Hitting high pitches

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shakewhat

Addicted to Softballfans
Hey guys,

This season I've been having issues driving high pitches. I'm not much of a power hitter, mainly line drives. A lot of pitches letter high I'm skying to the 2nd basemen and its frustrating. I was hoping you guys had some tips I could use to get this under control. Nothing worse then popping out with 2 men on base.

Thanks!
 
BrandoMartino23

BrandoMartino23

the dude
tomahawk swing works well for high pitches...if you can execute a tomahawk from a single knee your success rate against those pitches will increase exponentially
 
AJ22

AJ22

Super Moderator
What is considered a high pitch?


We have guys around here who throw it 35'-40' ... good luck cutting that.
 
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lcky3

Addicted to Softballfans
AJ22 said:
What is considered a high pitch?


We have guys around here who throw it 35'-40' ... good luck cutting that.
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I dunno, what's high to you?

For me, I stand pretty far up in the box, so it has to be at the shoulders for me to consider it high.

That being said, it will depend on how you're swinging. I took up Ken's Swing Makeover series videos to swing more level to up, and it's made a world of difference. If you're swinging like that, I would just suggest making sure you've got the knob pointed at the ball no matter the height, and concentrate on hitting the middle of the ball. With a higher pitch, it will feel like you're swinging for the sky, even though you really aren't. If you miss slightly low, you're still cutting the ball and launching it.

I don't espouse the downward plane swing anymore. Chances are unless you hit it perfect, you're going to pop it up or beat it into the ground. With a high pitch, much more likely to sky a popup.
 
AJ22

AJ22

Super Moderator
lcky3 said:
I dunno, what's high to you?
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[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c-YNiAq71c&feature=youtu.be[/ame]

This was 5 years ago in my area and is what we see often around here.




lcky3 said:
I took up Ken's Swing Makeover series videos .
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Ken was at the tournament I posted above (video). He lives 20 minutes from me. I'm currently playing league and weekends with his kid (Bret) who is in some of his videos.
 
ogsoftballplaye

ogsoftballplaye

Active Member
I wouldn't even waste my time playing ball like that. Sure I could find something better to do haha. I tip my cap to those of you who do.
 
Z

zuke 37

Star Player
Swing at the ball, not the arc...the ball not the arc!

Gravity will guarente it will come down, don't go after it, it will come down.
 
Hiltz

Hiltz

Built for comfort
BrandoMartino23 said:
tomahawk swing works well for high pitches...if you can execute a tomahawk from a single knee your success rate against those pitches will increase exponentially
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The "Inverted Beltre".


GNOLAUM said:
swing higher.
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Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best.


fuzzy2651 said:
Oh yeah, unlimited arc. I def couldn't drink and try and swing at those
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Pfffft, you could take a drink, put your bottle down, and still have time to swing.


louconn said:
i just close my eyes and swing as hard as i can.
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I close my eyes and swing at ~80%. Go for contact and pass it along to the next batter, I ain't no hero.
 
S

shakewhat

Addicted to Softballfans
bndawgs said:
what happens if you stand back in the box?
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I haven't started standing back in the box yet because I like being able to the the short pitches. But I am going to try and get some BP and move around a bit.

I consider a high pitch anything chest level, this is what im struggling with. I'm driving lower to hip level pitches.
 
NDshotokan

NDshotokan

(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
shakewhat said:
I haven't started standing back in the box yet because I like being able to the the short pitches. But I am going to try and get some BP and move around a bit.

I consider a high pitch anything chest level, this is what im struggling with. I'm driving lower to hip level pitches.
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The OSPB isn't the best place for these questions. Get a video of you swinging at high pitches and put it in the softball media section.

That being said, keep your hands up; you're probably dropping them a bit. Hands high, swing through the ball. You'll be fine.
 
Muscles220

Muscles220

Addicted to Softballfans
My favorite pitch is between something that would hit me in the face to something on the inside corner of the plate and the top of my head. I don't know how to tell you to hit it, but it can be done and done well. I'm also talking about the pitch being that high when I hit it, but I hit it out in front of me. A pitch with a lot of arc can cross you at your chest, but be 8-9' high out in front where you're supposed to hit it. That's not a good pitch to hit.

