. Josh belted two HRs and had a 4 for 4 night. He knocked in 6 RBIs and scored 5 times as the Nats pounded Zambrano 15-6. Watch his big night at the plate including a HR out of the park. Click Here! <br> <br> Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:25:19 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ryan Spillborghs - Rockies <br> <br>The Colorado Rockies put together a magical run two years ago. It's looking a little familiar as we head down the stretch of '09. In a race to stay ahead of SF and catch LA, the Rox were locked in a 1-1 tie with the Giants all the way into the 14th. The Giants looked like a sure winner when they scored 3 in the top half to take a 4-1 lead. Not so. Ryan Spillborghs hit a walk off Grand Slam into the Colorado night to pull the Rockies within 3 of LA. LA is in Colorado tonight! Watch Here! <br> <br> Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:56:48 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jake Fox - Cubs <br> <br>It's no secret the Chicago Cubs are reeling in August. Jake Fox was just trying to do his part to avoid a 4 game sweep by the Dodgers in LA. Well, it was just barely good enough as Fox went 4 for 4 and drove in 2 and the Cubs squeaked out a win in LA, 3-1. The four hits were a career high for Fox. Starting in place of Alfonso Soriano, the rookie smacked his ninth homer with one out in the second. Watch Here! <br> <br> Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:17:14 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Carlos Pena - Rays <br> <br>Locked in a battle to stay in the AL Wild Card race, the Rays could not afford to lose to the Rangers. Pena was doing his part to make sure that didn't happen, hitting 2 HRs in the game. But, a clutch HR by Marlon Byrd sent the game into extras. No matter, it was Pena's night. After clubbing his league leading 33rd and 34th HRs, Carlos saved his best and biggest hit for last; a 10th inning Walk Off single! Watch Here! <br> <br> Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:32:22 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com J.D. Drew - Red Sox <br> <br>Locked in a neck and neck battle for the Wild Card and fading fast in the AL East, the Red Sox just need to keep winning. Enter J.D. Drew who had a big night at the plate with two big HRs. His 4 for 4 performance led the way to an 8-1 win and sweep of the Blue Jays in Toronto. Drew makes Blue Jays starter Brett Cecil pay for leaving a pair of fastballs -- a two-seamer and a four-seamer -- up in the zone. Watch Here! <br> <br> Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:19:25 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/mental/Get%20em%20on%20Get%20em%20over%20Get%20em%20in/GetemOnGetemOverGetemIn.htm Get 'em On, Get 'em Over and Get 'em In! <br>By Buz Brundage <br> <br>Baseball is a complicated game in many ways. Yet, as complicated as it is... it can be just as simple. It is very important for the offensive player to simplify as much of the game as possible. Especially in his thinking. Yogi Berra's famous quote that "You can't hit and think at the same time" should be the mantra of the good hitter. Keep it Simple. <br> <br>From an offensive standpoint, the name of the game is to score runs. Without a run, your team cannot win... period. If we are going to stay with the "keep it simple" concept the role of the hitter is constantly changing as the game progresses. He may come up to bat with nobody on. His job in this instance is - Get On Base! <br> <br>It doesn't matter how many outs there are. Get on base! The wonderful thing about baseball is there is no clock. No time element. Only outs. So, first things first.... Get on Base! Simplify your purpose. Reduce your thinking. There are numerous drills and articles within the BABH website that will help refine your hitting skills and give you the best opportunity to be successful at getting on base. Use those skills to find a way to get on base so that the next batter can fulfill his role - Get 'em Over. <br> <br>Think of the team as a machine. Every little moving part has a role in the function of the machine. The first function is get on base! Then the next part takes over - Move the runner over! <br> <br>Again, keep it simple. Your approach when you come to the plate with a runner on base is first and foremost to move him up. At the very least you'd like to move him up to the next base. Ideally, more than one base. By understanding your goal, your mind has less to think about and you will have a greater focus and purpose at the plate. For instance, a runner on first and nobody out. What's your job? Get 'em over! <br> <br>In this scenario you'd like to hit behind the runner to give him the best chance to get to the next base. As a good hitter your job is simplified. You look for a pitch that allows you the best opportunity to accomplish that. You don't just walk up to the plate and flail at any pitch. Be selective so that you can accomplish your "function in the run scoring machine". Know which pitch to look for, look for it and it will be that much easier to accomplish your function. When you succeed in your function, the scoring machine builds momentum and the next cog in the wheel gets to do it's job. . <br> <br>If you are the lucky part of the scoring machine you come to the plate with a runner, or runners, in scoring position. Keep it simple and do your job so the machine can continue to roll along. As an example, lets say you come to bat and there are runners at 2nd and 3rd and one out. What is the machine's mission? Score runs. What is your function in the machine? Other parts of the machine have done theirs. They Got On. They were moved over. Now we have to get 'em in! <br> <br>With a runner at 3rd and less than two outs, you should accomplish this task at a minimum of 75% efficiency level. Otherwise, you are a broken or damaged part of the machine and may have to be replaced. Keep it simple. What's the easiest way to accomplish this? Ask yourself before you step up to the plate. "What pitch do I need to get my job done?" Then look for it up until you have two strikes on you. If you get it and miss it.. then, you are a part of the machine that needs some oil, some tweaking or maybe even replacing. In other words.. you are faulty. <br> <br>If you never get the pitch you are looking for you will simply have to make an adjustment and somehow find a way to get the runner in! <br> <br>Keeping it simple allows you the freedom of not having to think too much about the battle between you and the pitcher and muddling up your thoughts. Remember what Yogi said? <br> <br>Focus on keeping the scoring machine running smoothly. Keep it simple. . . Get 'em On. Get 'em Over and ... Get 'em IN! <br> Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:19:21 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Carlos Gonzalez - Rockies <br> <br>There is a new Gonzo in town and his name is Carlos. The left fielder's bat continued to blaze on Wednesday. Gonzalez homered in his fourth game in a row, tying a club record for consecutive games with a HR on the road. His 8th inning solo shot appeared to be an insurance run and a 2 run cushion, but proved to be the winning run. The Rockies are surging and closed to within 3 1/2 games in NL West. Watch it Here! <br> Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:00:25 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ryan Garko - Giants <br> <br>Brought in to help bolster the offense and give the Giants a chance at the post season, Garko delivered in a big way last night. Ryan spurred two comeback rallies that eventually landed a W on the Giants side. After trailing 5-1 in the 6th, Garko delivered a 2 Run double that got the game tied. Then he did the same when the game got into extra innings. The Giants were able to keep pace in the NL Wild Card. Watch Here! <br> Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:38:46 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Felix Pie - Orioles <br> <br>Wow, how do you pick the right guy when there are so many? Lee goes for 7 RBIs, Crawford a perfect 4 for 4, Inge has a big HR, Martinez wins with a dramatic walk off. It's awfully hard to beat the cycle though, and Felix Pie, well... he rode it last night with a spectacular game at the plate. Pie doubled in the1st inning, hit a solo home run in the 3rd and then singled and tripled in Baltimore's seven-run 7th. Watch Here! <br> Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:23:58 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jonny Gomes - Reds <br> <br>Things weren't looking so rosy for Gomes at the beginning of the year. Forced to fight for a roster spot after signing on as a Minor Leaguer, Gomes finally made the big club in late May. Last night he thanked the Reds by blasting out 3 Home Runs in a Cincinnati win over the Nats. Gomes finished with 5 RBIs and is the 6th MLB player this year to hit 3 HRs in one game. Watch his big night at the plate by clicking Here! <br> <br> Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:59:24 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Kazuo Matsui - Astros <br> <br>Matsui had 3 hits yesterday in the Houston Astros win. They may seem insignificant to most when they look at the box score, but it is far from unimportant in the eyes of the world. You see, Kaz is 1 basehit away from 2,000 hits in his combined Japan and Major League pro career. 1 more hit and he will soon slip on the green sport coat that signifies membership in the Meikyukai, an exclusive fraternity of Japan's greatest baseball players. Click Here to learn more. <br> <br> Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:16:41 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Adrian Gonzalez - Padres <br> <br>Yo Adrian, You can rake! Adrian Gonzalez showed the Wisconsin crowd that the Padres still have some sting in their lineup. Gonzalez became the first Padre in history to collect 6 hits in a 9 inning game. Just a note; there have been some mighy fine hittters to wear a Padre uniform. Gonzalez was 6 for 6 with 3 RBIs as the Padres beat the hometown Brewers 13-6. Watch his spectacular game by clicking Here! <br> <br> Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:06:10 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Troy Tulowitzki - Rockies <br> <br>He started off with a bang in the first inning by rocking out his 21st HR of the year and collecting 2 RBI in the process. Oh, but Troy was far from being done for the night. He went on a tear that notched a single, a double, a triple and finally another single. A cycle! 5 for 5 with 7 massive RBIs that capped a big win for the Rockies. Colorado moved into the lead of the NL Wild Card with the win and Tulo's huge night. Here! <br> <br> Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:23:11 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Hanley Ramirez - Marlins <br> <br>Just a few short days ago, the Marlins were floundering after being swept by DC. They limped into Philly desperately needing a win to stay close in the NL East. What a difference a couple of days make. With the big bat of Hanley Ramirez leading the way, the Marlins completed a sweep of the Phillies. Ramirez had a 4 for 6 game that included 3 RBIs and 3 Runs scored. He has a .348 avg to lead the NL. Watch Here! <br> <br> Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:53:59 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Denard Span - Twins <br> <br>Denard would love to play every game against Detroit. He had a perfect 5 for 5 night on Saturday.He opened with a double and scored on Mauer's homer, then followed that with 4 more hits, which matched his career high. His only other five-hit game came on July 3, also vs. Detroit. He is 25-for-50 (.500) against the Tigers this season, and a remarkable .444 career batting average in 22 games against them (40 for 90). Watch Here! <br> <br> Sun, 09 Aug 2009 14:59:41 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Alex Rodriguez - Yankees <br> <br>Some might say this was a cop out, picking A-Rod. But, considering the competition to choose from... we thing it was the best choice. Take into consideration the drama that was unfolding with each pitch, each extra inning, each at-bat. For Alex to come through with his first long ball in 3 weeks under those conditions... well, that's Yesterday's Hitter. His 2 Run Bomb in a scoreless 15th is a rarity in baseball. Click Here! <br> Sat, 08 Aug 2009 17:30:28 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ryan Zimmerman - Nationals <br> <br>Don't look now but the Washington Nationals are hot, especailly against Florida. Nobody is hotter than Zimmerman, who is batting .472 with five homers, 14 RBIs and 15 runs scored over the course of a 10-game hitting streak. Ryan Zimmerman went a perfect 4-for-4 with a homer, a triple, three RBIs and three runs scored vs. the Marlins. Thursday's performance left him with a .300 avg., 23 HRs and 74 RBIs. Here! <br> Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:30:30 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Jim Thome - White Sox <br> <br>The White Sox keep butting heads with the front runners in the AL... thing is, they keep coming out on top. The Sox are challenging the Tigers for the top spot in the AL Central thanks to some hot bats and players like Jim Thome. Thome hit 2 more Home Runs, giving him 20 on the season and 561 for his career. He knocked in 4 RBIs and the White Sox drilled the Angels in Chicago. Jim needs only 2 more Home Runs to tie Reggie Jackson for 12th on the all time list. Watch Here! <br> Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:21:23 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Evan Longoria - Rays <br> <br>Another tough choice for Yesterday's Hitter. You have King Albert with a NL record tying 5th Grand Slam. Another career day for the red hot Matt Kemp. Heck, even Manny broke out of his RBI funk. But, Evan Longoria takes the cake for a topsy turvy performance that featured 4 Strikeouts. Oh, but that did not deter him from clubbing a game tying HR in the 8th and the Walk Off HR in the 13th. What a game. Watch highlights Here! <br> <br> <br> <br> Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:48:01 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Ryan Braun - Brewers <br> <br>It wasn't easy. They had to face a fireballing lefty that had no idea where his ball was going. Clayton Kershaw was a wild one on Monday night, but Ryan Braun was able to tame him. Braun had the key hits including a 3 Run HR that proved to be the difference. He tallied 4 hits in 5 at bats and the Brewers hung on 6-5. Watch highlights Here! <br> <br> Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:55:43 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Melky Cabrera - Pirates <br> <br>Wow, what a day for hitters! It was tough to choose Yesterday's Hitter. But, the deciding stat was the fact that no Yankee has hit for the cycle in over 15 years. That's including some pretty good hitters. So, the nod goes to Melky Cabrera who had a big day that started out with a 3 Run HR to give NY the lead. He added a double in the 4th and an RBI single in the 5th. Then raced around the bases in the 9th to complete the cycle with a thrilling triple that scorched Dye in right field. Watch Here! <br> <br> Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:22:26 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Andrew McCutchen - Pirates <br> <br>All is not lost for the Pittsburgh fans. After a fire sale that virtually gutted the Pirates, Andrew McCutchen introduced himself to the Pittsburgh faithful. He clubbed 3 HRs on a 4 hit night and knocked in 6 RBIs for a career night in Pittsburgh. Watch his big game by clicking here! <br> Sun, 02 Aug 2009 15:56:39 GMT www.beabetterhitter.com Matt Holliday - Cards <br> <br>How do you spell hot? How about 5-8-6? Yeah, .586 .. that's the ridiculous average Matt Holliday has posted since his trade to St. Louis. 