Making adjustments at the plate

MAKING IN-GAME ADJUSTMENTS AT THE PLATE   Baseball is a game of adjustments, especially for hitters.   The pitcher starts with an advantage and it #51 Cameron Hassert is up to you as a hitter to adjust to what he is doing in terms of pitch selection and timing.  The pitcher will not adjust until you force him to!  With that said, here are some tips to making adjustments after an unsuccessful plate appearance.  It is important to use this process in order to make the RIGHT correction.  Too many times hitters jump to the conclusion that there is something wrong in their swing instead of finding out if it may be pitch selection and/or timing. Pitch Selection - First and foremost, make sure you are swinging at the right pitches in the right counts.  Every hitter needs to have a plan of attack for every at-bat before stepping into the box.  Look for fastballs to drive early in the count.  Remember, the pitcher is trying to get ahead so look for a fastball to hit early and lay off of off-speed pitches.  Take the approach of driving the baseball up the middle and remember to track the baseball with your eyes!  Your zone expands and contracts based on the count and situations. Timing - Before making any mechanical adjustments to the swing, you first need to make sure you are getting your front foot down and the hands back ("Launch Position") when the baseball is approximately halfway to you.  Everything in the swing works from this position so if you are not getting there, that can cause you to have mechanical flaws in your swing such as flying open, collapsing the backside, rolling over, etc.  If you are beating balls straight down into the ground, chances are you are late getting the foot down. Mechanics - If you are making good decisions on pitches and getting your front foot down, then the problem lies in your swing.  Ask yourself these questions: "Is my head stable?" "Am I starting the swing with the backside?" "Am I working to use my hands to stay inside and throw the barrel?" "Am I 'palm up, palm down' at contact?" Finally, remember that you could be doing everything right and just missing "squaring it up".  You are hitting a round object with a round object so sometimes, you are going to just barely miss hit the ball.  Recognize that, too! By using this method to make adjustments, hitters can diagnose problems and make corrections from at-bat to at-bat.  Knowledge is power!  Knowing what you need to do will put your mind at ease so you can stay confident, avoid taking bad at-bats to the field and put a stop to prolonged periods of struggle.