Hokie Pokie Part 2: The World of a Hitting Coach
Let’s continue the talk of the complex world of today’s hitting coach. In part 1, I discussed the murky waters of metrics, data, and the context we use it in, as well as how to start incorporating it on a basic level. Now let’s take a look at other components that aren’t taken into consideration in arguments and debates such as level, type of hitter, style of play, and the career end goal of the coach.
Level
Not all levels of baseball are created equal. At the younger level, (youth leagues) we should be focusing on having the kids swinging hard and having fun playing the GAME of baseball. Make sure they stand in the box correctly then let them swing. I think playing whiffle ball or some form of a game without an actual baseball and bat is extremely beneficial. At the high school level, we should be continuing to teach intent but also really focus on a kid’s balance within his setup and finish. During high school, players are constantly growing and their bodies are trying to figure out how to move efficiently in space. Putting kids in a forced position could cause unathletic positions for their body, which can hinder their balance, and in turn, hinder their swing. I also think high school programs should start incorporating technology to find metrics since colleges are starting to use simple metrics as part of the analysis process. However, I do understand some aren’t able to afford some of the technology to find out metrics. I would say the worst-case scenario for a high school is to have video sessions or exit velocity with a radar gun as your assessment. In college, there is no reason not to have some form of technology. Bat sensors are $100–150. Every program will have a radar gun and almost everyone has an iPhone or smartphone. If you are a college hitting coach you AREN’T “behind” for not having hitTrax, Rapsodo, or K-vest. You ARE behind if you aren’t trying to implement basic technology to help your hitters understand their movements. This leads to the type of hitters you are coaching.
Type of hitter
If they are young and new to baseball, talking to them about their bat speed probably won’t change much in their swing. However, showing metrics on an iPhone or iPad brings a sense of gamification to the younger kids — and I guess even the older kids. I once had an 8-year-old who wanted to hit more often just because he liked looking at the numbers on my iPad. I think we as coaches need to leverage this if it means players are going to want to practice more and engage more in the game of baseball. If you have the opportunity to work with college hitters or high-level movers, it would be smart to use some sort of metrics so that you don’t try to eyeball every swing.
Style of play
Style of play is a huge indicator of what data you should be collecting and the way you coach hitters. This is where I see arguments on what should be taught as hitting coaches. I find it interesting that debates and arguments can be the same theory but from different angles. For example, professional hitters play the percentages. They play the percentages on what to swing at in certain counts, and they play the percentages on their approach. With pitchers having nastier stuff and organizations looking at more than batting averages, hitters have to play the percentages on how they will be most successful. They have to find ways to stay in the BIGS even if it costs them more strikeouts and a dip in their average (if their organizations do not care about these particular statistics). On the other side of the spectrum, high school coaches are also playing the percentages to win games, which is to hit the ball on the ground, bunt, and hit-and-runs. High school coaches know that defenses are not great at their level so they play the percentages of making the defense work. Yet we still see arguments about how MLB players should play to “be better at the small ball.” We also see others argue about high school coaches not teaching the “right things.” I don’t think there is black or white in this situation, there is context. I think coaches need to understand this before engaging in opinions that could mess up other coaches and players.
Style of play in the college realm can cause college coaches to fall into a weird position here because the style of play has a lot of variables at this level. Some of the things you have to consider include the level of college (JUCO, NAIA, D3, D2, D1), the location of the college, the size of the field, and what wins in your conference, among other things. From my experience coaching at a D2, the teams that hit the most home runs finished at the top of the conference. So to compete in the conference, you have to find ways to get players to hit home runs. Another factor is that half the conference games were played in Oklahoma where winds could be blowing out 20–30 mph. It probably isn’t a good idea to teach “hit the ball on the ground” in this situation. Conversely, some fields are huge or “play big.” If you are in a situation that can’t recruit guys that can hit home runs at your field or opponent’s fields then you probably don’t want to teach fly balls. That also doesn’t mean you have to be against that philosophy. You simply are doing a style of play that fits your team to have a high percentage of winning.
What’s Your Career End Goal
In the end, how you teach hitting should be based on what your career end goal is as a coach. If you want to be a youth coach, that’s great! Your main focus should be to get and keep as many kids in the game of baseball as you can. Practice more than you play and keep it fun! If you’re a high school coach and want to stay at the high school level, excellent! Teach your players how to play the game, prepare them for every situation and facet of the game (how to bunt, hit and run, hit a sac fly, aka bat control), and teach them how to play hard and compete. If you want to stay in the college ranks or get to the college ranks, learn as much as you can from college coaches, learn to recruit, and learn a style that benefits your teams and gives you the percentages in your favor. At the college level, you definitely need to expose yourself to technology, utilize it, and learn how to coach with it. However, if your end goal is to coach in a professional organization then from my understanding you better work hard at adapting to new ideas, track everything and figure out how to explain what you tracked, push yourself, research new ideas, and find a way to communicate all that better than anyone else. I am sure there is more to it but that would be the start. In the end, as a hitting coach you don’t have to be right, and don’t look to be wrong. Look to improve your ability to coach your players in your current situation.
In conclusion, just like we tell players, I say the same here “No one size fits all.” There are many situations that each coach has to face. Some have access to high-level movers and some don’t. Some have access to a lot of tech and some don’t have much access at all. Let’s not box our opinions on what is right or wrong according to the context that fits only our narrative.