17 for his last 29! Included in that is his 4 for 4 performance from Friday night in which he helped lead two comebacks against the Houston Astros. He is the first Cardinal to start his career with an 8 game hitting streak since the great Roger Maris. Watch his big game Here! <br> <br> Sat, 01 Aug 2009 13:57:07 GMT www.beabetterhitter.com Will Venable - Padres <br> <br>With the rumor mill swirling around Padre trades, Will Venable is quietly making his mark with the team. Venable had a big day in Cincy yesterday, knocking in 4 runs with a 4 for 5 workman like performance at the plate. He hit a 3 run HR to left field that looked like nothing more than a pop fly when it left the bat. Will also singled in a run later with a solid opposite field stroke. Will's father Max was also a MLB player. Watch his four hit game by clicking Here! <br> <br> <br> <br> Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:37:03 GMT www.BeABetterHitter.com Howie Kendrick - Angels <br> <br>Howie Kendrick was slated for greatness when he made his way to the Angels. It's safe to say he hasn't reached those expectations yet, but he has certainly shown flashes of it. Last night was one of those nights. After being sent down to Triple A to fix a glitch in his swing, Howie is back. Kendrick had a big day at the plate knocking in 5 RBIs on a 3 for 4 day. His 5 RBIs were a career high. Watch his big day by clicking Here! <br> Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:11:44 GMT www.beabetterhitter.com Rajai Davis - Athletics <br> <br>Rajai Davis had the game-tying RBI single in the A's three-run ninth and then the go-ahead RBI single in the 11th, as the A's banged out 21 hits and erased a four-run deficit vs. the Red Sox. All this with two outs in the 9th, trailing by 3 runs and Papelbon between the A's and victory. Rajai came off the bench and ended up 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs. Watch Here! <br> Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:43:58 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/ Josh Willingham- Nationals <br> <br>To do something that had only been done a dozen times before in Major League Baseball History is quite an accomplishment. Well, that's exactly what Josh did on Monday when he became the 13th player all time to hit 2 Grand Slams in one game! With two swings of the bat, in successive innings, Willingham tied the team record for RBIs in a game with 8. Both Slams were no-doubters to left field. Watch both here! <br> Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:09:39 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/ Ryan Howard- Phillies <br> <br>Can anybody stop the Phillies? Hitting on all cylinders, from top to bottom in the lineup, the Phillies are building a tremendous lead in the NL East. A barrage of HRs, including a monster by Ryan Howard, pushed the Cardinals out of 1st place for the first time in weeks. Howard had a superb day at the plate going 3 for 3 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBIs. Watch his massive clout to centerfield by clicking Here! <br> Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:52:29 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/ Shane Victorino- Phillies <br> <br>The Phillies are on quite a ride over the last couple of weeks. They are clicking on all cylinders at a time when most teams are running low on gas. Part of the reason is the little guys keep raking and setting the table. Shane Victorino is one of those table setters. Yesterday he cleared the table going 4 for 4 with 3 runs scored and 3 RBIs. Here! <br> Sun, 26 Jul 2009 15:07:22 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/fundamentals/Hand%20Position%20for%20Power/HandPositionforPower.htm Hand Position for a Powerful Swing <br>by Coach Joe Brockhoff <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br>In this article we will cover the basic batting stance, including how to practice the right style sure to increase bat speed. You will learn tips that include how the bottom hand takes you to the ball. And the role of the top hand, which is the power hand. Also taught is how and why the back arm forms a 'V', and how to keep your hands inside to perform the 'Power V'. <br> <br>Begin with the hand position. Get in your basic stance, which is feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, and put your front arm out (palm down). Take your power hand (top hand) and put it palm up. Now close both hands and rotate it so it's at 12 o'clock, and go one additional step forward to about 1 o'clock. Bring your hands over the top and put it in the shoulder area, this gives us our most powerful and best hand stance. You want your hands in position as if you were throwing a punch. It should look something like this... <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br>The bottom hand is the 'take me to the ball' hand and the lead arm forms a 'L'. The top hand is the power hand and the back arm forms a 'V'. Keep your hands inside as you go to the ball. Your back arm should look like a 'V' just prior to hitting the baseball. All of your energy is in your hands... the top hand still faces up and the bottom hand is still facing down. Like Rogers Hornsby here... <br> <br> <br> <br>And... a little later in the swing you should still have a "L" formed by your lead arm and a "V" by your back: <br> <br> <br> <br>This arm position places your hands in the best position to deliver power to the swing. The top hand has now rotated under the bat and is in a position similar to throwing a body punch in a boxing match. The important thing to note in these photos is that the elbows are still in very close proximity to the torso. They DO NOT get away from the players body. This action loses POWER. Keeping the elbows close to the body generates a compact rotational swing and this results in a POWERFUL swing and increased bat speed. <br> <br>Also, what would NOT work is to keep your back elbow up when getting in your stance. This is one of the biggest misconceptions about hitting. Again, your back arm should form a 'V' and the lead arm should form an 'L'. <br> <br>Tips &amp; Warnings <br> <br>•The basic stance is typically feet shoulder width apart, and knees slightly bent like a basketball player playing defense. <br>•Record baseball hitting videos so you can view your baseball swing. <br>•Visit local baseball camps to get baseball hitting tips from coaches and players. <br>•Don't stretch your hands to the back, hold your hands above your head, bat way back in your stance, etc. None of these starting positions are 'power' positions and proper way to hit a baseball. <br> <br> <br>Click Here to watch Coach Brockhoff demonstrate this concept. <br> <br> <br> <br>About Coach Brockhoff: <br> <br>For over 25 years thousands of happy clients have learned the correct way to BeABetterHitter using Joe's unique and effective baseball hitting tips. Joe compiled a 641-358-2 career record at Tulane University and was inducted into the Tulane Athletic Hall of Fame. Joe is also the inventor of The Speed Bat, which when combined with the Speed Balls creates the XLR8 Speed Bat Hitting System! <br> <br> Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:42:02 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/coaches/ProperPathtotheBall.htm Developing the Proper Bat Path <br>by Coach Joe Brockhoff <br> <br>First, let us understand the direction the ball comes to us. A pitcher pitches off of a 10 inch mound and because he is elevated when he pitches the ball, the ball will come to the hitter diagonally down. <br> <br> <br> <br>If you we can visualize a ball coming to a hitter on a downward plane and the hitter also swinging on a downward plane, the hitter has only one chance to intersect with the ball on contact. <br> <br>When hitters hear the term “swing down”, they will almost always swing on a vertical plane. Perhaps coaches teach this because in their minds, this would be a short stroke. However, while swinging down would be shorter, which would be beneficial, this action does not place the bat in alignment for the best contact with the ball. <br> <br>Swinging down is also popular with coaches because they feel it will hit ground balls in little league and youth baseball, where fielders struggle to make these plays. In other words, more chances for errors give them a better chance for getting on base. This is a negative way to think about learning how to be teaching the professional baseball swing because it does not maximize hitting ability. As a player grows in the game, there will be other players who will be excellent in fielding and throwing out grounders. <br> <br>Here is another important point, and we have tested this time and time again. Swinging down hits more pop-ups than ground balls. We identify the action of “swinging-down” that hits a pop-up as a “scrape”. The ball counter acts the downward swing and can actually hit a pop-up each time. <br> <br> <br> <br>So where is the adjustment? We do not swing down. But we do go down to start the swing. By driving to the ball diagonally down, keeping our hands above the ball, and the bat head above the hands as we pivot (drive), this puts us in perfect position to make the best contact. <br> <br> <br> <br>We then invert the bat so that the top hand goes under the stroke, the bat head then goes diagonally up. This perfectly matches the pitch. <br> <br> <br> <br> <br>We go to the ball diagonally down, and our stroke goes diagonally up. NEVER do we want the bat head to point to the ground at, near or after contact! If we do this correctly we perfectly match the path of the ball with the path of the bat barrel... like this: <br> <br> <br> <br> <br>As you can see, it makes no difference if the ball is down the middle, low or high in the strike zone... as long as we keep our hands "above" the ball and the barrel "below" the ball we can achieve the proper bat path that matches the downward plane of the pitch. The result is a solid contact with the ball and the chances of success are greatly increased. <br> <br>If, we happen to have the barrel pointed to the ground.. or, on a downward plane at contact, you will usually see a pop up because the bat will hit the face of the ball rather than the core of the ball. <br> <br>Diagonally down starts the swing, bat barrel above the hands. At the Drive position when the hips have launched and the hands begin to attack the ball, the positions reverse. The bat barrel now drops below the hands to get the barrel on the same plane as the incoming pitch angle. <br> <br> <br> <br>And remember, the goal is to match the path of the ball - No matter where it is! If you have made the decision to swing, you must get the bat on the path of the ball to have success. Look at the various paths in the following photos. All of these swings were Home Runs! Are they perfect Strikes? Not necessarily. <br> <br> <br> <br> <br>The success of these swings were a result of matching the plane of the barrel with the plane of the pitch. You must learn this if you are to become the best hitter you can be. <br> <br> Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:02:59 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/ <br> <br>One of the games best hitters over the past decade had a big game as the Braves squeaked past the Brewers. The secret to success for Atlanta over the years has been the performance of Chipper Jones. He was right on cue for Sunday as he wrapped out 4 hits in 4 at bats, including two HRs and knocked in 5 RBIs. The Braves needed a big 8th inning to comeback agains the Brew Crew. Watch his game Here! <br> <br> <br> Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:31:44 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/coaches/EliminatetheStrikeout.htm Eliminate the Strikeout <br>by Coach Joe Brockhoff <br> <br> <br> <br>A baseball player has to be able to keep up with better pitching these days. As a former Division 1 baseball coach, I have the answer for this. The principles for the correct stroke are the same for fast pitch softball as they are for baseball. So, boy or girl... baseball or softball... listen up! <br> <br> <br> <br>In today’s game it is absolutely essential that the good hitter is “short to the ball” with a good compact stroke. <br> <br> A major part of being the best hitter we can be is to be “tough to strike out.” A good hitter should have no more than a 10% strike-out ratio. A strike out leaves us no opportunity to help our team. By not putting the ball in play, we give the defense their easiest out. <br> <br>While no one has to be convinced that a strike out is not good, we cannot fear the strike out. We shouldn’t let this enter our mind when preparing to step up to plate. We shouldn’t like it, avoid it at all costs, but never fear it. Each time we come to the plate, we will be able to make contact. <br> <br>So the first part of the process is TOTAL CONFIDENCE, to completely eliminate our fear of the strike out. <br> <br> Part two is “How do we do this? <br> <br>The Super 8 Hitting System gives us the softball hitting tips to practically eliminate striking out. It explains the biggest secret in hitting. It is called the “drive” action. It is compact, short, and will enhance your hitting stroke. <br> <br>By consistently practicing the “drive” action, the softball player can be assured that she can improve her ability to put the ball in play over 90% of the time. <br> <br>To do this, the player gets into a “45º drive position”, which means that before we initiate the stroke, we rotate the hips half way to the pitcher. For the right-handed batter, this would point the knob of the bat and the belly button about where the second baseman would play.A hitter needs to snap the baseball bat on the ball. <br> <br>We fully explain the “drive action” in our system in a series of baseball hitting videos, which includes many softball hitting tips. <br> <br>Click Here to receive our set of 5 Free Hitting Videos! <br> Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:47:04 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/fundamentals/4InchesofPower.htm 4 Inches of Power <br>by Buz Brundage <br> <br>The Philosophy at BABH is always centered on taking time tested principles of hitting from the great hitters that have played the game. Some of these principles have their roots set so far back in the game that they bring back names like Cobb, Ruth, Mantle, Aaron and others. Typically, these hitting principles focus on some mechanical aspect of the baseball swing. On occasion, we remind hitters of the proper thought process and mental approach to their at bats. This article is about learning a Secret to Hitting for Power. <br> <br>As you may already know, hitting is an art that you continually learn and improve on no matter how long you've played the game. Something new will undoubtedly be shown to you at some point in time. Or, sometimes... you simply