Hit the Curve Ball

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Improve Your Baseball Hitting

traing effectively for baseball using the wiffle ball

Learn to Hit the Curve Ball

Curve, Slider and Cutter

The curve ball is an off speed pitch, the slider and cutter are harder, fastball-like speed. The regular curve ball can be a 12 -6 or 1o’clock - 7 o’clock angle. Sliders and cutters have a smaller and sharper break. They look like a fastball and come at the hitter hard, with fastball like speed. The slider can be a knee buckler for this reason. The curve ball has the largest break and is the slowest of the breaking balls. The cutter is the hardest and has the smallest break. The slider is in between.

Hitting Plan

Curve balls are harder to hit than a four seam fastball usually. Unless the fastball has well above average speed, the curve is harder to hit squarely. Fortunately, it is also harder for the pitcher to throw for a strike. Don’t bother with the curve unless the pitcher can throw it for strikes - sit on the fastball. Good hitters are usually good fastball hitters first and foremost. Good hitters are going to be “tested” to see if they can hit “the other stuff” sooner or later. If you just smoked the pitcher’s fastball last at-bat, you may get nothing but curves the next time around (for strikes), and only chase fastballs outside of the strike zone. If you are going to get curves in your at-bats, go up anticipating the pitch, and let the fast ball go.

You can see that you must be able to hit the curve (slider and cutter too), or you won’t go far in hitting. If you are all over the fastball, you will be tested for curveball hitting proficiency,. If you put poor swings on the curve, you will get a steady diet of them until you prove you can hit them as well.

The key to good curveball hitting is to hit them -on your terms. The only time you have to hit them on the pitcher’s terms is when you have a two strike count. Only then, must you react to the pitcher’s pitch. With less than two strikes sit on the fastball or curve depending on the way the pitcher is pitching you in the game. If he is trying to get a quick “take” strike, he may start you off with a curve on the first pitch knowing you will take the pitch and wait for the fastball. If you see that, you may want to go to the plate sitting on the curve for the first pitch strike. Hit on your terms until you have two strikes. See Anticipatory Hitting.

Don’t try to pull the middle - out curve, you will end up pulling off the pitch. Hit the curve from the middle of the plate to outside curve, straight away up the middle, or to the opposite field. The inside curve can be pulled or slapped to the opposite field with an inside - out swing.

Curve ball hitting practice

Pitching Machine (PIT)

The best way to learn to hit the curve is off a pitching machine. Why? Because you can hit both left and right handed curves - daily. You won’t be able to find a batting practice pitcher to: 1. Throw curves to you daily. 2. Who is able to throw BOTH left and right handed curves. This is where a Personal Pitcher Pro pitching machine is handy, it will throw both curves and sliders as well as left and right handed curves. You can train at home, outside in the back yard or indoors, in a garage or basement when the weather in bad, or during the winter off season. Another advantage of machine pitching is that you can train solo, without the need of a training partner to do the pitching.

A good way to use a Personal Pitcher for curve ball batting practice is to designate one day per week to right handed curve hitting, and one day per week for left handed curve ball hitting. The other days can be filled in with fast ball hitting and live pitch hitting.

Live Pitch

Polyball

If you can hit the polyball curve, you can hit anyone’s curve ball. Use a separate set of polyballs for live pitching. The baseball size balls with the hitter’s regulation bat work well for outdoor live pitching. See Polyball Batting Practice for how to use the polyball and pitch the polyball. Advantages of polyball batting practice: 1. It does not take a skilled pitcher to throw the curves (the ball does the work - for the most part). 2. It is easy on the arm. The light balls are less wear and tear on the batting practice pitcher. 3. Less space is needed, and a batting cage is not needed. You can hit at the schoolyard or the backyard. If your backyard is smaller, you may need to contain the batted balls with a lightweight catch net draped between two poles (or two trees etc…). The baseball size polyball is good for outdoor hitting, but too “big” for indoor hitting, unless you can do so in a gym or warehouse. The mini polyball works best for indoor hitting in a garage or basement.

Baseball

If you have access to a batting practice partner who can throw you curves, take advantage of this once a week or so, down at the schoolyard or in a batting cage. You will need an “L screen” for the pitcher’s protection and a batting cage or baseball field. Live baseball pitching has the advantage of training the hitter to recognize the pitch from the pitcher’s hand. The curve ball especially, has the distinct and unique delivery position of the hand being on top of the ball. The slider and cutter are thrown with the hand behind the ball (with an off-center grip and pressure).

A good mix of hitting practice against machine pitched curves, live pitched polyball and live pitched baseball curve balls, will turn most any hitter into not only a good curve ball hitter, but a good hitter - able to track and hit moving and veering pitches.

Polyball Batting Practice

The most practical way to improve your hitting skill. Serious batting practice - at home. (indoors or outdoors.) Fast balls, curve balls and sliders. Don't waste another coin at a commercial batting cage. Great for all ages and skill levels.

"If you are not doing Polyball Batting Practice -You are probably not taking enough batting practice"

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