ALL STAR BASEBALL ACADEMY TIP OF THE WEEK

This week’s All Star Baseball Academy’s Tip of the Week comes from Brian Good, an instructor at ASBA Warminster. Brian played at Temple University, and today he stresses the importance of solid fundamentals and proper alignment in the swing and pitching motion.

“Solid fundamentals in the swing should start with the proper alignment,” Brian said. “The alignment of the feet, hips and shoulders will promote a linear hand path both on the mound and at the plate.”

To demonstrate this, Brian suggests having a young pitcher draw a line down the center of the mound, or placing a 2X4 in the batter’s box lined up with the batter’s feet. This will help younger players focus on their alignment. Another drill coaches can use with their players is the mirror drill. Younger players are not always aware of what their bodies are doing. Standing in front of a mirror allows them to see what their body is doing. Batters can take dry swings with a bat and no ball while looking into the mirror. Pitchers can go through their pitching delivery and motion using a towel or rag instead of a ball as they look into the mirror. This translates to the mound or the batter’s box by helping them visualize proper alignment. Coaches should also be diligent in checking for proper alignment when players are working off the tee, taking batting practice, and working off the mound.

Stay tuned for next week’s ASBA Tip of the Week. If you have any questions about hitting or want to schedule lessons, please contact your local ASBA facility.