start figuring out a vital ingredient for your success at the plate all by yourself. <br> <br>If you have read other articles on BABH you have certainly experienced us pounding the 3 components of hitting into you - POWER, ACCURACY and TIMING. In fact, we invented the Speed Bat Hitting System as an inexpensive aid to help ingrain these three components into a hitter. What we learned during the development of this system was enlightening and empowering. We want to pass that on to you. <br> <br>There is an age old saying in baseball - Hitting is Timing. To help players develop that vital component we invented the Speed Balls. Little did we know at the time that we had developed a training aid that uncovered a secret to the success of some of the greatest hitters that ever lived. We knew we had a fabulously effective product. The results couldn't be ignored. The Speed Balls were turning hitters into run producing machines at all levels of the game. Top college baseball and softball players, US Olympic softball and MLB Professional hitters were improving their production. It wasn't until we added the development of the Speed Bat that we discovered the real reason why. <br> <br>Most people equate Power hitting as a result of some big huge muscle bound hitter. But, the fact is that most of the power hitters are (and were) not "huge" guys. Rick Down explains it like this: Power is a result of Timing and Location. When you first hear that statement you probably don't understand it. It's such a simple statement, but it has very deep meaning. Let's go back to the phrase Hitting is Timing. Yes it is. For instance, let us take a look at a couple of pictures of current Major Leaguers in perfect Timing. <br> <br> <br> <br>This is Aaron Hill of the Toronto Blue Jays. You can see that he is right on the button timing that pitch. You can also se that he is mechanically correct, driving the bat with tremendous power. Look at the flexion in his bat. Incredible stuff. <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br>This is Alex Cora of the NY Mets. He is also right on the money with his timing. He is driving the bat to the ball: Hitting is Timing. These two pictures are worth a thousand words. But, here's the point we are trying to bring home to you. POWER is both Timing AND Location. These two players hit the ball hard, they were both singles. Why? Because of the LOCATION the ball struck the bat! In our development of the Speed Bat we discovered that the optimum location for the ball to hit the bat was 17-21 inches from the player's Top Hand. This was the LOCATION on the bat that resulted in the most POWERFUL hits! Every single time! <br> <br>Take a look: <br> <br> <br> <br>This hit from Daniel Murphy is a Home Run. Where did the ball strike the bat? What is the location? You can see that it is 17-21 inches from the top hand. There is no other difference in the three swings. They are all on plane, they are all squarely in contact with the ball. They are all on time. Two of them were hit hard, but singles... one of them flew out of the park. <br> <br>Here is an image that shows the distances measured out. This is also a Home Run. <br> <br> <br> <br>Take a look at this video of Matt Kemp for a super slow motion example of the ball hitting the bat in that 4 inches of power that every single bat has. Just Click Here! But.. be sure to come back here for the rest of the article. <br> <br>Hopefully by now you've seen enough evidence to indicate to you that there exists a secret power source in every bat. Yes, you could call it the Sweet Spot. But, you've heard that your whole life and did that change your approach to hitting so that you could hit the ball on the sweet spot? Probably not. Because the Sweet Spot doesn't mean anything until you understand that it is absolutely the Power Source in the bat. I don't care how big you are. Learning to hit the ball in that 4 inches of Power on your bat is the key to your productivity as a hitter, Period! <br> <br>So, let's go back to Rick Down who said that Power is a result of Timing and Location. Now, do you get what he's talking about? The location of where you struck the ball on the bat and the timing to hit the ball in the proper location during your swing. In other words, in the mechanically correct position as you see in these photos. But, as you learned (in photos of Aaron Hill and Alex Cora) ... hitting the ball with the right timing LOCATION will not result in POWER. You must have the timing LOCATION (proper mechanical position) AND the proper LOCATION on the bat! <br> <br>Guess what we call this? ACCURACY! <br> <br> <br> <br>Now we're getting to the meat and potatoes of our revelation when developing the Speed Bat Hitting System. That's a Home Run by the way in the above picture. The POWER generated is a result of the ACCURACY and TIMING that A-Rod put together on this swing. ACCURACY and TIMING equals POWER. That is the holy grail discovered in the Speed Bat Hitting System. <br> <br>First, we designed the bat so that it was useful to ALL hitters. You don't need to choose a size. That defeats the purpose. The Speed Bat is designed to force you to hit the ball exactly 17-21 inches from your top hand. How? Simple, we force you to place your hands in a specified, mechanically correct location on the Speed Bat. Next, we made the hitting surface EXACTLY 17 - 21 inches from the top hand. Voila! Now, without you even knowing it you get a blue print in your brain of the proper spatial relationship of your hands to the impact position on the bat that creates POWER. <br> <br>But, that's not all! Remember that POWER is a combination of Timing + Accuracy. Look at all of the ACCURACY components we force feed you with the Speed Bat Hitting System. <br> <br>1. Small Ball <br> <br>2. Small Barrel <br> <br>3. Pre-Determined hand position <br> <br>4. Pre-Determined impact location <br> <br> <br> <br>Add in the TIMING component you get from the Speed Balls and you end up with.... POWER! <br> <br>So, I ask you... Why would anyone that is using an underload training bat use one that gives their muscle memory the wrong memory? Why would you do that? Why would you go buy a 34" training unit that has a "sweet spot" 23, 24 or more inches from your top hand? It doesn't make any sense. All you do is teach your brain how to make contact with a ball in a location on the bat that will either result in a single or a broken bat! <br> <br> <br> <br>You have a secret Power source in every single bat that you pick up. All you need to do is start paying attention.. I mean really paying attention to WHERE you allow the ball to strike your bat. Of course, the easiest way to develop this is with the proper training tool. Lucky for you that tool exists in the Speed Bat Hitting System. <br> <br>Then you simply take the subliminal blue printing and muscle memory you receive from using the proper hitting aid and incorporate it into your normal batting practice. When you are hitting off of a tee for example, you simply must concentrate on the LOCATION you allow the bat to strike the ball. Think about it... the ball is not moving! There is no reason you should ever hit the ball anywhere except the Power Source that exists in that 4 inches of your bat. Concentrate. Do It.... and do it Right! <br> <br>Need another reminder? Click the picture below and watch the top ten home runs logged in MLB baseball this week. Pay attention to where the ball hit the bat! Also, take note that the players that hit these home runs were not MONSTER HUGE guys for the most part. They are just professional hitters that pay attention to the formula for POWER. TIMING + ACCURACY = POWER! <br> <br> <br> Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:02:51 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/fundamentals/Shrink%20The%20Box/ShrinkTheBox.htm Shrink The Box <br>by Buz Brundage <br> <br>If you are going to be a hitter, a good hitter, one your teammates and coaches can depend on... then you need to know this: Learn how to "Shrink the Box". Ok.. you are probably saying "What the heck does that mean?" Well, this is a fundamental skill that all good hitters possess and you should too. <br> <br>Shrinking the Box is having the ability to know when you are in the drivers seat against the pitcher. You may be in that position because of the pitch count (elementary my dear friend - see Hit Chart) or some other factor, like the pitcher walking a couple of players in the inning. Or, you may simply see the pitcher very well and "own him" so to speak. <br> <br>Whatever the reason, once you are in a position of command over the pitcher you simply have to "Shrink the Box". The Box.. is the imaginary strike zone that the pitcher is trying to nip the edges of. <br> <br> <br> <br> When you "shrink it" you are making a decision in your head that you want the ball right... there! Where you can pound it. Make the pitcher pay. <br> <br>Be aggressive when you get it in your small little box and confident that this is "your turf... Don't go there!" That is the mindset of "Shrinking the Box". <br> <br>Typically, a hitter gets into this mindset when the count is greatly in his favor.. like 2-0 or 3-1. This is why you see professional hitters take a pitch right down the middle on a 2-0 count. I know.. it makes me crazy too : ) <br> <br>But, the truth is he may have been looking for the pitcher's offspeed pitch.. or he may have wanted it down.. or "in" just a bit. The hitter made a small box to look for a pitch in and the pitch either didn't get there.. or he was fooled by the speed. Which brings me to the next point about "Shrinking the Box". <br> <br>Hitting is Timing. There is no disputing this fact. It is as true now as it was when Ty Cobb played. So, with that in mind.. when you "shrink your box" .. pick a speed! If you have the luxury of deciding "where you want the pitch" you have the luxury of choosing a speed! <br> <br>I hope this helps you to Be A Better Hitter! <br> Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:16:30 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/mental/Change%20Your%20Attitude%20Change%20Your%20Game/ChangeYourAttitude-ChangeYourGame.htm Since we're smack in the middle of the high drama, high stakes, atmosphere of October playoff baseball, I think it might be appropriate to share my experience with pressure situations and how I dealt with them. Make no mistake about it, baseball, whether you're in Little League or the big leagues, is filled with stress. It's how you handle it that seperates the mediocre player from the great player. It also seperates the player who enjoys the game from the player who is scared by the game. <br> <br> <br>For me, the turning point came when I stopped fighting the feelings I had when I got into pressure situations. The sweaty palms and elevated heart beat type symptoms. You see, for a long time I thought that the superior athlete had somehow overcome these responses or learned how to suppress them. It took me a long time to realize that these feelings NEVER go away, no matter how long you've played or how much success you've had. So instead of viewing them as something negative or something I needed to overcome, I just accepted these emotions as part of the game and used the heightened awareness that accompanied them to be a better player. I just kept it simple (see ball hit ball), stayed in the moment by not anticipating success or failure, enjoyed myself, and let the results take care of themselves. I went from being a player who dreaded the bases loaded, bottom of the ninth, game on the line situation to being a player who would give anything to have an opportunity to win the game. <br> <br> <br>This was just my experience and I'm not saying you'll have more success by adopting this attitude. I will, however, pretty much guarantee you'll have more fun playing the game. Good luck and keep learning. <br> <br>Editors note: Brent Mayne was catcher in the Major Leagues for 16 years and is the author of the Catching tutorial book: The Art of Catching. To learn more about Brent please visit his webpage www.BrentMayne.com <br> <br>You can purchase Brent's book by clicking here or the picture below <br> Thu, 09 Oct 2008 23:03:07 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/coaches/Mental%20Selection%20Characteristics%20of%20MLB%20Draft%20picks/MentalSelectionCharacteristicsofMLBFirstRoundDraftChoices.htm Mental Selection Characteristics of MLB First Round Draft Choices <br> <br>by Geoff Miller <br> <br>WinningMind.com <br> <br> <br> <br>Predicting success of Major League Baseball draft prospects is a difficult task. A multitude of factors <br>must be considered by baseball organizations who pore over scouting reports, stat sheets, speed gun <br>readings and stopwatch times to find that crucial piece of information that can be used to find future <br>stars. Physical, mental and social factors contribute mightily to which players live up to their <br>potential. <br> <br> <br>The following is a review of the attentional and interpersonal characteristics of players selected in the <br>First Round of Major League Baseball’s First Year Player Draft. <br> <br> <br>Assessment of Draft Potentials: <br> <br> <br>Winning Mind, LLC uses TAIS (The Attentional and Interpersonal Style inventory) to directly measure <br>concentration, distractibility, decision-making, risk taking as well as general personality variables <br>like confidence, competitiveness, extroversion/introversion and communication style. TAIS has been <br>used with Olympic and professional athletes, Navy SEALs, the US Army Special Forces, and Fortune <br>500 executives. It has even been used to distinguish between multiple and single Olympic medal <br>winners. <br> <br> <br>Player Samples: <br> <br> <br>Data has been collected on potential draft selections from December 2000 to June 2002. Prospects <br>were given a paper and pencil version of TAIS and asked to complete the inventory with the purpose <br>of providing a mental performance evaluation. Hundreds of high school, junior college, and <br>collegiate players were evaluated over that time period and twenty-six were eventually selected by a <br>Major League team in the First Round of the 2001 or 2002 MLB First Year Player Draft (their average <br>age was 18.80 years). We examined the TAIS profile data on this group of First Round Picks and <br>compared it to a randomly selected group of thirty picks who were evaluated and selected later than <br>the First Round in those drafts. The average round in which these players were selected was 8.87 and <br>the second group’s average age was 18.96. <br> <br> <br>A Blueprint for your Scouting/Player Development Process: <br> <br> <br>We have constructed a composite profile for the typical MLB First Round Pick. This composite <br>becomes a benchmark that may be used to measure future baseball talent scientifically. The data has <br>value in three different ways: <br> <br> <br>1. Compare top physically talented prospects against the MLB First Round Pick group to confirm <br>their mental toughness characteristics. Red flag prospects who have physical tools, but <br>don’t have the mental tools to make an impact at the Major League level. <br>2. Compare lesser physical talent against the group to find out which players have the <br>potential, based on mental makeup, to develop into Major League talent. <br>3. Pinpoint developmental targets for all prospects. TAIS profile