The problem is that a fraction of an inch higher and I can't hit it to save my life, but it's so close to what I love that it baits me every time. Luckily, most pitchers just throw the ball at me trying to get me to foul out, but I rarely hit two foul in a row, and after the fouling the first one, I know I'm gonna get another and can be prepared for it.
 
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pontiacfb78

Star Player
I play unlimited arc in the fall. Its a bit different from the video because the pitchers usually move back to about 70-75ft. Then even at a 30ft high pitch, the arc is still similar to a 20ft pitch from 60ft. It was a lot to get used to in the beginning, but after a few games you either get it, or you don't.
 
T.Heck

T.Heck

Your favorite Cubs fan
Unlimited arc is fun I've played against AJ a few times years ago... Get back far as you can and walk the box.

They have a over 30 16inch unlimited league in town, its a good time.
 
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lcky3

Addicted to Softballfans
NDshotokan said:
The OSPB isn't the best place for these questions. Get a video of you swinging at high pitches and put it in the softball media section.

That being said, keep your hands up; you're probably dropping them a bit. Hands high, swing through the ball. You'll be fine.
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Hands up works only if you're swinging down, which isn't the best swing for SP softball since the ball is usually coming in at a higher arc than baseball.

Unless you're playing unlimited, a chest high pitch in the back of the box is almost always going to be deep, especially if using a mat for strikes.

I have my hands basically at armpit-level, pointing the bat knob at the pitcher, and then I just point the knob at the incoming ball and swing. If you swing level, your body is automatically set up to have a slight uppercut on follow through because your F shoulder is slightly higher than your back one. This works well for pitches at your shoulder as well because you're still swinging level to your body no matter what, but pointing the knob at the ball gets you on the right plane of swing to hit it solid

Make your upper body have one motion and stay upright no matter what, and use your legs to adjust to the pitch height for low pitches. I know Kris Bryant is 6'5", but watch how bent his legs when he is ready to swing. If the pitch is low and short, just squat more on the back leg and stride out wider to meet the ball.
 
NDshotokan

NDshotokan

(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
lcky3 said:
Hands up works only if you're swinging down
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Causation does not equal correlation, my friend. Theoretically, you can swing up from any reasonable hand position. It depends on the height of the pitch in relation to the height of the hands. So no, you're wrong.

lcky3 said:
...since the ball is usually coming in at a higher arc than baseball.
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LOL. You don't say...

lcky3 said:
Unless you're playing unlimited, a chest high pitch in the back of the box is almost always going to be deep, especially if using a mat for strikes.
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*ONLY* if using a mat. If there's no mat, there's no such thing as "deep". The ASA strike zone is the height and width at which the ball crosses the plate. It must be between the batters front knee and back shoulder and over the plate. So depending on the arc of the pitch, the "landing zone" can be the same on both a ball and a strike. So yeah.

lcky3 said:
I have my hands basically at armpit-level...
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That is literally hands high. When people drop their hands to their belt then upper cut a high pitch is when they get in trouble; hence my advice to the OP.

lcky3 said:
If the pitch is low and short, then don't swing because it's probably going to be a ball.
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Fixed it for ya.
 
Ballisttic

Ballisttic

Star Player
When its high let it fly. I dont hit low pitches very well anymore after i went to the full overlap grip but i love to hit the ball from the top of my head down to my chest.
 
C

cleanupset

New Member
What are you doing with you back elbow? Unlike baseball when playing slow pitch I start with my back elbow down then move a little up as my hands move back. If you want to get good at Tomahawking a high pitch then practice serving a tennis ball. You don't have to get the serve in, you just have to smash the tennis ball straight. To overhead smash a tennis ball you will have to fire your hips before your hands (which you want in softball, hips then hands) also you have to keep you hands inside the ball (which you want in softball) and you wrists will be cocked with the head of the racket trailing (in softball this would equal bat lag which you want).
 
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