Cant pull hit for the life of me!!

[shakewhat]

Hey guys I'm a righty and I've been playing softball for about 4 years now. I'm not a big guy by any means 6' 165lbs, definitely not a power hitter, still looking for the elusive 1st homer. I'm wondering if anyone else has had this issue or has some tips.

I feel like I may have a whole in my swing or something but I basically hit back up the middle or to right field. My shots to center are decent some at the pitch(not on purpose) and some are decent shots to deep center. Then when I'm hitting and its going to R they usually dont have much power to them and land between RF and the 2nd basement. Anytime I do pull a ball its 99% assured to be a bouncing grounder to SS or 3B.

I would like to be able to pull the ball a bit to use all the field because teams are starting to remember me and play up in R and getting ready for it. I Know that it does have some to do with pitch location and I do like swinging at pitches on the outside of the plate. sometimes the lower the better also. But i do swing at pitches inside also so its not like im trying to pull balls outside.

thanks guys

 

[ilyk2win]

Hit off a T, it's the new SBF rage.

 

[Jhall24]

Would bet anything. It's simply your top hand not working.

 

[dponder]

Hard to say OP, video would help determine if it's pitch selection or swing mechanics.

 

[tanknc]

without video, i would be guessing..but it sounds like you're crossing yourself up when trying to pull the ball.....stand a little closer to the plate if you're off it now and (if you can) a little in front of the plate...open your hips up when you swing.....and oh yeah...stop swinging like a girl

 

[ilyk2win]

Hard to say OP, video would help determine if it's pitch selection or swing mechanics.

I hope you were trolling for a video, b/c based on what he said it shouldn't take a video to determine his swing is ****ed up.

 

[Jhall24]

I can tell you without a video that it is your top hand. End of discussion

 

[Dogue]

Jhall is probably right. You're likely not rotating your wrists, or doing it very late, causing the bat to lag behind at impact. Practice rolling your top hand over during/after impact...especially in practice and doing wam-up swings.

 

[Joker]

are you getting hits? if so why try to change it?

 

[gone deep]

Hey guys I'm a righty and I've been playing softball for about 4 years now. I'm not a big guy by any means 6' 165lbs, definitely not a power hitter, still looking for the elusive 1st homer. I'm wondering if anyone else has had this issue or has some tips.

I feel like I may have a whole in my swing or something but I basically hit back up the middle or to right field. My shots to center are decent some at the pitch(not on purpose) and some are decent shots to deep center. Then when I'm hitting and its going to R they usually dont have much power to them and land between RF and the 2nd basement. Anytime I do pull a ball its 99% assured to be a bouncing grounder to SS or 3B.

I would like to be able to pull the ball a bit to use all the field because teams are starting to remember me and play up in R and getting ready for it. I Know that it does have some to do with pitch location and I do like swinging at pitches on the outside of the plate. sometimes the lower the better also. But i do swing at pitches inside also so its not like im trying to pull balls outside.

thanks guys

I wish I had this problem sometimes. I just started playing again after about an 8 year layoff. All I do is pull the ball. I can't wait on the damn ball to save my life. Every once in a while I can go to RC when I really focus on waiting, and even then I fell like the ball is 5 feet behind me by the time I swing. My timing is way off.

 

[jaj23]

Pulling the ball is overrated.

 

[mattgame]

Jhall is probably right. You're likely not rotating your wrists, or doing it very late, causing the bat to lag behind at impact. Practice rolling your top hand over during/after impact...especially in practice and doing wam-up swings.

This is your answer.

 

[shakewhat]

I do get hits just last night i went 5-5 and then 2-4 but when the guys know "hey its that douche who can only hit straight center or short RF, Watch your face pitch" I get kinda easy to defend if there a good team. But I also will go through severe slumps for like 2-3 weeks where I blow balls and hit bouncers to SS and 3rd repeatedly.

 

[Drew34]

Every time you go up to bat just tell youself to go out and "get" the ball with your bat. Don't wait for the ball to come to you be aggressive and just go out an get it.

 

[ilyk2win]

I do get hits just last night i went 5-5 and then 2-4 but when the guys know "hey its that douche who can only hit straight center or short RF, Watch your face pitch" I get kinda easy to defend if there a good team. But I also will go through severe slumps for like 2-3 weeks where I blow balls and hit bouncers to SS and 3rd repeatedly.

Seriously dude, don't you have teammates that are any good? You'll get some advice on here that is worth listening to but you're gonna need to practice anything new that you learn. Games are not the best time to try new things.

Find someone who has good fundamentals and see if they'll work with you in person. Take some BP. Use a T if you must, but get some swings in on a regular basis.

How often do you take BP now and what is the format/approach of your personal BP?