data acts as a roadmap that <br>shows how athletes can improve performance. We can tell where players will make <br>concentration mistakes, how they will respond to coaches and staff, what their work habits <br>may be like, and how they will perform under pressure. <br> <br> <br> <br> <br>Characteristics of MLB First Round Picks: <br> <br> <br>Overall, the typical MLB First Round pick exhibits greater mental and emotional control and makes <br>better transitions than the average MLB prospect. The First Rounder makes fewer concentration <br>mistakes, makes quicker decisions, is more physically competitive, plays by the book and by the <br>rules more often, and uses a combination of awareness, analysis, and action to his advantage. <br> <br> <br>Attentional Balance: <br> <br> <br>Everyone has a dominant attentional style (Awareness, Analysis, or Action) much like having a <br>favorite TV channel for viewing the world. That dominant style is the place we feel most comfortable <br>and the channel we “tune to” most often when we feel pressure. The dominant attentional style for <br>most elite athletes is Action, the traditional narrow focus that we associate with blocking out 50,000 <br>screaming fans and executing physical skills. It’s also the quality used by athletes who are the first <br>ones in the clubhouse and the last ones to leave. People with a higher Action orientation are more <br>likely to take extra ground balls, show up for early hitting, engage in more rigorous conditioning, <br>because they have a need to roll up their sleeves and get things done. <br> <br> <br>MLB First Round Draft Picks reported that their dominant style was Action and that their least <br>preferred was Analysis. Great athletes don’t have a lot of time to engage in complex problem solving <br>and they are naturally less likely to be caught in their heads. However, the First Rounder group is <br>more attentionally balanced while players drafted later favor the Action channel more prominently. <br>Under pressure, the typical prospect is likely to overuse his ability to focus even if the situation calls <br>for awareness or analysis. In a pressure situation, the balance shown by First Rounders may help <br>them avoid “tunnel vision,” the downside of being narrowly focused, by staying aware of their <br>surroundings and thinking more clearly on the fly (i.e. Derek Jeter’s miracle relay against Oakland in <br>2001 ALDS). <br> <br> <br>Concentration Errors: <br> <br> <br>First Rounders make fewer mental mistakes than average prospects. There are three common types <br>of concentration errors. The first two are made when players get distracted by sights and sounds <br>around them or by thoughts in their heads. The third kind of error takes place when emotions get the <br>best of them and keep them from paying attention to what’s most important. <br>First round picks are least likely to commit concentration errors that are generated by too much <br>thinking. Any time an athlete is “in his head” thinking when he should be performing, he is internally <br>distracted. Bill Buckner’s infamous error in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series may have been the <br>worst concentration mistake ever. Buckner was obviously thinking about his steps to the bag before <br>he looked the ball into his glove. Athletes can also commit thinking errors by overanalyzing problems <br>that have simple solutions. If you’ve heard the term “paralysis by analysis”, you are familiar with this <br>kind of mental mistake. This is a common problem with well-rounded athletes who have strong <br>academic backgrounds. <br> <br> <br>Mistakes caused by paying too much attention to the environment are also rare in First Rounders. <br>Examples of these errors include hitters seeing infielders shifting or paying attention to extensive <br>mechanical movements by a pitcher (ie. Nomo’s windup) instead of focusing on the pitcher’s release <br>point. When a pitcher gets rattled by an opposing bench or when he loses a batter because he has <br>been too engrossed in holding a baserunner close, he has made a concentration error in his <br>environment. <br> <br> <br>The most common concentration mistake made by First Round Picks occurs when they become overly <br>fixated on one subject to the point of fixation. When this occurs, it becomes impossible to switch <br>attention between external and internal channels. Such a loss in flexibility is most often associated <br>with an emotion, usually anger or fear. For example, a pitcher gives up a home run and gets angry at <br>himself or begins to worry about his place in the starting rotation. The inability to control emotions <br>makes it more likely that his mistake will snowball into more mistakes. The ballplayer who makes an <br>error in the field after striking out at the plate may be experiencing the same problem. While reduced <br>flexibility errors are more rare in First Round Picks than in the average prospect, they remain the most <br>likely lapses your top picks will make and they should be identified as targets for improvement. <br> <br> <br>Decision-Making Style: <br> <br> <br>There is a dramatic difference between MLB First Round picks and average prospects in their <br>decision-making styles. Decisions can be evaluated in terms of two primary dimensions: speed and <br>accuracy, with low scores indicating speed and high scores tending toward accuracy. First Round <br>draft choices tend to favor speed over accuracy. Their lower scores tell us that they make faster <br>decisions than their peers. High scores on the Decision-Making Style scale indicate that athletes <br>need to have as much information as possible before committing to action. This is a common <br>symptom for elite golfers, whose collective perfectionism has them reading greens over and over to <br>ensure that they plan out a precise putting line. Pitchers who get caught in this frame of mind are <br>accused of “aiming the ball” or trying to be too fine. Athletes who report high scores on this scale <br>may demonstrate hesitancy when placed in fast-action situations. This would certainly have <br>implications for hitters, who have just tenths of a second to decide whether to swing at or take a <br>pitch. In the field, low scorers would get better jumps on balls and move into position more quickly. <br>Throughout the course of development, it is this ability to commit to quick decisions that aids First <br>Round Picks in their transitions from high school or college ball to professional competition and <br>determines their staying power in the Majors. People with perfectionistic tendencies don’t respond <br>as well to failure because they obsess over their mistakes which undermines confidence in future <br>endeavors. <br> <br> <br>Orientation Towards Rules &amp; Risk: <br> <br> <br>This scale measures impulsiveness versus conformity. Lower scores indicate rule bound people and <br>higher scores are associated with persons who march to the beat of their own drummers. High <br>scorers exhibit creative, outside-the-box thinking, but can get in trouble because their willingness to <br>take risks defies societal standards (and sometimes laws of gravity!). Low scorers are more <br>conservative, but can become rigid in thought under pressure. First Round Picks are more <br>conservative than typical prospects and are more likely to exhibit “by the book” behavior when <br>placed in pressure situations. You are more likely to see First Round picks taking pitches outside the <br>strike zone and laying off “pitcher’s pitches” early in the count than prospects with more risk-taking <br>tendencies. <br> <br> <br>Confidence/ Leadership Style/ Competitiveness: <br> <br> <br>Confidence plays a critical role in performance situations. The more confidence a player has in <br>himself and his abilities, the easier it will be to stay focused on the right channel under pressure. <br>This is most important after a mistake has been made. All of your prospects are going to make <br>physical and mental errors as they make transitions to professional baseball. Confident players are <br>able to quickly recover from their mistakes and regain focus. Players without this confidence are <br>prone to repeated concentration mistakes and choking. The First Round picks we studied are a highly <br>confident group, more so even than world class athletes in other sports. <br>First Round picks are hands-on leaders who relish the opportunity to take charge. This characteristic <br>is needed for athletes to step up when called upon, but it can be tough to manage 25 players who all <br>have high needs for control. The typical first rounder will flourish on his own and will be able to <br>maintain his own training regiment without much supervision. Development targets should be aimed <br>at helping top prospects understand how to use their abilities to lead to maintain team chemistry. <br>Physical Competitiveness measures a person’s willingness to engage in physically demanding tasks. <br>High scorers play to win and maintain high standards of physical fitness. First Round picks have a <br>great desire to compete physically, even more so than the average baseball prospect. You can <br>expect First Round picks to keep score in non-competitive situations and to push themselves with <br>their own competitive standards, rather than simply on commonly accepted ones. <br> <br> <br>Summary: <br> <br> <br>At the moment of truth, elite performers must be able to maintain focus, control emotions, and <br>communicate effectively with teammates. MLB First Round Picks are less likely to make concentration <br>errors and more likely to exhibit mental and emotional control than the average baseball prospect. <br>Key characteristics of First Rounders include a reliance on Action, a healthy balance of all three <br>Attentional channels, a lower likelihood of making concentration mistakes, quick decision-making <br>skills, less risky behavior, and a high degree of Confidence, Leadership, and Physical <br>Competitiveness. <br> <br> <br>The true test of this data, and of the prospects themselves, will be to track the progress of drafted <br>players and see which ones do make an impact at the Major League level. We plan to continue this <br>research by keeping internal records of the success of the players sampled to this point and in future <br>data collection as well. <br> <br> Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:52:58 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/coaches/danacavalea/offseason/OffseasonTraining.htm Off-Season Training For Baseball.. Whats your Plan? <br>Dana Cavalea, CSCS <br> <br> <br>“What program should I use during the off-season to help me throw harder and increase my bat speed?” <br> <br>This might be a question some of you ask your Coaches on a yearly basis. As I continue to travel and meet young ballplayers of all different shapes, sizes, and mental make-ups, this is the question that I typically am embraced with, most often times followed by, “What can I take?” <br> <br>The latter of the two questions concerns me. Athletes, who are most known for their hard work and ability seem to be looking for alternative methods to enhance performance, most likely not as a complement to hard work and dedication, but as a supplement. It is my opinion that supplements are named ‘supplements’ because, for many, they ‘supplement’ the most important parts of any program; consistency and a progressive plan. <br> <br>Focusing on consistency and a progressive plan of action is what will yield the most favorable end result. The questions I often fire back to these young athletes is; “What are your goals? What is your commitment? What is your plan of action?” <br> <br>As a professional coach, these three questions allow me to decide if this person truly exemplifies the understanding of what it takes to reach their desired goals of increased throwing velocity and/or bat speed. But before going any further, I will address these two goals by saying there is a genetic characteristic that will determine how hard you throw, and your ability to generate bat speed no matter how perfect your training plan or your mechanics. This characteristic is referred to as one’s ‘genetic ceiling’. It should be the goal of every athlete to reach their genetic ceiling. So, the question that opened this article should look more along the lines of: <br> <br>“What program can you prescribe for me, based on my individual needs, to enhance throwing velocity and bat speed to meet my genetic potential?” <br> <br>This question shows that this athlete is willing to stay focused and committed to a goal that is within reach for them. Throwing velocities of 90+ mph is desired by anybody that has ever played the game, but the reality is, it is often times a non-practical goal. <br> <br>As a coach, I am truly inspired to give as much as I possibly can to the ballplayer that has the mental and physical horsepower to do whatever it takes to maximize potential, and not fall for some of the scams of increased velocity in 4 weeks that some fly by night programs guarantee. <br> <br>Enhanced performance is achieved via a strategic plan that integrates needs with wants, and is coupled with a quality training program, mental focus and a positive lifestyle. <br> <br>With this said, we will now get into some of the strategies and programs that can be used to first reduce injury predisposition, and then focus on the synchronization of movement patterns and body balance to enhance performance. <br> <br>Often times throwing athletes understand the importance of caring for the arm, but overdo it with training of the rotator cuff with minimal focus on scapular stability and control. The scapula or shoulder blade is the anchor that holds the rotator cuff musculature in proper relationships in regards to length and tension, which will affect overall function of this musculature and synergy of muscle used to create arm action. Strengthening the cuff is important, but a major focus on the scapula will elicit favorable outcomes and overall health. Samples for scapula stability include: <br> <br>1. Band Retraction <br>2. Quadruped “Angry Cats” – Scapula Protraction/Retraction <br>3. Physioball Active Scap Work- Prone T’s/ W’s <br> <br>These three simple exercises will provide the scapula and related musculature with enough work to enhance overall function. <br> <br>The other point that should be made in regards to the throwing athlete is the overall force generated to accelerate the ball is not a result of strictly arm action, but rather a sequential pattern of movement which is derived from lower body lateral drive and hip pop, which will lead to upper body rotation, and therefore accelerated arm and hand speed. <br> <br>Strengthening of the core via stabilization training will allow for optimal force transfer from the lower extremity of the body through the upper. If the core is unstable and inefficient in transferring force from the lower body, then the arm will have to compensate, and be forced to increase the strain on this relatively small musculature. An example would be a go-cart engine trying to power a Hummer. Heavy strain would be placed on the engine, so the end result would be engine wear and breakdown. <br> <br>When it comes to the core - stability development is the key, meaning no movement, holding positions, not flexion and extension like in a typical crunch. Some exercises we use to strengthen the core are as follows: <br> <br>1. Core Bridge <br>2. Lateral Core Bridge <br>3. Quadruped Opposites- On all 4’s, extend left arm/ right leg and hold the core in a neutral position <br> <br>The work listed previously is designed primarily to reduce injury prevalence, but plays a major role in setting the base for strength training methods that follow. When designing a strength and conditioning program, the program must be balanced. Most readers are unable to engage in a Movement Screen, or an evaluation that will analyze symmetry of the body, particularly between the left and right side. As such, the focus should be in a comprehensive program that encourages complex movements, rather than isolated training of global musculature. Integrating this approach with movements that don’t simulate sport, but movements that will work to strengthen areas that are predisposed to injuries is the goal. The repetitive nature of a sport such as baseball which is typically one side dominant (high volume of work on one particular side as opposed to the other) predisposes the body to injury on the overworked side. Therefore the complex movements incorporated into a training program are designed to ward off injury by strengthening the complete body and provide balance to the body core or structure. <br> <br>On the first page of this article it was written to always have a plan, and that plan needs to expand much further than sets and reps. The plan needs to focus on the development of stability, strength, and power, but this plan is determined by where you are in the training year, and the exercise selection you choose is also contingent upon which variable you are looking to enhance; stability, strength, or power. <br> <br>A typical programming model for baseball would start with stability development in the early off-season, then focus on strength mid-way though, and for the last few weeks of the off-season focus on power. This power component will also be carried into the season, but will also be coupled with stability days as well. Greater detail is out of the scope of this article and will be written in follow up articles. <br> <br>For practicality purposes, we will write a few exercises that would sit in a Stability Phase of the program below. <br> <br>1. Single Leg Squats <br>2. Single Leg RDL’s <br>3. 222 Tempo Pushups <br>4. 222 Inverted Rows <br>5. Eccentric Pullups <br>6. Gray Cook ½ Kneeling Chop <br> <br>These 6 simple exercises which utilize primarily body weight would constitute a great Phase 1 Stability Program. Sets and Reps should progress each week, which in turn will increase overall volume prepping the body for the next phase of training; strength development. <br> <br>The sport-specific programming in my mind is still a mystery. Is choosing an exercise that simulates pitching or hitting worth its weight for a young athlete? Focusing on complex movements and total body action + stability has shown a much greater end result for young athletes in terms of performance and injury prevention. Isn’t that the goal? <br> <br>Staying consistent with a simple program as outlined above, with the integration of core activation and shoulder/scapula work in your warm-up is a basic program that gives you an action plan and will keep you on the field. Most importantly, this type of program perfectly blends with your personal goals and needs, as well as your quest to reach your genetic ceiling. <br> <br> <br> <br> Wed, 19 Dec 2007 23:38:45 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/funstuff/Blooper/Babes%20Blooper/BabesBlooperPerfection.htm Message Board| Blog| Links Home | Fundamental Skills | HItting Drills | Mental Approach | Bat Speed Development | Coaches Corner | Video Instruction | Fun Stuff <br>And now Batting... Eddie Gaedel <br>Along with ill-conceived promotions that have backfired over the years, baseball has also been the home to many strange gimmicks, used either to hype the game or simply to gain an advantage over an opponent. None is better remembered than the one engineered by Bill Veeck when he owned the old St. Louis Browns in 1951. The Browns were floundering in last place as usual, and Veeck decided to create a little excitement. <br> <br>The Browns were hosting the Detroit Tigers for a Sunday doubleheader in late August. The first game was uneventful. Then... in the nightcap, the Browns came to bat in the bottom half of the first inning. Frank Saucier was due to lead off against the Tigers' Bob Cain. Suddenly, a pinch hitter was announced, and the fans couldn't believe their eyes. It looked as if the Browns were sending a little boy up to the plate. <br> <br>Pitcher Cain looked down at a batter who was just 3 feet 7 inches tall and weighed 65 pounds! He had the number 1/8 on his back. Umpire Ed Hurley quickly called time and demanded to know what was going on. The Browns' manager, Zack Taylor, came out of the dugout and showed Hurley a legal Major-League contract. It identified the batter as twenty six year old Eddie Gaedel, who happened to be a midget. With the contract legal and Gaedel an adult, Hurley had no choice but to let him hit. The fans cackled in glee. <br> <br>Gaedel got into the batter's box and went into a deep crouch. Not surprisingly, pitcher Cain couldn't find the tiny strike zone, and Gaedel walked on four straight balls. The Browns then sent in a pinch runner to take his place. No one will ever know whether Veeck intended to use Gaedel in the future when his team needed a walk. The next day the American League president, Will Harridge, announced he would not approve Gaedel's contract. It was ruled that the signing of Gaedel was considered a "conduct detrimental to baseball." <br> <br>As for Eddie Gaedel, who is officially credited with a single at bat in the Major Leagues, it was an experience he would never forget. <br> <br>"I felt like Babe Ruth when I walked out on the field that day," he declared proudly. <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br>Home | Fundamental Skills | HItting Drills | Mental Approach | Bat Speed Development | Coaches Corner | Video Instruction | Fun Stuff | Message Board | Blog | Links | Online Store | 3D4LIFE | Javvilin.Com <br> <br>Copyright © 1999 - 2007 3D4LIFE Internet Ventures. <br> <br> <br> Mon, 19 Nov 2007 18:53:32 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/hittingdrills/hips%20knees%20elbows/Hips-KneesElbows.htm Message Board| Blog| Links Home | Fundamental Skills | HItting Drills | Mental Approach | Bat Speed Development | Coaches Corner | Video Instruction | Fun Stuff <br> <br> Hips - Knees &amp; Elbows <br>By Buz Brundage <br> <br> <br> <br>Lets take a look at the correlation of the back elbow, back knee and back hip in the baseball swing. It's my finding that the synchronization of these in the backside motion are critical to the success of a hitter. On the elite hitters in the game, such as Albert Pujols, these three separate parts of the body work in complete harmony. It is the 'connected motion' of the back hip, knee and elbow that drive the hands to the launch position. From "launch" ( which is basically at the point the hands catch up to the back hip once the back hip has rotated to the plate) the hands take over and attack the ball. <br> <br>You will notice that the bat barrel is considerably behind the hands and back hip at this point. This is called "bat lag" and is one of the keys to bat speed. The bat is literally poised for attack at the ball. Understand that the back hip and knee are larger body parts and move at a slower rate than do the hands. This is why they must get to the "launch" position much earlier than the ball reaches the hitting zone. As the ball reaches the hitting zone the hands then take over. <br> <br>Notice also that once the hip and knee get turned to the point where the player's belt buckle is facing the pitcher they are essentially done with their "part in the swing". Pujols then begins to straighten the front side knee.. this counter motion action (another example of the "pushing and pulling" taking place in the swing) accelerates the speed of the hands allowing them to power the barrel into the zone. The weight and torque of the barrel going ahead of the hands then moves the swing into the extension and follow through stages of the swing. Basically, the hands finish the swing from that point. A fraction of a second before impact... and at impact... the hands are in the classic "top hand palm up, bottom hand palm down" position. They remain that way shortly through impact ... and naturally roll due to the weight of the barrel passing them on their way to the finish. <br> <br>An athlete's particular hand-eye coordination become the deciding factor on how well the barrel connects to the ball. His hand-eye coordination directly relate to the timing of the barrel through the hitting zone. <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br>it is no secret that the elite hitters are able to recognize and anticipate pitches... as a result of their personal experience with a particular pitcher... their numerous at-bats in like situations and pitch counts,etc. This "library of information" is based on a number of subconscious cues that they may pick up through micro seconds of information. Not to mention that they generally have the ability to review video files between at bats. What does all of this mean? First and foremost it assists in their timing by allowing them to rely on past performances and situations. In short, they can "look for" certain pitches. If you have a pretty good idea of what is coming it is likely that the ball will be hit very well. <br> <br>Which brings me to this point: Build your swing! Make it mechanically sound. Take a look at these two frames again. They are of different at-bats... different games... different pitchers... different height of the pitch. But they are essentially the same swing! Mechanically sound. If that is in place, the player can simply concentrate on what the likely pitch is. To repeat... if you have a pretty good idea of what is coming it is likely that the ball will be hit very well! <br> <br>If you consider that there are only 12 pitch counts and five of those are fastball counts (the other seven being neutral or off-speed), it shouldn't be that difficult. For more on the pitch count and the importance it has on your success at the plate review the various articles throughout this website. Clearly it is a huge factor and one capitalized on by the elite hitters. <br> <br>Of course, first they built a swing...Hips, Knees and Elbows... kinda funny how they have anything to do with the swing huh? <br> <br>See the Six Steps to a Sweet Swing article to help in building the swing. <br> <br>For help in developing a library of pitch probabilities based on pitch count - train with the XLR8 Speed Balls. <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br>Home | Fundamental Skills | HItting Drills | Mental Approach | Bat Speed Development | Coaches Corner | Video Instruction | Fun Stuff | Message Board | Blog | Links | Online Store | 3D4LIFE | Javvilin.Com <br> <br>Copyright © 1999 - 2007 3D4LIFE Internet Ventures. <br> <br> <br> Tue, 13 Nov 2007 19:22:43 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/hittingdrills/Pull%20Pure%20Paint/PullPurePaint.htm Pull it, Pure it &amp; Paint it! <br> <br>by Buz Brundage <br> <br> <br> <br>Coaches, teaching your players to understand the strike zone and to hit the ball where it's pitched is a huge advantage for your offense. Offense is of course a key component to the game, you must score to win. <br> <br> <br> <br>We all know that It's not always easy to keep the interest of players during practice. Having a team lose focus and walk through a practice is a sure bet your team will walk through some of it's games during the season. Good teams cannot afford that. As a Coach, you have to remain creative. Sometimes that means to simply play a game during practice. Not a "real" game, but a fun game that challenges your players and crowns a King of the Diamond. <br> <br> <br> <br>Having a Diamond King for the day (or week) is a real motivator for your team. The King of course, does nothing but direct. Therefore, being the King means the player gets to supervise during field maintenance at the end of the day or "be the Coach" or whatever the Coach decides his/her reward is. <br> <br> <br> <br>My favorite way to crown the Diamond King (and trust me this works for all ages, including College) is to have a hitting day. Not just any hitting day. Not the Station to Station day. . . But a "game" day. One where the real important aspects of hitting are defined, practiced and ingrained in a fun and competitive atmosphere. Teaching your players to use the whole field by hitting the ball where it's pitched is the purpose of this "game" day drill. <br> <br> <br> <br>This "game" day will also create a tremendous unity in your team because they will be competing against each other. A major factor in team unity is derived from respect. If players respect each other's ability and competitive desire they end up having a little closer relationship as individuals and as teammates. So, what's cool about this is you not only gain that "something extra" from the "game" day... but your players will completely understand the value of the strike zone and how to use the whole field by hitting the ball "where it's pitched". <br> <br> <br> <br>Here's how it works: You will need to separate the field into "thirds" by placing a cone (or other marker) on the grass behind shortstop and another behind where you position your second baseman. If you can enlist your local Police Department to donate some "Do Not Cross" yellow crime scene tape that would be ideal. You can roll that tape out from the plate to each marker and effectively divide the field into thirds. Plus, you can reuse the heck out of that stuff. Roll it up... Roll it out. At any rate, your field should look something like this:  <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br>I suggest you populate the field with players in their normal position as they will get plenty of fielding practice. Although, I have seen coaches simply place players in the outfield to shag. You will need an "L" Screen positioned short enough to allow complete control of the pitch location. The pitcher's job is to locate the pitch in one of the "thirds" of the plate; inner third, middle third or outer third. It's really helpful if you have one of these zone plates laid over home plate <br> <br> <br> <br>. <br> <br> <br> <br>When the pitcher throws the ball to the inner third, the player must PULL the ball to the 'Pull third' of the field. If the pitch is in the middle third, the player must PURE the ball to the big part of the field - the middle third. If the pitch is on the outer third of the plate, the player has to PAINT the ball to the opposite field third. I personally prefer to have the players go to the plate and receive two pitches, both in the same "third". On the first pitch I do not want the player to swing. Instead, I want him to identify the third and call out PULL, PURE or PAINT in relation to it's location. I also want him to do everything but swing. In other words, I want a good load... a good step and a good hip launch with the hands waiting to release. In addition, I want the player to call out PULL, PURE or PAINT at the precise time he would strike