 

[shakewhat]

barely get enough guys together to field 10 man team most weeks. So getting guys together for some BP and practice is pretty damn tuff. There isn't anyone really on my team that stands out that I should be taking pointers from to be honest, hence my posting this. When I do take BP i just try to hit everything suppose i dont take any approach besides cant get a hit if i dont swing the bat.

 

[goldenboy3]

Front needs to land towards the pitcher. Without video who knows...but you are prob step towards short

 

[ilyk2win]

barely get enough guys together to field 10 man team most weeks. So getting guys together for some BP and practice is pretty damn tuff. There isn't anyone really on my team that stands out that I should be taking pointers from to be honest, hence my posting this. When I do take BP i just try to hit everything suppose i dont take any approach besides cant get a hit if i dont swing the bat.

You only need 2 people to take BP....1 to pitch and 1 to hit. You can chase the balls after the bucket is empty.

Swinging at bad pitches can have a minor purpose but you should really just swing at perceived strikes.....pitcher can repitch the ones you let go in BP.

Have an approach.....meaning work on something, or a few things, specifically. Work on it until you get it right, then repeat until you have it down......or at least until you know the feel of it so you can identify what you're doing right and when you're doing it wrong.

If you absolutely can't find one other person, then use a T. Without reptition you're not really going to improve much, be be careful as repeating bad things can/will be counterproductive.

 

[shakewhat]

I hear ya ilyk2win and Jhall thanks guys. As far as rolling my wrists or not using my top hand correctly is there something I should be doing to get myself to do that correctly.

 

[Dogue]

Practice it. You can go out in your yard and swing the bat. Repetition will ingrain it into your head. When the bat is in the hitting zone your right hand should be starting to come over your left hand. You can overdo this action and end up slapping the ball but you should feel the right amount of rotation...just keep swinging.

 

[vipvanilla]

Might want to quit. If you can't place it anywhere you want and drop 450'+ bombs, then you aren't a true SBF.

Seriously though, take some BP and video it. Let us see what you're doing. Might want to try opening your stance a bit.

 

[ktown808]

are you getting hits? if so why try to change it?

Didn't read the thread to see if anyone said it yet but it could be that teams are realizing he can't pull so they do a shift on him. And if he does pull it's something weak that someone is still able to get to or it will be a flyball.

 

[Houdini5150]

watch where you stand in the box and get your wrists going around on the ball. stand closer to plate perhaps

 

[M22KLARS]

I hear ya ilyk2win and Jhall thanks guys. As far as rolling my wrists or not using my top hand correctly is there something I should be doing to get myself to do that correctly.

Wait a god damn minute. Where in MN do you play? and with what team/s?

 

[HrBump13]

I used to be a dead pull hitter as a righty. I took some time off from the game before this season & when I came back, I noticed that I was letting the ball get too far into me. Meaning, I was not meeting the ball out in front. I was waiting too long to commit to swinging @ the pitch. Once I started my swing earlier, I was eating up third basemen & short stops pretty regular. Now, what I learned from that is that waiting on a pitch lets me be unpredictable. While I have a hard time waiting long enough to send a pill through the 3-4 hole, I can shoot middle @ will. So when I need it, I have it. But if I think about it & the pitch is right, the 2 bagger will have his hands full for sure. Basically, what i am saying is: "Commit to swiniging earlier & open your hips up."

 

[rx7_omaha]

are you getting hits? if so why try to change it?

This ^^^^^^

 

[ilyk2win]

This ^^^^^^

IMO that is the worst advice in this thread. Some Jobu reference would have made more sense. Obviously the guy wants to improve himself as a hitter.....remaining one dimensional with a weaker-style swing isn't getting him the results he is looking for.

It's not like he came on here and said "I bat .700 regularly with a .800 OBP and hit HR's at will with very few DBO's, but that elusive backside is keeping me up at night."

 

[slippuller49]

Pulling the ball is overrated.

I agree with this the only time I try to pull is when I'm going for the long ball

 

[freak98guy]

Swing earlier

 

[Joker]

I do get hits just last night i went 5-5 and then 2-4 but when the guys know "hey its that douche who can only hit straight center or short RF, Watch your face pitch" I get kinda easy to defend if there a good team. But I also will go through severe slumps for like 2-3 weeks where I blow balls and hit bouncers to SS and 3rd repeatedly.

IMO that is the worst advice in this thread. Some Jobu reference would have made more sense. Obviously the guy wants to improve himself as a hitter.....remaining one dimensional with a weaker-style swing isn't getting him the results he is looking for.

It's not like he came on here and said "I bat .700 regularly with a .800 OBP and hit HR's at will with very few DBO's, but that elusive backside is keeping me up at night."

yea that 7 for 9 is .777 not .700