the ball in relation to it's location AND to visualize that ball being smoked to the target portion of the field. Visualizing is a HUGE part of this drill. You CAN ALWAYS SUCCEED IN YOUR MIND'S EYE! The more success you ingrain in your hitter's the better they will perform when they have to. <br> <br> <br> <br>For example, the pitcher throws a pitch on the inner third. The hitter identifys it.. times it by getting the front foot down in time.. attacks it with hip launch... calls out PULL and visualizes that ball on a line drive to the PULL side of the diamond. Next pitch... same location.. he executes. Coaches, you will be amazed at the skill this ingrains in your hitters. At higher levels of skill, you may need to dismiss the second pitch and allow only one pitch and one swing per player. <br> <br> <br> <br>Adopt a point system of your own choosing. Players can be rotated as a group or they can simply grab a glove if they do not execute as required and rotate through the field. It is important to "Crown" the winner for a couple of reasons; Motivation and Identification. Motivation for the players to want to have the extra "perk" you have defined as the reward. Identification because in a real game under pressure the players will have positive energy and excitement that they can "do the job" ... whatever the "job" is at the plate in that situation. They will also have extreme confidence in their teammates' ability... don't under estimate this... it's huge! <br> <br> <br> <br>This is also one of my favorite Soft Toss drills on an individual basis and helps the player identify and execute the proper swing for the proper pitch location. <br> <br> <br> <br>I hope this helps you to BeABetterHitter! <br> <br> <br> <br> Thu, 11 Oct 2007 16:31:15 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/mental/History%20Dictates/HistoryDictatesthePitch.htm HISTORY DICTATES THE PITCH <br> <br>Hitting is Timing. Pitching is upsetting Timing. The core of the game revolves around the hitter and the pitcher. It has, for over a century, been the most compelling aspect of the game of baseball. As a player you should recognize that this “history” essentially dictates the flow of the game between the pitcher and the hitter. <br> <br>When you are capable of evolving mentally to the point where you recognize this, you place yourself in a position to capitalize on your knowledge of the game. Whether you are a pitcher or a hitter, history dictates the pitch! <br> <br>As a hitter this is an incredible enlightenment. If hitting is timing (and it is), and history dictates the pitch… you should be able to take advantage of your athletic ability and perform at above average percentiles. What does this mean? It means you should be taking advantage of the percentages inherent in the game. Your “numbers” should be better than those from a player who has not recognized that the “game” of baseball revolves around numbers. The numbers are repeated, and have been repeated… and will be repeated over and over and over. If you pay attention to this history of repetition, your “numbers” should stand out. <br> <br>Let me explain. What is a Fastball count? Well, history indicates that on a percentage basis… most pitchers will throw a fastball when they are behind in the count. The key portion of that statement is “on a percentage basis”. <br> <br>Well, how is a hitter judged? By his percentage of success! <br> <br>If you pay attention to the numbers, they can work for you. Your numbers will improve as a result. Ever hear the saying; “man, that guy really knows the game”? You want people to say that about you. So, you have to understand the “history of the game”. <br> <br>Aaaah, but… so sorry… it’s not really that easy. Knowing the “history of the game” is not just referring to the overall history of baseball. It is taking the overall history, using it to your advantage in the “present”… and then… making adjustments in the present game as a result of the history of the “present game”. Get that? <br> <br>For instance, your first at-bat in the “present game” had this scenario: <br> <br>One out and a runner on third base, in a scoreless game; historically, what would your job be? Hit a ball hard to the big part of the field and you can score the runner. Or, hit a fly ball deep enough to the outfield and you can score the runner. Guess who else knows this? Ya, the pitcher… the catcher… every coach on the other side of the field, etc. What does the pitcher try to do? Get you to chase something you will hit weakly to an infielder, pop up… or even better, strike you out (So, something low and likely away in the strike zone). <br>The Scenario continues; you are facing a fastball pitcher. You also happen to know that he has pretty good command of a slider. Two pitches to worry about. You know this because you are aware of the “history of the present game”. On the 0-0 pitch the pitcher attempts to put that fastball low on the outside corner and misses. You knew that you would likely get a fastball on the outer two thirds (overall history of the game dictates a higher percentage of fastballs on 0-0)… (Present history dictates something away from you that you can’t pull for a sac fly)… you saw that pitch from the point of release and knew it was out of the strike zone. Aha… 1 ball 0 strikes! <br> <br>Can you tell me what you will get next? Overall History of the game says what? Yup… fastball, and… sure enough, something down and away to try to keep you from doing your job. The pitcher’s job is to execute the pitch. So, what are you looking for? You got it… fastball. Now, are you starting to see the pattern here? History dictates the pitch. If you know the pitch… you can be in time. Hitting is Timing! <br> <br>Continue with the scenario; sure enough you get that pitch on the outside part of the plate… it is a fastball… but… uh oh, shame on the pitcher… couldn’t quite hit his spot… left it up in the zone and you roped it to right center for an RBI single. <br> <br>Fast forward… your next at bat you again play the “history of the game” both past and present to assist you in picking the pitch… you are right again and bang another solid hit; 2 for 2 using good old fashion history and athletic ability. Pretty cool, huh? <br> <br>Third at bat; your team is down by a run in the 7th inning, runners at the corners with two outs, same pitcher. Remember the history. Not just the overall history (which you have used to your advantage), but the present history. The pitcher, catcher and the coaches all know that you have been successful using the numbers of the game to your advantage. They have two choices… continue to play “by the numbers” and give you the pitch you should get based on the count (which over the “history of the game” proves to work in the pitchers favor)… or see if you can hit something you ‘aren’t supposed to get’. <br> <br>Dig a little deeper into this and you will see that “statistically” you are more likely to receive a fastball on 2-0 or an off-speed on a 0-2 count. Why do you think those are not “always going to get” pitches? Because, on occasion the other team has to do something different based on the “present history” of the game! Whether, it is a guy like you pounding out 2 hits, or because the batter is so bad they can throw him anything and get him out. These are the “percentiles” that make up the “most likely going to get” pitch scenarios. Do you follow that? Overall history proves that if they simply stick to their guns and throw what they should throw when they should throw it “statistically” the pitcher will win. The difficulty of hitting plus the gloves in the field guarantee it! <br> <br>So, back to your third at-bat; the pitcher starts you off with a nice curve ball. It drops in beautifully for a strike. As you should have been… you were looking for a fastball on that 0-0 count. The game is on the line and you want your pitch. Now the pitcher has the advantage at 0-1. Historically, you should get something off-speed, right? Should you look for it? Maybe. Is that a pitch you hit well? Have you been watching this pitcher closely enough throughout the game to recognize his off-speed? If not, the answer is … NO. You don’t have two strikes yet. Hit your pitch! What is your pitch: Fastball! <br> <br>Sure enough… they are thinking of going “against” history because you have proved that you can hit the pitch that “history dictates”… here comes a fastball… BANG! Exactly what you were looking for! Home Run! <br> <br>Is this an unlikely scenario? Not really. Watch baseball and you will see this scenario repeated time and again. It is the “history of the game”… both overall history and present history. If you are paying attention to the “game” you can play it like this more often than not. <br> <br>What do you think that will do for your numbers? You got it; it will make you one of the percentage leaders. Isn’t that how we judge good hitters?  <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Tue, 28 Aug 2007 00:03:46 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/mental/Best%20Hitting%20tip/BestBattingTip.htm <br> <br> The Best Batting Tip <br>by Buz Brundage <br> <br>If I told you that the only thing any coach ever cares about is your production as a ballplayer what would you say? I mean, in the end... at the end of the season... look back and tell me how productive you were with two outs and a runner in scoring position. Or, how often did you knock the runner in from third base with less than 2 outs? Or, how many times were you able to move that runner up a notch so your teammates behind you in the lineup could hit him in? <br> <br>In the end, my friend... it's all about how you produced. <br> <br>That's in the end. How do we get there comfortable enough with our performance that we can look back and say... Ya, that is the formula for success. If I just keep doing that everytime, in the end... my production will be respectable and I will be a valuable part of my team. No matter what team that is! <br> <br>Well, here is your best batting tip ever; Leave the inner third of the strike zone alone! <br> <br>Let me explain: <br> <br>1.Fewer pitches are thrown to the inner third of the strike zone than any other location. <br> <br>2. Even fewer of those are actually strikes. <br> <br>3. Most are simply "a purpose" pitch designed to get you out with "the next" pitch in the sequence. <br> <br>So, if you are a numbers guy... and friend, baseball is a numbers game... it is only logical to use the numbers in your favor. If most of the pitches thrown for strikes are from the middle third of the plate and away... look for them! <br> <br>Have a plan! <br> <br>Until you have two strikes on you, you can completely dismiss anything on the inner third! Well, not completely... you may be in a premier hitter's count and have a good feeling on the sequence of the pitches.. and "know" you are getting one on the inner third. Or, you may be so completely confident because you have been stroking balls from the middle third away... and are so locked in with confidence... the pitcher can throw anything at all and you'll rope it somewhere. That confidence comes from success. And I guarantee you will have success more often (statistically) if you will just concentrate... have a plan... to hit the ball on the outer two thirds of the strike zone to the big part of the field with less than two strikes on you. <br> <br>Oh, gosh... almost forgot... there is one more benefit to this approach; Ever hear the saying "Keep your hands inside the ball"? Yea, guess what... if the ball is in the outer two thirds of the strike zone.. automatic! Your hands are automatically inside the ball. Think about it. The preferred and most successful manner of hitting the ball consistently is what.... keeping your hands inside the ball! The most strikes are on the outer two thirds of the plate. Hmmmm... something says the numbers are in your favor. What is productivity judged by? Yea... numbers. <br> <br>So, bottom line is this; If you go to the plate with "the best hitting tip ever" as your plan... at the end of the season you will be able to look back and say... I like that approach. It works. It makes me a valuable member of my team, somebody the coach and teammates can count on with every single plate appearance. Plus, it's really very simple to have this approach on every pitch. One pitch at a time. <br> <br>Here is your Plan: <br> <br>1. Hit "What you Want" until you have two strikes. <br> <br>2. What do you "Want"? A strike on the outer two thirds of the plate. <br> <br>3. Something you naturally are able to hit with your "hands inside" the ball. <br> <br>4. Hit "What you Can" after two strikes. <br> <br>5. The strike zone finally gets expanded to include the inner third. <br> <br>6. Don't discount that on hitter's counts.. or at-bats of extreme confidence.. you can "look" for inner 1/3. <br> <br>7. Especially if outer two thirds approach has already produced a couple of great ab's in the game. <br> <br>It's no surprise that Barry Bonds himself was struggling with hitting home runs in his attempt to catch Hank Aaron. Guess how he hit his 755th? Yea, opposite field on a 2-1 count. Hands were naturally inside the ball and bang! History is made! <br> <br> <br> <br> Sun, 05 Aug 2007 20:31:20 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/mental/Crush%20Mistakes/CrushMistakes.htm CRUSH THE MISTAKES <br> <br>One of the great barometers for a hitter is his ability to really tee off on pitches that look like they should be crushed. You know the ones I’m talking about. Say you are watching a Major League game on the tube, your favorite team is up to bat and your favorite player is in the batter’s box. The count goes to 3-1 and you are just waiting for that pitcher to make a mistake with his fastball. You know he wants to paint a strike somewhere and keep the ball out of the fat part of the plate, but as you watch the pitch release it is about as straight a fastball as you have ever seen… right down the center cut of the plate. Your eyes get big… and you know your favorite player’s eyes are big! He swings… and man oh man does he ever crush that ball waaaaaaay out of the ballpark. <br> <br>A good hitter’s motto and one of the best compliments a hitter could ever receive: Crush the Mistakes. <br> <br>How do you think that happens? Luck? Not likely. The more you hit, the more at bats you have, the more instruction you receive, the more likely you will begin to recognize the importance of looking for your pitch in your zone when you are in a hitter’s count. Then, because you are ready… you can take advantage of those mistakes when the pitcher tries to paint a corner and misses by about 4 inches. Yea, those 4 inch mistakes leave the ball right down the heart of the plate. You must be ready for them. You must take advantage of them. You must Crush them! <br> <br>There is one constant ingredient in every great hitter; they understand and take control when they have the advantage. It’s not unlike a boxing match, if you think about it. The great fighters are able to capitalize on every little tiny mistake of their opponent. It doesn’t come by accident. It happens from training and imbedding the proper thought processes for each situation. You could go a step further and say that soldiers do the same in war. Ty Cobb was quoted as saying that baseball was a lot like war and that the hitters were the heavy artillery. Can you see where his mind set was? <br> <br>What do you need to work on to develop this type of mind set? The same things police officers, war heroes, great fighters and great hitters work on; mental preparedness for any possible situation. You have to visualize situations, all types of situation that may arise. <br> <br>Have you ever heard a player describe a tremendous at bat in a game winning situation, one where he came out on top? Has it ever sounded something like this: “Yea, I remember when I was a kid in the back yard playing whiffle ball with my brother. We used to pretend it was the bottom of the 9th, 2 outs, runner at 2nd and down by a run over and over until one of us hit a homerun to win the World Series!” That is a form of visualization and mental preparedness. You have to see yourself succeed in these situations. Actually doing it physically, even in a play situation is tremendous for your memory and plants the seeds for success in those situations as they occur in your real life. <br> <br>Not to mention there are dozens of fabulous CD’s available that help you develop this mental skill. Two that immediately come to mind are the The Hitting Zone and Mental Visualization CD from Alpha Achievement and the Quality At Bats CD from Steve Springer. Both of these CD’s are available in the HittingStore. The great thing about them is you can plug them into your CD player on the way to your game. I have seen tremendous success from some of my players after just such a trip. Yea, like it or not, I controlled what they listened to. I plugged in one of these CD’s on the way to the game and lo and behold, one or more of the players in my car had an awesome day at the plate. They work because the mind is a powerful tool and cannot differentiate visualized success from real success. The same positive reinforcements occur in the memory banks from either source. So, let me ask you… why wouldn’t you listen to something like this if it simulated the real thing? <br> <br>If the more times you experience a situation leads to a greater recognition of the opportunity at hand… which generally leads to success, why wouldn’t you want more opportunities to experience something? Take advantage of the many tools out there to help you in your hitting, especially in the mental aspect. You want to have supreme confidence that you will succeed when you are in an advantageous situation at the plate. The more times you have succeeded… real or imagined, the greater your chance to repeat the same results. <br> <br>If you are going to Crush the Mistakes you will need the experience of recognizing and taking advantage of your situation. You need to be relaxed and confident as though you have done this same exact thing on thousands of occasions. You need to look for your pitch in your zone up until you have two strikes… when you get it you simply cannot be surprised and miss! You must be prepared to get the mistake and Crush It! Just like you have done thousands of times in your backyard and even more in your mind! <br> <br>If you are one of those hitters that is in a 3-1 count and says to himself, “oh, he isn’t gonna give me anything here. It’s a hitter’s count. He’s gonna nibble.” You are the same guy we all look at and say, “how the heck did he miss that ball right in his wheel house?” <br> <br>Pitcher’s make mistakes, just like everybody else. In fact, have you ever tried to hit a target with a 90mph pitch from 60 feet? Even if you are Roger Clemens you are likely to miss by a few inches. You have to look for your pitch in your zone. When you get it you have to Crush It. You have to be ready for the mistake… look for the pitch in your zone and Crush the Mistakes! <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Wed, 11 Jul 2007 15:34:03 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/menus/hittingdrills/ShorttoTheBall.htm A Baseball Hitting Drill designed to teach the player how to be Short To the Ball and Long Through the Ball using the most innovative hitting tee on the market. Tue, 10 Jul 2007 22:08:50 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/funstuff/Blooper/Babes%20Blooper/BabesBlooperPerfection.htm The Babe wasn't exactly perfect. See how his childish blooper led to one of the greatest performances in baseball history! Tue, 10 Jul 2007 18:09:27 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/coaches/danacavalea/Dynamic%20Warmup/DynamicWarmUp.htm Site Advisor Dana Cavalea walks you through the most effective and Dyanmic manner of preparing your body for a good workout or game. If you don't know how, maybe you should take a look. Tue, 10 Jul 2007 00:56:45 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/fundamentals/solidfoundation/solidfoundation.htm When it come to developing a good stance, there are two very important factors that need to be expressed. The purpose of the stance is to afford you the best opportunity to see the ball. Secondly, to have enough balance so that you can take a mighty swing at the ball, giving you the best opportunity to hit the ball hard somewhere. The two actually go hand in hand. That is, if you are in good balance then there will be less of a chance that you are moving your head around during your swing. If you are not moving your head, then you will see the ball better and naturally have greater success hitting the ball. Having said that, that’s not the see we are talking about just yet. Head movement, and its effect on your success as a hitter will be discussed in detail later. Mon, 09 Jul 2007 18:22:25 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/fundamentals/afraid/afraid.htm More often than not, a young hitter's lack of success at the plate can be directly attributed to his fear of being hit by a pitched ball. Let's face it, in the Little League Majors Division, a big 12 year old can throw the ball extremely hard from 46 feet. This can lead to intimidation, a very real fear of being hurt and a lot of weak swings that result in strike outs!! The diminishing confidence that follows continued failure in front of the coach, histeammates, friends, Mom, Dad, Grandma and Grandpa can only hurt the player's next appearance at the plate. All this from being afraid of the ball. <br> <br>A good coach knows that this spiraling effect needs to be curbed right at the beginning. A good approach is to immediately demonstrate the proper way to avoid being hit by a pitch. The knowledge of the proper technique can do wonders for a player's self esteem, not to mention his playing ability. Confidence is one of the key factors in a successful at-bat. If a player confidently approaches the plate looking for a pitch to hit instead of being hit by a pitch, he has already increased his chances by leaps and bounds. <br> <br>With this in mind, take the time to learn the proper technique of Avoiding The Inside Pitch. It will make you a better hitter! <br> <br>My preferred method of teaching this technique is to use the softer IncrediBalls made by Easton . With these balls the coach can actually "plunk" the batter a few times without injuring him. It is important for the player to be hit a few times in order to accept the fact (psychologically as well as physically) that : <br> <br>1.) It doesn't hurt that bad. <br>2.) The pain does go away. <br>3.) The proper technique allows for even less pain <br> <br>Have the player enter the Batter's Box. Stand a few feet away from the player with an IncrediBall (or other soft ball) and hold the ball up. Walk the ball to the plate on an inside path toward the batter. This will give the player a good visual picture of the pitch he wants to avoid. The "walking" of the pitch effectively slows down the action enough to instruct the player in the proper steps to avoid the pitch safely. As the ball is nearing the plate have the player verbally alert you the moment it is apparent the ball is going to be too close to him to be a strike and a pitch he wants to avoid. You can use the command: "NOW!" The coach should stop at this point. Instruct the player to do the following: <br> <br>1.) Immediately turn his upperbody (from the waist up) away from the pitch. <br>2.) The head and shoulders act as one unit turning away. <br>3.) The shoulder nearest the ball should rise up a little to protect the face. <br>4.) The elbows drop in close to the sides to protect the ribs. <br>5.) The chin dips down to the chest to protect the neck from a direct impact. <br>6.) The bat lowers directly in front of the players upper body. <br> <br>All of the above actions take place in one simultaneous motion as the player is rotating away from the pitch. <br> <br>Now, continue walking the ball toward the hitter and show him how protected he is while in this position. Walk the player through this sequence a few times until they feel comfortable with the maneuver. Once they tell you they are ready to move to the next step then proceed with the following drill. <br> <br>DRILL <br>Kneel about 20 feet from the player. With an IncrediBall (or other soft ball) begin softly tossing the ball into the strike zone. Let the player know before hand that he may be hit by a pitch, albeit a soft one. Instruct him to turn away from the pitch, in the manner he has been taught, the moment he identifies the pitch as being one that may hit him. Conversely, have the player yell out "NOW!" when he recognizes the pitch as being a strike (this is a great tactic to help a player recognize a pitch he can hit). Throw a few soft strikes and then progressively move the pitches closer and closer to the player until you finally strike him (aim for the buttocks). Praise the player for every pitch he properly turns away from (or properly calls a strike - purposefully throw a few outside pitches to see if he mislabels them as strikes). <br> <br>If at any time during the instruction the player reverts to the age old "jumping back with the hands in the air" technique of avoiding a pitch, immediately stop and have the player freeze in that awkward position. Then walk the pitch up to him and show him how vulnerable he is to injury in that position. <br> <br>Continue with the drill until you see the player begin to naturally turn away from every pitch that is questionably inside. Repeat the drill periodically, even when you know the player is completely comfortable with the technique. I guarantee you will see a tremendous increase in the player's confidence and performance as he masters this very important fundamental skill. <br> Mon, 09 Jul 2007 18:20:56 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/fundamentals/footballchange/footballchange.html Football Change.. that's what. Football what? Football Change. It has also been referred to as Football Curve. It is a devastating pitch that hitter's should learn to immediately recognize. It not, you will likely have a very difficult time laying off of this pitch. If thrown by a Right Handed Pitcher, the ball falls away from a Right Handed Hitter. It looks like a fastball, has a fastball arm speed... comes at you like a fastball. The only problem is, It's not a fastball. It's a Football Change and it completely disappears right at the front of the plate. I scoured the internet to find any photos of this grip. Unfortunately, I could not come up with any. So... I made a few myself. I have to ask you to please excuse the pictures from inside the house.. my socks, etc. :-) As for you Pitchers out there. These photos should show you how to grip and throw the pitch. I personally like to have my thumb on a bottom seam and the top seam resting between my index and middle fingers. You may want to experiment with a few different positions. One important fact about the pitch: Do NOT slow down your arm. Throw it just like a fastball. Full fastball arm speed. You will have to experiment to find out your release point. But, when you do it is a devastating weapon. Especially to your 3, 4 & 5 hitters in the lineup. You know, the guys that like to gear up and drive your best fastball. Surprise! It only looks like a fastball. The Football Change does NOT act like one. The best part about it is .. no stress.. none.. nada.. zip.. zero.. zilch. When you throw it right. There is no difference between the fastball arm action. Just do not rotate the wrist trying to provide spin (slider). Simply let the ball slip out of your hand with fastball motion. The fact that there are more fingers on the one side of the ball creates more friction at the release. This automatically causes spin. You don't have to try to create it. It's automatic. Just throw it. Pretend you are Matt Leinert throwing to Reggie Bush. Just throw it as hard as you can. Let the ball come out on it's own. For you hitters. You had better learn to recognize the grip early. Stay Back .. Wait.. Wait.. Wait.. if it gets in your zone and is UP.. give it a rip if the count is in your favor. If it isn't up.. you better lay off. It will disappear on you. AND with it your average will too! Hope this helps you to be a Better Hitter (And Pitcher!) Mon, 09 Jul 2007 18:19:54 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/coaches/danacavalea/Conditioning/conditioning.html This is a topic that is often left up to guess work and is really one in which could create a stronger athlete later in the season if this program is devised correctly. The biggest misconception, when it comes to conditioning, is that sweat and ballplayers that are keeling over have just been through a quality conditioning session. <br> <br>If we actually break down what conditioning is meant to be we would arrive at a simple definition: <br>To increase the current work capacity which allows the athlete to train at a higher level with less strain on the cardiovascular system of the body. <br> <br>The determining factor that will allow a coach to see whether or not his athletes are in shape is their ability to get their heart rate down at a rapid pace, a.k.a. recovery heart rate. Now this statement doesn’t mean we should run our ballplayers for 1 or 2 miles and then see how fast their heart rate drops. <br> <br>When it comes to actually devising a conditioning program there are several variables that we need to keep in mind: <br> <br> Sun, 08 Jul 2007 15:03:44 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/coaches/danacavalea/machinevsfreeweights.html Many people that I come across always ask me about this so called “debate” on machine training vs. free weight training, which one is better? In my mind there really is no reason for debate. If you carefully analyze sport, and compare and contrast it to the training methods in which you are using, you will be able to answer your own questions to this non-debatable subject. <br> <br>Whenever I get the opportunity to speak with Coaches and Athletes alike, I always encourage them to become analyzers, not just programmed robots that listen to everything their Coach or a so-called Professional tells them to do. <br> <br>So let’s stop for a moment and think logically about sport. As far as I know, a majority of sports are played in the upright standing position, yet, when we walk around a weight room, most of our training is done either seated of laying down. <br> <br> Sun, 08 Jul 2007 15:02:36 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/conditioning/strengthtraining/baseballstregthtraining.htm A baseball training program should incorporate a strength training component. Strength is crucial for baseball success. The two primary reasons for this are to develop explosive power and to protect against injury (especially arm injuries). <br> <br>Many players neglect to develop explosive power. The reasons for this are varied. Some don't know how. Some have tried lifting weights, and become injured (doing the wrong kind of baseball weight training). Some don't think it's important (guess again!). <br> <br>In baseball training, little things add up to make a huge difference. If you add even a small increase in your power, your game will improve in all areas. <br> <br> Sun, 08 Jul 2007 15:01:04 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/fundamentals/hittingposition/hittingposition.htm Okay, now that the lower part of your body is squared away and you understand how to stand and the necessity for good balance, let’s put the weapon in your hands and get into the hitting position. <br> <br>Assume the basic stance position with your weight balanced and your knees slightly bent. Now, gripping the bat properly, raise your hands up so that the top hand on the bat is just above and in front of your rear shoulder. The knob of the bat should be pointed down, toward the plate. The rear shoulder should be raised just slightly higher than the front shoulder. Your head should be turned toward the pitcher and looking out over the front shoulder, putting both eyes to work for you. This position is the proper hitting position. From here you are balanced, athletic and prepared to adjust to the path of the ball as it come to the plate. <br> <br>Earlier I mentioned the word "style." No where is it more likely to be seen than in a batter’s box. Everyone has their own "style." Just as we each have our own "style" of walking, talking, dressing or even standing. You name it, virtually everything we do in life, we do with our own "style." <br> <br> Sun, 08 Jul 2007 14:59:35 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/batspeed/tophand/tophand.htm The top hand on the bat is the "power hand" in the baseball swing. It starts out on top, trails the knob of the bat and lower hand as the hands "go to the ball," and eventually becomes the "lower" hand on the bat just before and during impact. The wrists then "roll over" just after impact and the top hand then leads the hands into the follow through, up and over the front shoulder. <br> <br>A good way to get the feel for this hand action, is to pick up a small, light bat and hold it in your top hand only. Hold it properly in the fingers of the hands and in the proper hitting position. Simply place your other hand across your chest to get it out of the way. Imagine a baseball sitting on a tee about waist high and slightly in front of your front leg. Take your bat directly down to that imaginary ball without rolling over your wrist.You should be able to see your fingers and the barrel of the bat should still be pointing somewhat to your rear at an angle. This is a result of taking "the knob of the bat" to the ball. (This is almost the point of impact). Keeping your fingers visible, flip your wrist slightly to bring the barrel of the bat down to the point of impact on the imaginary ball. <br> <br> Sun, 08 Jul 2007 14:58:16 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/batspeed/condition/condition.htm Regardless of whether you're a position player or a pitcher, your legs are your lifeblood. And, for successful, injury-free performance, they need both stamina and power. They need the stamina to endure 9-inning games and 162-game seasons and the explosiveness to run, hit and throw with power. Remember, all actions in baseball, not just running, start with your legs. The forces used in hitting and throwing, for example, don't originate in the arms and hands. They originate in the legs and are then transferred through the trunk to the arms and hands where they are applied to the bat and ball. Likewise, getting out of the box, charging bunts, backing up bases, going in the hole, stealing second and getting a jump in the outfield all require explosive action by the legs. <br> <br>Start by building stamina. All too often, we are consumed by the need for speed and power and fail to build or maintain a solid fitness base. Successful players spend hours per day executing explosive movements in practice and game situations. Doing multiple, all-out repetitions without a solid base increases the risk of injury to the muscles, joints, connective tissue, tendons and/or ligaments. The first goal of your leg program should be to prevent injury - the second goal should be to increase speed and power. <br> <br> Sun, 08 Jul 2007 14:57:06 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/batspeed/coiling/coiling.htm Much has been said about Bat Speed and how to develop it. Although it is obvious that the size and strength of the individual swinging the bat has a direct impact on the swing speed, there are certain mechanical factors involved that also have a significant impact. Given two individuals of the same size and strength, it is entirely possible to have two vastly different bat speeds registered simply as a result of how the bats were swung. Even if both participants are swinging as hard as possible. <br> <br>That being said, let's turn our attention to the sequence of photos involving the legendary Henry Aaron. In the photos to the left, it appears that Henry hits a tremendous homerun to left field on an inside pitch. On the right, he hits a tremendous blast to right field on a pitch to the middle portion of the plate. Although the camera angles are minutely different, it does not appear that Henry changes much at all in the two swings. In fact, to the untrained eye, there seems to be no change in the upper body action. If you look closely however, you will see something remarkable…. Bat Speed and how to get it!! <br> <br> Sun, 08 Jul 2007 14:54:14 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/batspeed/graduating/graduating.htm This is the key to creating quickness. The wrist roll exercise is to develop strength which is important, but this is the secret. <br> <br>If you have been playing baseball for a few years, you probably have a few different sizes of bats laying around in the garage. Go get them. They are your tools for success. Ideally, you need at least three graduating sizes of bats. A tee-ball bat (maybe 16 oz. in weight), a Little League bat (approximately 20-23 oz. in weight), and a Senior League bat (about 27 oz.). You also need a weighted bat, or a device to weight your heaviest bat such as a "donut" or "power fins". Additionally, you need an extremely light bat, such as the mini collector bats. If you can’t get one of these, you can use a cut down piece of broom stick. You have to have this progression in order to make this system work. <br> <br>Set your "tools" in progressive order near you from lightest to heaviest. Begin with the middle bat, taking some smooth, easy cuts. Just loosen up. Take about 15-20 cuts like this and get your muscles prepared to work. Do a little stretching, make sure your muscles are prepared before you stress them. <br> <br>Okay, you are set to begin your workout. Again, with the middle bat, get in a fundamentally sound stance and imagine a ball in your power zone. Take a solid, balanced, but powerful cut at that imaginary ball. Concentrate on your rhythm, your cocking, your timing kick and exploding your hands to the ball. Exaggerate squashing the bug and the follow through. Concentrate on finishing balanced. The perfect swing, that’s what you want every time. Repeat this 10 times. Set the bat down and graduate to the next heaviest bat. Repeat the same process. Set that bat down and progress to your weighted bat. Repeat. Concentrate on doing everything perfect. Now, start back down the line of bats. When you get to that super light bat, you should be swinging with tremendous speed. Bat quickness! Rip those hands through the strike zone with all of your might! Again, do not forsake form. Drill the proper form into your swing by concentrating on doing everything correctly. Finish balanced, every time. <br> <br> Sun, 08 Jul 2007 14:52:56 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/batspeed/wristroll/wristroll.htm <br>To develop a quick bat you must have strong hands, wrists and forearms. Some hitters are blessed with these attributes naturally. Others will need to work on getting stronger in this area. I will say this, if you have naturally strong hands, wrists and forearms, you would be silly not to improve on what you already have. You could be that much farther ahead of your opponent. <br> <br>Have your father head to the hardware store and buy a piece of wood about 18" long and approximately 3-4" in circumference. It must be cylindrical. You also need about a 4' piece of nylon rope. Drill a hole in the center of the wood and insert the rope. Tie a knot in the end of the rope to keep it from slipping back through. On the other end of the rope tie a loop. Go to your local sports equipment store and purchase a 2 ½ pound dumbbell plate and a 5 pound dumbbell plate. Slip the looped end of the rope through the center of the smaller plate and then slip the wood handle through the loop in the rope. You now have the perfect device to build strong hands, wrists and forearms. The entire device shouldn’t cost more than ten dollars to make. But it is invaluable to your development as a hitter. <br> <br> Sun, 08 Jul 2007 14:51:41 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/hittingdrills/weight/weightback.htm The batter stands about 20 feet away from the pitcher. The pitcher takes a tennis ball and bounces the ball so that the ball ends up in the strike zone. With bouncing the balls the hitter will tend to jump out on his or her front foot. This drill will allow he or she to stay back in the load and keep his or her weight back so that they can explode on the ball. This drill really works because not only will it keep their weight back, it allows them to see it come out of the pitchers hand just like they were pitching an off speed pitch. Sat, 07 Jul 2007 04:39:01 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/hittingdrills/vision/vision.htm As you may notice in the numerous articles appearing on this site, we are big proponents of seeing the ball well. You must see it to hit it! There are many drills that have been around baseball for years and years that deal with seeing the ball, tracking the ball, identifying pitches, etc. Here are a few of our favorites. <br> Sat, 07 Jul 2007 04:37:55 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/hittingdrills/shadowdrill/shadowdrill.htm We all know how difficult it is to hit a baseball. Every hitting instructor worth his salt acknowledges the importance of a steady head during the swing. The reason is simple: The eyes are the source of information for the body. The information we see (the approaching pitch) must be as accurate as possible in order for us to put an accurate swing on the pitch. If we have excessive head movement then the information we receive will be distorted and therefore an accurate barrel to the incoming pitch will be nearly impossible to achieve. Sat, 07 Jul 2007 04:36:57 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/hittingdrills/powerbatdrill/powerbatdrill.htm The purpose of the Power Bat Drill for a baseball player is much the same as a boxer using a heavy bag to train with. Boxers learn how to develop power in their punch by trying to power through the 120-200lb heavy bag. Baseball players learn to develop power in their swing by hitting through a heavier object than a normal 5oz baseball. The result is the same for both athletes… Sat, 07 Jul 2007 04:35:24 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/hittingdrills/rollypolly/rollypolly.htm This simple little drill is an outstanding tool to help the player to make more consistent contact with the baseball. Designed to ingrain the proper path for the lead hand to attack the ball, it also develops proper top hand action. When correctly employed, the drill helps the hitter to understand the role of each hand during the swing. A hands only drill, the drill promotes active hands and wrists in the hitters swing. As you will see, the player also gets instruction on when to hit the pitch in relation to the pitch location; inside, outside or middle. To add even further instruction into one drill, the player gets feedback on where the bat strikes the ball; top, middle or bottom. All in all, this is an outstanding hitting drill and one which is not well known or practiced. Sat, 07 Jul 2007 04:34:14 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/hittingdrills/insidedrill/insidedrill.htm The use of an "inside-outside" tee is invaluable in learning to hit the ball the opposite way and/or pulling the ball. To properly set up this drill, place the ball on the "inside," approximately 8-10" in front of the plate and the ball on the "outside," right on the outside edge of the front corner. The "inside" ball should be about 4-5" higher than the outside ball. <br> Sat, 07 Jul 2007 04:33:07 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/hittingdrills/softtoss/softtoss.htm The soft-toss may be used to work on pulling the ball, it can also be used for hitting the opposite way. The "tosser" must be a safe distance to the rear of the hitter. The hitter must not peak. The "tosser" tosses the ball from the inside of the plate diagonally across to the outside. The hitter picks up the ball with his peripheral vision and "tracks" the ball with both his body and his eyes to the hitting zone. Sat, 07 Jul 2007 04:32:15 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/hittingdrills/chairdrill/chairdrill.htm There's one more drill to emphasize the importance of the hands to the ball. This drill can be incorporated with a soft toss, if you choose, but is very effective even without the luxury of hitting a ball during the drill. Find yourself an old plastic chair, or a bucket with a lid, and sit on it. Lock your ankles around the legs of the chair or base of the bucket. This is to anchor yourself into the chair. We want to eliminate the lower body action in this drill. Sat, 07 Jul 2007 04:31:16 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/hittingdrills/fencedrill/fencedrill.htm The next logical drill to reinforce the proper hand action is swinging the bat with both hands. Here is a drill that will help you to get the right feel for the proper path of the bat to the hitting zone. Remember, all of the essential fundamentals discussed earlier must be adhered to; grip, stance, pre-swing, rhythm, etc., during these drills. Stand facing a fence, holding your back arm straight out so that the tip of your fingers just touch the fence. Now, with bat in hand and utilizing the proper fundamentals, swing the bat through the hitting zone, concentrating on taking your hands "to the ball." Sat, 07 Jul 2007 04:29:50 GMT http://www.beabetterhitter.com/text/hittingdrills/softtap/softtap.htm Enlist the help of your father, mother, brother or a friend. You will need a whiffle ball or other soft ball. Have your training partner toss the ball up softly in front of you. From a good, fundamentally sound batting stance, try to hit the ball with the knob of your bat. Take the knob of the bat directly at the ball and just tap it. Be sure to incorporate your lower body action into the drill. Repeat until you are proficient and are using smooth, rhythmic motions to the ball. Sat, 07 Jul 2007 04:18:55 GMT